Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1871.djvu/454

418 Feb. 5, 1818, under the name of Carl XIV. The congress of Vienna united Norway to the Swedish crown, as a recompense, for the eminent services of the heir-apparent against French supremacy in eastern and central Europe.

The present sovereign of Sweden and Norway has a civil list of 1,417,000 riksdaler, or 78,722 £., as King of Sweden, and 143,155 specie-daler, or 31,812 £., as ruler of Norway. The royal family, besides, has an annuity of 300,000 riksdaler, or 16,666 £., voted to King Carl XIV. and his successors on the throne of Sweden.

The following is a list of the kings and queens of Sweden, from the accession of the House of Vasa:—

The average reign of the nineteen rulers who occupied the throne of Sweden since the accession of Gustaf I. amounted to seventeen years.

The union of Sweden and Norway under one sovereign was decided upon at the Congress of Vienna, and confirmed at the Peace of Kiel, Jan. 4, 1814, when Denmark consented to dissolve its ancient connexion with Norway. The provisions of this treaty were accepted by the Norwegian Parliament Nov. 4, 1814, and on August 6, 1815, was promulgated a Charter, the Riksakten, establishing the union on the following terms:—While the government of the two countries is kept entirely separate, the common sovereign exercises action over both through a Council of State, composed of Swedes and Norwegians. The law of succession is the same in both countries. In case of the minority of the king, his absence in foreign countries, his physical or mental incapacity, or any other temporary vacancy of the throne, the sovereign power is exercised by a Council of Regency, composed of ten Swedish and ten Norwegian state councillors, appointed by the Diets of the two countries. In case of absolute vacancy of the throne, the two Diets assemble for the election of the future sovereign, and should they not be able to agree upon one person, an equal number of Swedish and Norwegian deputies have to meet at the city of