royal dynasty of Sweden, from 1818. The name derives from a family of old lineage of Béarn, France, whose earliest known member (17th century) owned an estate in Pau known as “Bernadotte.”

In 1810, Jean-Baptiste-Jules Bernadotte, a celebrated marshal of France under Napoleon, was elected crown prince of Sweden, went to Stockholm, acted officially as regent during the illnesses of the aged, childless king Charles XIII, and in 1818 became king, as Charles XIV John. Succeeding rulers were his son Oscar I (reigned 1844–59), Charles XV (1859–72), Oscar II (1872–1907), Gustav V (1907–50), Gustav VI Adolf (1950–73), and Charles XVI Gustav (or Carl XVI Gustaf; 1973– ).