Gustav III's war against Russia and the…
March 1792 CE
A conspiracy to have the king killed and reform the constitution has taken place within the nobility in the winter of 1791-92.
Among those involved are Jacob Johan Anckarström, Adolph Ribbing, Claes Fredrik Horn, Carl Pontus Lilliehorn and Carl Fredrik Pechlin.
The assassination of the king takes place at a masked ball at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm at midnight on March 16, 1792.
Gustav had arrived earlier in the evening to enjoy a dinner in the company of friends.
During dinner, he had received an anonymous letter that contained a threat to his life (written by the colonel of the Life guards, Carl Pontus Lilliehorn), but, as the king had received numerous threatening letters in the past, he had chosen to ignore it.
The letter is written in French.
After dining, he had left his rooms to take part in the masquerade.
Soon upon entering, he is surrounded by Anckarström and his co-conspirators, Count Claes Fredrik Horn and Count Adolf Ludvig Ribbing.
The king is easily spotted, mainly due to the breast star of the Royal Order of the Seraphim that glows in silver upon his cape.
The conspirators are all wearing black masks and accost him in French with the words:
Bonjour, beau masque ("Good-day, fine masked man")
Anckarström moves behind the king and fires a pistol-shot into the left side of his back.
The king jumpsaside, crying in French:
Ah! Je suis blessé, tirez-moi d'ici et arrêtez-le! ("Ah! I am wounded, take me away from here and arrest him!")
The king is carried back to his quarters, and the exits of the Opera are sealed.