Charles II of the United Kingdoms of Scandinavia
| Charles II | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
,_1818.jpg) | |||||
| King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden | |||||
| Reign | 11 February 1845 - 30 April 1866 | ||||
| Coronation | 20 May 1845 | ||||
| Predecessor | Charles I | ||||
| Successor | Charles III | ||||
| Born | Charles Gustav Frederick 5 November 1796 Augustenborg Palace, Augustenborg, Denmark | ||||
| Died | 30 April 1866 (aged 69) Amalienborg, Copenhagen, Denmark | ||||
| Burial | |||||
| Spouse | Catherine Pavlovna of Russia (m. 1815) | ||||
| Issue | |||||
| |||||
| House | Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg | ||||
| Father | Charles I | ||||
| Mother | Princess Louise Augusta of Denmark | ||||
| Religion | Church of Denmark Church of Norway Church of Sweden | ||||
Charles II, or Carl II (5 November 1796 - 30 April 1866), was the King of the United Kingdoms of Scandinavia. Originally born in November 1796 as a minor Danish prince, he instead subsequently became a Swedish prince and second in line to the Swedish throne at the age of thirteen, when his father was adopted by the childless King Charles XIII of Sweden amidst a succession crisis facing the kingdom.
At the age of eighteen, the younger Charles first took part in the campaign of unifying the kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, then previously under Danish suzerainty, after which, he was made Crown Prince of Sweden and Norway following his father's ascension to the throne. Subsequently, during his tenure as crown prince, he notably oversaw various reforms to the traditionally decentralised Scandinavian militaries, whilst also serving as an advisor, and on several occasions, a field officer for several European armies, thereby earning him the nickname, The Mercenary Prince. Furthermore, Charles was also notable in sponsoring the efforts of a renewed Scandinavian colonialism, particularly in both Africa and the Middle East.
Charles II, along with his father, Charles I and his eldest son, Charles III, are collectively known and remembered as "The Three Great Charles", with the period from the beginning of his father's reign as king of a unified Scandinavia until the end of the reign of his son, Charles III, being named as the Great Carolean Era, or the Golden Carolean Century.