Jean Baptiste Bernadotte

Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte. Born a commoner- even if his father was a lawyer- he left school at the age of 17 after the death of his father. In the French Army of 1780, his brilliance, tenacity, courage, and charisma started taking to the fore, and he went from Private to Major (which is synonymous to Sergeant Major in France) in a span of just 10 short years.

When the French Revolution happened, he was unanimously voted as Colonel by his regiment. That’s a 6 rank jump there. By 1794, he was a Brigadier General. By the end of that year, he was a Divisional General (Major General). In the succeeding campaigns, he would be noted as an astute Corps Commander (Lieutenant General). Napoleon named him one of the Marshals of France, and he was also Napoleon’s Heir for a time. This was as his wife, Desiree Clary, was the younger sister of Joseph Bonaparte’s wife, and Desiree had once been engaged to Napoleon previously. When Napoleon was asked why he picked Bernadotte as his Heir even though they sometimes butted heads, he replied that he picked Bernadotte because the guy was the only one who had the military and political skills and the popularity to keep France intact.

Unfortunately for Napoleon, Bernadotte was so well respected even among France’s opponents that he was later offered the Swedish Throne. Napoleon did not block the offer, and Bernadotte later warned him that, as the Heir to the Swedish Throne, he would place the Swedes first and foremost. He took the name Charles XIV John, or Karl XIV Johann, in 1810. His descendant still rules Sweden to this day, as Carl XVI Gustaf.

So, 10 years from Private to Colonel. Another 10 years from Colonel to Marshal of France. Then 10 years from Marshal to King of Sweden.