ADOLPHUS FREDERICK (I 7'o-1770, king of Sweden, was born at Gottorp on May 14, 171o, the son of Christian Augustus (1673-1726), duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp and Albertina Frederica of Baden-Durlach. From 1727 to 175o he was bishop of Liibeck, and administrator of Holstein-Kiel during the minority of Duke Charles Peter Ulrich, afterwards Peter III. of Russia. In 1743 he was elected heir to the throne of Sweden by the "Hat" faction in order that they might obtain better conditions of peace from the Empress Elizabeth, whose fondness for the house of Holstein was notorious. During his whole reign (1751-71) Adolphus Frederick was little more than a figurehead, the real power being lodged in the hands of an omnipotent riks dag, distracted by fierce party strife. Twice he endeavoured to free himself from the intolerable tutelage of the estates. The first occasion was in 1756 when, stimulated by his wife, Louisa Ulrica, sister of Frederick the Great, he tried to regain part of his prerogative, and nearly lost his throne in consequence. On the second occasion (1768), under the guidance of his eldest son, afterwards Gustavus III., he succeeded in overthrowing the tyrannous "Cap" senate, but was unable to make any use of his victory. He died at Stockholm on Feb. 12, 1771.
See R. Nisbet Bain, Gustavus III. and his Contemporaries, vol. i. (London, 1895).