Editing Charles XIII (section)

==Reign==
[[File:Kastpenning av silver från Karl XIIIs kröning 1809 - Skoklosters slott - 99583.tif|thumb|Coronation coin]]
[[File:Medalj präglad till Karl XIIIs och Hedvig Elisabeth Charlottas kröning 29 juni 1809 - Skoklosters slott - 99576.tif|thumb|left|Coronation medal for Charles and Charlotte in 1809]]
[[File:Carl XIII of Sweden c 1816 by Per Krafft the Younger.jpg|thumb|The elderly King Carl XIII]]
On 13 March 1809, those who had dethroned Gustav IV Adolf appointed Charles regent, and he was finally elected king by the [[Riksdag of the Estates]]. By the time he became king, he was 60 years old and prematurely decrepit. In November 1809, he was affected by a heart attack, and was not able to participate in government. The new constitution which was introduced also made his involvement in politics difficult. A planned attempt to enlarge the royal power in 1809–10 was not put into effect because of his indecisiveness and health condition.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

His incapacity triggered a search for a suitable heir.  The initial choice was a Danish prince, Christian August, who took the name [[Charles August, Crown Prince of Sweden|Charles August]] upon being adopted by Charles.  However, Charles August died only a few months after his arrival in Sweden.  One of Napoleon's generals, [[Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte]], was then chosen as his successor.  The new crown prince took over the government as soon as he landed in Sweden in 1810. Charles's condition deteriorated every year, especially after 1812, and he eventually became but a mute witness during the government councils chaired by the crown prince, having lost his memory and no longer being able to communicate.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

By the [[Sweden-Norway|Union of Sweden and Norway]] on 4 November 1814, Charles became king of Norway under the name '''Carl II of Norway'''. After eight years as king only by title, Charles died without a natural heir on 5 February 1818, and Bernadotte succeeded him as King [[Charles XIV John]].<ref>[[Halvdan Koht]]: biografi (Karl XIII), i NBL1{{Clarify|date=October 2011}}, bd. 7, 1936</ref>

Charles was the 872nd [[Knight]] of the [[Order of the Golden Fleece]] in Spain.