The last of this line of Kings was Charles XIII. He was an old, infirm, and childless man when the question arose who should succeed him. Napoleon Bonaparte was then carrying everything before him, and among his Generals was one Bernadotte, who had risen from the ranks, and proved himself to be one of the greatest powers in France at that time. The Swedes chose him as Crown Prince, very much against Napoleon’s wish, who, no doubt, did not desire to lose so able a General, but at last, probably thinking that Bernadotte would help him in his schemes, said, “Well, go! may our fates be fulfilled.” Bernadotte soon after this took a leading part in Napoleon’s overthrow, and in 1818 ascended the throne of Sweden as Charles XIV. He reigned for twenty-six years, and proved a wise ruler. His great-grandson is the present King. [Illustration: OUR COUNTRY. _Otto Hesselbom._] The following is a list of Kings in our country contemporary with the Swedish ones of whom a brief sketch has been given: SWEDEN. ENGLAND. SCOTLAND. Gustavus Vasa, {Henry VIII., 1509-1547} James V., 1513-1542 1523-1560 {Edward VI., 1547-1553} Mary, 1542-1567 \ / -----------v------------- Gustavus Adolphus, {James I., 1603-1625 1611-1632 {Charles I., 1625-1649 Charles XII., {William and Mary, 1688-1702 1697-1718 {Anne, 1702-1714 {George I., 1714-1727 {George III., 1760-1820 Charles XIV., {George IV., 1820-1830 1818-1844 {William IV., 1830-1837 {Victoria, 1837-1901 CHAPTER II GOTHENBURG Sweden is a country that is not very well known, but is one that is most interesting to visit, because of the kindliness of the people and beauty of the scenery as well as many historical associations. As soon as you have reached the little island of Winga, with its lighthouse, you are led to think of those days, long, long ago, when the Goths left these shores in their Viking ships, to sweep the seas and found kingdoms, or of those days when Gustavus Adolphus gathered the young able-bodied men of the country, that they might go with him to Germany to fight for the faith he loved, while the old men and women were left to till the land. In many places you come across beautiful castles containing great treasures which Gustavus and his Generals brought home from the war. These were days when the Swedes were known everywhere as heroes in the battle-field. Now, you do not think of them so much as a warlike nation, but as one peaceful and industrious, seeking to win honour and renown in the more peaceful field of science, industry, and art. The poet Tegner says: “We have conquered a world at the point of our sword, Let us now win the world by our song and our thought.”