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Gustavu$ III 279
CHAPTER XVI
REIGN OF GUSTAVUS III, 1771-1792
A. THE COUP D’ ETAT OF 1772
CJiaracter and Aim of the Young King. Adolph Fred-
erick died suddenly in 1771 and was succeeded by his
oldest son, Gustavus III.
The young king had in-
herited his mother’s rich
endowments. He had a
consuming love for his
fatherland and was de-
termined to risk every-
thing to be its savior.
From weakness and dis-
honor he would rescue it,
from discord, which set
son against father and
brother against brother,
he would save it. He
must put an end to the
"liberty" which had be-
come license, a liberty
only for the most powerful party, a liberty which had
caused the greedy neighbors of the fatherland to
crouch, ready to spring upon it and tear it to pieces.
He glowed with enthusiasm for his country and its
honor. He worshiped the memory of Gustavus I and
Gustavus II and was proud to bear their name. He
would resemble them in more than name. The times
Gustavus III.
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