Image from Wikimedia Commons . "King Gustav III of Sweden" painted by Alexander Roslin in 1771 On March 16, 1792, King Gustav III was assassinated. An enlightened despot, King Gustav III of Sweden made several reforms to improve the state of his nation and the lives of his subjects. Among other changes made during his rule, taxes on peasants were reduced, rights were extended to Catholics and Jews, capital punishment was limited, and the Swedish Academy and Royal Swedish Opera were founded. The king also made strides to reduce the power of the nobility, and removed their control of alcohol sales; this angered the...