1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/Gustavus V.

GUSTAVUS V. (1858–), King of Sweden (see 12.738), succeeded his father on the throne in Dec. 1907. As Crown Prince he had interested himself greatly in sport and music, and he continued as King to patronize them. When the World War broke out in 1914 and neutral countries were impelled to take counsel together, King Gustavus took the statesmanlike action of inviting the kings of Norway and Denmark to a meeting at Malmö, and on a later occasion he himself journeyed to Christiania where he had once sat as regent. During the war he exerted himself personally to ensure the maintenance of a policy of honourable neutrality. His eldest son, the Crown Prince Gustavus Adolphus (b. 1882), also devoted much time and energy to sport, and interested himself in archaeology. The Crown Princess Margaret (b. 1882), a daughter of the Duke of Connaught, died on May 1 1920; she had won the love of the Swedish people, and when she died a fund of nearly 1,500,000 kronor was quickly subscribed to consecrate her memory. King Gustavus’s brother, Prince Karl (b. 1861), was president of the Swedish Red Cross; and another brother, Prince Eugene, became known as a painter of much distinction.