Idun
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I thought it could be nice to have a thread about Sweden and Swedish history, culture etc. So far I've posted these things in other threads  I'll start with the royal castle in Stockholm, nowadays known as a rather plain and boring castle. It was built after the great fire in 1697 when the old castle burnt down after guards carelessness, although some say that it was the architect Tessin himself that started the fire. He was the one who drew the new castle, and he had already drawn the new castle which he wanted to be built instead of the old one, known as Tre Kronor. The castle burning down was a disaster, since almost the entire medieval archive was destroyed. Also, the fire was seen as a bad sign, the king Karl XI had just died and his body had to be rescued from the flames, and his young son, the famous Karl XII, was about to become the new king. Another bad sign was that during his coronation ceremony, the crown fell off his head and was damaged when it hit the ground. Stockholms slott today http://upload.wikimedia.o...kholm_Palace_at_night.jpgTre Kronor (the old castle) http://www.kb.se/bilder/C...%20KB_Dahlb.1.18.768x.jpgThe old castle around 1500, http://www.hjle.se/slott_...re_kronor/sthlm_slott.jpgCarl Philips firescreen with the silhouette of Tre Kronor http://1.bp.blogspot.com/...Y/s1600/34221_cpb2101.jpg
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Idun
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I'm glad you like it  for you sweeties. I thought that I'll post some new things every now and then, about anything Swedish really  and see if anyone else wish to contribute. It's meant to be an open discussion about what we find interesting  I read my old post and realized that I forgot to mention a lot of things, like the name of the old castle. Tre Kronor means Three Crowns, which is an old symbol for Sweden, although it first appears in Avignon, France, as it was painted to commemorate a meeting in which Sweden took part (the pope issue). First used in 1330, it's said to represent the Christian trinity - Father, son and holy spirit. Another explanation is that is was used by king Magnus Eriksson, father in law to Margrethe I, and the king who has reigned Sweden for the longest period, not so strange since he became king as a three year old. His mother was a Norweigan princess, and he therefore became king of Norway too, and after purchasing Scania from Denmark, he had three kingdoms, so the crowns might symbolize that too. After Sweden freed itself from the Kalmar union in 1523, Denmark added the crowns to their crest, to underline that the new regime was considered illegal and that Denmark still considered Sweden as a part of the union. This sparked conflicts and even wars between the countries later in the 16th century. It's said that the now Swedish city Halmstad got their crest from the Danish king, because of their courage and loyalty during a war against Sweden. The crest has three hearts representing the loyalty to Denmark, and legend has it, that the king awarded the city the symbol to mock Sweden. Sadly, the story is not true, but it's still fun  These days, the name Tre Kronor refers to the national hockey team, the younger hockey players (U21) are referred to as "the little Crowns" and the female team as "the Lady Crowns". This is why they look like this; 
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Idun
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I'm glad you like it  it's really fun that you're interested in our history and country. Here's  for you all Nattie, Esther, Elissa and Odette (as a thank you for the one in prince Henrik thread)  and of course some new pics and stories. Here are some photos of royal wedding clothes, it seemed appropriate   Wedding clothes of crown prince Oscar and Josephine, married 19/6 1823 in Storkyrkan. She was very young at the time.  Clothes worn by crown princess Victoria and queen Alexandra at a wedding in 1905.  The oldest wedding clothes, worn by king Gustav III and the Danish princess Sofia Magdalena in 1766  Shoes worn at different royal weddings, 19th century A nice video with all the clothes from the exhibition http://www.tv4play.se/akt...smorgon?videoId=1.1642361
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Bystander
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Wedding clothes of crown prince Oscar and Josephine, married 19/6 1823 in Storkyrkan. She was very young at the time.
Thanks Idun, great photos! As for Oscar and Josephine, was he really tall or Josephine really short (there's s huge difference in their size)? How young was she when they married?
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Monaco's fairytale love story: post-engagementPPDA: And this was the woman whom you needed? Albert: I think... *** Reporter: "Is Charlene Wittstock your soulmate?" Albert: "I don't know if she is ...I don't know yet.
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Clara
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Wonderful pictures Idun  , thank you so much! 
