Age of Liberty

The Swedish period from 1718 to 1772, when the Riksdag gained power and royal authority was substantially limited. It ended with Gustav III’s coup restoring stronger monarchy.

Instrument of Government of 1720: A Swedish constitutional act that defined government after Charles XII’s death and restricted royal power. It established the institutional limits on the king that defined the period.
Great Northern War: A conflict from 1700 to 1721 in which a coalition challenged Sweden’s dominance in northern Europe. The war’s losses weakened Sweden and discredited its absolutist system.
Arvid Horn: A Swedish statesman who led the government during much of the early Age of Liberty. His cautious leadership helped establish the Caps’ early political dominance.
Coup of 1772: Gustav III’s bloodless seizure of power in Sweden, which ended the Age of Liberty and curtailed parliamentary rule. It marks the decisive end of the period’s constitutional arrangement.
Riksdag of the Estates: Sweden’s assembly of four estates: nobility, clergy, burghers, and peasants. Its authority expanded as the monarchy weakened.
Charles XII of Sweden: King of Sweden from 1697 to 1718, whose reign was dominated by the Great Northern War. His death without an heir opened the succession and constitutional crisis.
Carl Gyllenborg: A Swedish statesman and diplomat who became a leading Hat politician. He helped organize the faction that challenged Horn’s cautious policies.
Swedish Constitution of 1772: A constitution adopted after Gustav III’s coup that strengthened royal authority in Sweden. It replaced the parliamentary balance established during the Age of Liberty.
Hat Party: A Swedish political faction that favored an assertive foreign policy and mercantilist economic measures. The Hats dominated much of the period’s parliamentary politics.
Ulrika Eleonora: Queen of Sweden from 1718 to 1720, who accepted limits on royal authority to secure her accession. Her accession depended on accepting the estates’ constitutional demands.

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