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Gustaf V (Oscar Gustaf Adolf) (June 16, 1858 – October 29, 1950) was King of Sweden from 1907 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway and Sophia of Nassau. At birth he was created Duke of Värmland. On December 8, 1907 he succeeded his father on the Swedish throne, which had been separated from the Norwegian two years earlier.

He married Princess Victoria of Baden on September 20, 1881. She was the granddaughter of Sofia of Sweden, and her marriage to Gustav V united by a future real blood link (and not only so-called adoption) the reigning Bernadotte dynasty with the former royal house of Holstein-Gottorp that sometimes called itself Vasa. At the death of her brother, Victoria became the heiress general of Kings Adolf Frederick, Gustav III and Gustav IV of Sweden. Gustav himself was a descendant of the original House of Vasa, e.g of Gustav I of Sweden through both his mother Sophia of Nassau and his grandmother Josephine of Leuchtenberg.

Gustav V was the last Swedish King to intervene directly in the politics of the country, in 1914 on the disputes over defence budgets. He was a conservative man, who did not approve of the democratic movement and the demands for workers' rights.

In World war Two, he threatened to resign from the Monarchy, unless Britain was not to allowed to help Finland in the Winter War, in case it harmed his German allies. According to Prime minister Hansson the king had also, during a private conversation, threatened to abdicate if the government did not approve of the German request for transitation of one armed division from northern Norway to northern Finland in June 1941. Howewer, whether or not the king actually made such a threat, or if this was just an act of tactics by the Prime minister, is highly disputed.

Gustav V was also a devoted Tennis player, appearing under the pseudonym Mr G.

During the late 1930's and the 1940's the royal court was blackmailed by Knut Haijby. This is known as the Haijby affair.

Children

1. King Gustav VI Adolf (1882-1973)
2. Prince Wilhelm, Duke of Södermanland (1884-1965)
3. Prince Erik, Duke of Västmanland (1889-1918)

Other notes

1. Opener of the 1912 Summer Olympics

• 1858 births
• 1950 deaths
• Bernadotte
• Swedish monarchs
• Knights of the Garter
• Dukes of Swedish Provinces
• World War II political leaders