Oscar II of Sweden was the king of Sweden who ruled from 1872 until his death in 1907. He was also the king of Norway for a while but was deposed in 1905. A distinguished writer, he proved his writing talent by publishing a collection of poems that earned him a prize from the Swedish Academy. He was also a keen learner and distinguished himself in mathematics at Uppsala University. Before becoming the king, Oscar earned honorary membership of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. As a ruler, he proved to be conservative and supported Germany in a bid to strengthen Sweden against Russia. Oscar also tried to maintain harmony between Norway and Sweden. His reign, however, saw the decline of both the nations and resulted in his abdication as the king of Norway in 1905. He was eventually succeeded by his grandnephew Prince Carl of Denmark. Oscar’s personal life was fulfilling. He married Sophia of Nassau and had four sons with her. The king also had several illegitimate children.
