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Revolution of 1772
Coup by Gustav III of Sweden From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Revolution of 1772, also known as The Bloodless Revolution (Swedish: Revolutionen) or the Coup of Gustav III (Gustav III:s statskupp or older Gustav III:s statsvälvning), was a Swedish coup d'état performed by King Gustav III of Sweden on 19 August 1772 to introduce a division of power between the king and the Riksdag of the Estates, resulting in the end of the Age of Liberty and the introduction of the Swedish Constitution of 1772, which would strengthen the power of the monarch and the start the absolutist period known as the Gustavian era.
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Background
The Age of Liberty was a period in Swedish history that spanned from 1718 to 1772, during which the Riksdag of the Estates held significant power and limited the authority of the monarch. This period saw the introduction of various reforms, including freedom of the press and the abolition of torture.[2]
Before the revolution, Sweden had been governed by a constitutionalist system as a result of an increase in the power of the Riksdag of the Estates due to the death of Charles XII and the subsequent 1719 Instrument of Government which diminished the power of the monarch. This constitution was repealed a few months later, however, it was replaced by the similarly constitutionalist Instrument of Government of 1720.
However, by the mid-18th century, the Age of Liberty had become a period of political stagnation and corruption. Furthermore, the Riksdag had become deeply divided and unable to effectively govern the country, leading to calls for reform from various quarters.
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See also
References
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