II, the late king, and his four sons and their families.

Oscar's grandfather, the originator of the Bernadotte dynasty, was
still on the throne when he was born, in 1829, as the third son of
Crown Prince Oscar and the beautiful Josephine of Leuchtenberg. He
seemed far removed from the throne then, and thus he found freedom
to develop himself more in keeping with his individual tastes and
inclinations. Another factor to be borne in mind is the character of
his governor and principal instructor, the historian, F.F. Carlson,
who gave to his pupil a fondness for scientific exactness as well as
an insight into the true causes of civilizatory development found none
too frequently in professional thinkers, and hardly ever in princes.
The things that drew him most strongly in those days were the sea, and
music.

One of the foremost of Swedish composers, A.F. Lindblad, taught him
the latter, while his fondness for the former was richly satisfied
during the years when he worked his way through the ranks of the
Swedish navy. And his position on board the various man-of-war's-men
in which he traveled on many seas was never merely ornamental or even
exceptional. He took not only the title but also the work of the
offices he held, from midshipman to admiral.

It was characteristic of him, too, that when he married, he did so
out of love. On a tour through several countries; in 1856, he was
fortunate enough to meet Princess Sophia of Nassau. The courtship was
brief and ardent. Within a few months occurred the engagement, and the
wedding followed in less than a year. To the last that royal couple
remained strongly devoted to each other in spite of widely differing
tastes and temperaments. She has all her life been intensely