Semla: A Swedish Delicacy with a Royal Tragedy

The story of King Adolf Fredrik’s death on February 12, 1771, has become a famous tale in Swedish history, but the details are often exaggerated or misrepresented. Here’s a more accurate account of what likely happened:

King Adolf Fredrik, who ruled Sweden from 1751 to 1771, was indeed known for his love of food, particularly semlas (also called hetvägg at the time). On the evening of February 12, 1771, the king, who was already in poor health, sat down to a lavish dinner.

The meal consisted of several rich dishes, including sauerkraut, meat with turnips, lobster, caviar, smoked herring (böckling), and champagne. As it was Shrove Tuesday (fettisdagen), the meal concluded with semlas served in warm milk, as was customary at the time.

Shortly after the meal, around 8:15 PM, the king complained of feeling dizzy and nauseous. He then collapsed and died. While popular legend attributes his death to overindulgence in semlas, this is likely an exaggeration. The actual cause of death was probably a stroke, which may have been exacerbated by the large meal.

It’s important to note that semlas in the 18th century were different from modern versions. They didn’t contain almond paste or whipped cream, making them less filling than today’s semlas. The myth of the “killer semlas” may have originated from a comment by Count Johan Gabriel Oxenstierna, who dramatically suggested that Shrove Tuesday should be banned and hetvägg exiled from Sweden for “committing regicide”.

In reality, King Adolf Fredrik’s death was likely the result of his overall poor health and the effects of a large, rich meal, rather than solely due to semlas. The story has since become a colorful part of Swedish cultural history, often retold with varying degrees of accuracy.