The Educational Itinerary of a Crown Prince: Oscar I, a French King of Sweden
Résumé
On August 21, 1810, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, Napoleon’s Marshal of the Empire,
was elected crown prince to the Swedish throne. By choosing him, the National Diet of
Örebro also designated his son, Joseph François Oscar, as his successor. However, the boy,
who was barely eleven years old when he arrived in Sweden, had never been educated as a
king-to-be. In October 1812, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte wrote to his newly appointed
governor, Baron Cederhielm, to inform him of his wishes regarding his son’s education. The
letter detailed what the young prince’s daily life should be like from then on. Beyond merely
presenting the educational program, the Frenchman also elaborated a political manifesto; a
manifesto in which he explained his vision of power and his plans for the Kingdom of
Sweden. The article focuses on the complexity of the political role of this letter, which is
often quoted but seldom analyzed.