CHARLES XV. (1826-1872), king of Sweden and Norway, eldest son of Oscar I., king of Sweden and Norway, and Josephine Beauharnais of Leuchtenberg, was born on May 3, 1826. On June 19, 185o, he married Louisa, daughter of Prince Frederick of the Netherlands. He became regent on Sept. 25, 1857, and king on the death of his father (July 8, 1859). His reign was remarkable for its manifold and far-reaching reforms. Sweden's existing com munal law (1862), ecclesiastical law (1863) and criminal law (1864) were enacted. Charles XV. also materially assisted De Geer (q.v.) to carry through his memorable reform of the diet in 1865. Charles was a warm advocate of "pan-Scandinavianism" and the political solidarity of the three northern kingdoms, and his enthusiasm led him to give half promises of help to Denmark on the eve of the war of 1864. In view, however, of the unpre paredness of the Swedish army and the absence of support from any of the powers, Charles was forced to observe a strict neutral ity. He died at Malmo on Sept. 18, 1872. Charles XV. enjoyed an unusual degree of popularity in both his kingdoms. He was an amateur painter and his Dikter show him to have been a true poet. He left one child, a daughter, Louisa Josephina Eugenia, who in 1869 married the crown prince Frederick of Denmark.