The Children of Adam and Eve

He was a landgrave, or count, of Hesse-Kassel in 1715, when he married the
sister of King Charles XII. In 1718 she succeeded to the throne, and two
years later she abdicated in favor of Frederick. His royal powers were
Sharply limited by a new constitution that granted increased legislative
powers to the Riksdag, or Parliament, and vested executive power in a
committee of aristocrats. The aristocracy was, However, divided into two
factions: the Caps, who sought a conciliatory foreign policy, and the
Hats, who wanted to regain territory lost to Russia during the reign of
Charles. In 1738 the Hats gained a political majority, and from 1741 to
1743 Sweden was at war with Russia. Sweden lost additional territory in
Finland, and Russian influence reached into Sweden. Frederick was
succeeded by Adolph Frederick of Holstein-Gottorp (1710-71), who was
selected by Empress Elizabeth Petrovna of Russia.