King of Sweden and Norway from 1818. A former marshal in the French army, in 1810 he was elected crown prince of Sweden under the name of Charles John (Carl Johan). Loyal to his adopted country, he brought Sweden into the alliance against Napoleon in 1813, as a reward for which Sweden received Norway. He was the founder of the present dynasty.
White stands for the snowy peaks of the Andes. Red symbolizes the blood shed by the freedom fighters. Blue represents the clear Andean skies. Effective date: c. 18 October 1817.