On February 5, 1818 Jean Baptiste Bernadotte became King of Sweden and Norway as Charles XIV and II. Among all of Napoleon’s family members and generals, the dynasty he established is the only one that still reigns.
The future Swedish Monarch was born on January 26, 1763 in Pau, France. His parents were Jean Henri Bernadotte and Jeanne de Saint-Vincent. To distinguish from an elder brother (also called Jean), the boy was known as Jean Baptiste. He came from a family of lawyers and was expected to continue the tradition; however, Jean Baptiste rebelled and joined the Army.