Memorabilia; Or Recollections, Historical, Biographical, and AntiquarianSavage, James
History
Memorabilia; Or Recollections, Historical, Biographical, and Antiquarian
Savage, James
History -- Miscellanea; Savage, James, 1767-1845
That Charles the twelfth did not fall by a shot from the walls of
Fredericshall, as is commonly supposed, but met his death from a nearer
and more secret hand, has been fully ascertained; and M. Megret, a
French Engineer, who accompanied him, was, no doubt, concerned in the
murder. Many years afterwards, one Cronsted, an officer, on his death
bed, confessed that he had himself, at the instigation of the Prince of
Hesse, brother-in-law of Charles, and whose wife was declared Queen of
Sweden, fired the shot that killed the unfortunate monarch.
In the arsenal at Stockholm, the Swedes preserve, with great care, the
clothes he was habited in at the time he fell. The coat is a plain blue
cloth regimental one, such as every common soldier wore. Round the waist
he had a broad buff leathern belt, in which hung his sword. The hat is
torn only about an inch square, in that part of it which lies over the
temple, and certainly would have been much more injured by a large shot.
His gloves are of very fine leather, and as the left one is perfectly
clean and unsoiled could only have been newly put on. Voltaire says that
the instant the King received the shot, he had the force and courage to
put his hand to his sword, and lay in that posture. The right hand glove
is covered in the inside with blood, and the belt at that part where the
hilt of his sword lay, is likewise bloody, so that it seems clear, he
had previously put his hand to his head, on receiving the shot, before
he attempted to draw his sword and make resistance.
In the same case that contains his clothes is preserved the cap he wore
on the terrible day at Bender, when he so desperately defended himself
against the Turks. It is of fur; and has one tremendous cut on the side,
which must have been within a hair’s breadth of there ending the career
of this wonderful man.
BRITISH PEARLS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account