In November 1806, French General Bernadotte led his army to occupy Lübeck, a city in the Kingdom of Prussia.1 At that time, around 1,800 Swedish soldiers, who were allies of Prussia, were also in Lübeck. These soldiers had already fought in other battles and were simply waiting to return home. Feeling compassion for them, Bernadotte treated them with respect and safely sent them back to their homeland.
1. The Kingdom of Prussia: A nation that existed in Europe from the 16th to 20th centuries, considered the predecessor of modern Germany.
Four years later, Bernadotte received an unexpected offer from the Swedish royal family. They asked him to become the crown prince and heir to the throne. At the time, the Swedish king was elderly and had no successor, leaving the political situation unstable. The commander who had experienced Bernadotte’s kindness during the Battle of Lübeck recommended him as the next crown prince. Bernadotte had earned the goodwill of the Swedish people by releasing the Swedish prisoners without asking for anything in return. Moreover, as a close associate of Emperor Napoleon of France, he was seen as a strategic choice to keep surrounding nations in check.
In 1818, Bernadotte ascended to the throne as the King of Sweden. His achievements—bringing political stability and strengthening national power as a monarch—are remembered with honor even today. And it was all made possible because of the compassion he once showed to strangers.