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Idun
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Thanks Idun, great photos! As for Oscar and Josephine, was he really tall or Josephine really short (there's s huge difference in their size)? How young was she when they married? He was 24 years old, she was only sixteen, and that was her second wedding. The first wedding (a catholic ceremony) was held in Bavaria without Oscar being present, then the wedding was confirmed in Storkyrkan. Josephine was the eldest daughter of Eugène de Beauharnais, adopted son of Napoleon, and princess Augusta of Bavaria. When she arrived to Stockholm, her favourite name Napoleona and her doll was taken away from her, she wrote in her diary that "They said that I cried because my doll was taken away from me, but I cried because the things that I had loved and cherished throughout my childhood, now was seen as scourge of the past". Of course, in Stockholm, Napoleon wasn't very well spoken of. Oscars father Jean Baptist, the first Bernadotte, was a former general and marshal of Napoleon, but as a king of Sweden, he turned against him. Clara, one  for you too  glad you like the pics  Photograph of her husband Oscar I, taken in 1844, a very early photo   Portrait of Oscar  Portraits of Josefina with cameo tiara http://sverigesradio.se/d.../3097/1104802_209_300.jpgvery beautiful dress http://www.katolskhistoria.se/Josefina2.jpgA photograph http://media1.vgregion.se.../49/1M16_B145033_2455.jpgHer dress, worn around 1810 http://lrk.lsh.se/livrust...sefina/redingot_19161.jpgThe wedding in Storkyrkan http://www.royalcourt.se/...oto-Alexis-Daflos-390.jpg
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Clara
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Thanks Idun, great photos! As for Oscar and Josephine, was he really tall or Josephine really short (there's s huge difference in their size)? How young was she when they married? He was 24 years old, she was only sixteen, and that was her second wedding. The first wedding (a catholic ceremony) was held in Bavaria without Oscar being present, then the wedding was confirmed in Storkyrkan. Josephine was the eldest daughter of Eugène de Beauharnais, adopted son of Napoleon, and princess Augusta of Bavaria. When she arrived to Stockholm, her favourite name Napoleona and her doll was taken away from her, she wrote in her diary that "They said that I cried because my doll was taken away from me, but I cried because the things that I had loved and cherished throughout my childhood, now was seen as scourge of the past". Of course, in Stockholm, Napoleon wasn't very well spoken of. Oscars father Jean Baptist, the first Bernadotte, was a former general and marshal of Napoleon, but as a king of Sweden, he turned against him. Clara, one  for you too  glad you like the pics  Photograph of her husband Oscar I, taken in 1844, a very early photo   Portrait of Oscar  Portraits of Josefina with cameo tiara http://sverigesradio.se/d.../3097/1104802_209_300.jpgvery beautiful dress http://www.katolskhistoria.se/Josefina2.jpgA photograph http://media1.vgregion.se.../49/1M16_B145033_2455.jpgHer dress, worn around 1810 http://lrk.lsh.se/livrust...sefina/redingot_19161.jpgThe wedding in Storkyrkan http://www.royalcourt.se/...oto-Alexis-Daflos-390.jpgShe looks very good on her portrait, and how sad that they took her things away  Was her life happy in Sweden?  in 24 hours Idun 
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Idun
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She wasn't very happy in the beginning, she was only 16 so they didn't really live together until she was 18, and he had other women, which she soon discovered. He had several children with other women, one of them, an actress, was the center of Stockholms cultural elit at the time. My grandmother actually owned a game table that belonged to her, so who knows, perhaps Oscar used to gamble at that very table  Oscar himself wrote a book, which was spread outside Sweden and helped to reform the prisons, for example in Holland. He disliked the death penalty and other corporal punishments. "Peace acquisitions", though less lustrous than war exploits, has borne rich harvests, not alone in scientific advancement and industrial development, but also in a greater reverence for human dignity, in a more tender care of the lower classes, enlightenment and prosperity. Precious Care has extended itself even to the life of crime diversion strayed, as it started to look less like an outlaw, forever displaced creature, than as one led astray, cases like, for the repentance one is forced to think and act. "Oscar was a very gifted and intelligent person, as was Josephine, and their relationship improved. As far as I know, they got closer and had a good marriage, especially in his last years. She also committed herself very much to charity. They did take some of her things, but she was allowed to keep her catholic faith, even though some disliked that and it must have been illegal  she's often mentioned when the history of the Swedish catholics is discussed. Her catholic priest and her nanny came with her, and they were very important to her, so at least she had them. Also, Oscars mother, queen Desiree, born Clary, had been engaged to Napoleon, so Josephine was not the only Napoleon admirerer in the castle I'll return the favour tomorrow, sweet Clara  Noticed that I did a mistake, one of the portraits I posted is actually a portrait of Desiree, not Josephine  Here's Desiree; 
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Rearden
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TY for the interesting thread 
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"You can never be too rich or too thin" - HRH The Duchess of Windsor Cambridge
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Odette
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Idun, dear Viking Princess, what a fabulous topic. Napoleon, Desirée, and those times are a particular favorite of mine, so thank you very much.  for such a great presentation (in 24). I particularly like all the clothes and shoes. Other than the cameo tiara, are there photos of her jewelry? Tak 
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