▁second ▁monarch ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Bern ad otte . ▁ ▁The ▁only ▁child ▁of ▁King ▁Charles ▁XIV ▁& ▁III ▁John , ▁Oscar ▁inherited ▁the ▁thr ones ▁upon ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁father . ▁Through out ▁his ▁reign ▁he ▁would ▁purs ue ▁a ▁liberal ▁course ▁in ▁politics ▁in ▁contrast ▁to ▁Charles ▁XIV , ▁inst itut ing ▁re forms ▁and ▁impro ving ▁t ies ▁between ▁Sweden ▁and ▁Norway . ▁In ▁an ▁address ▁to ▁him ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 7 , ▁the ▁R ik sd ag ▁declared ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁promoted ▁the ▁material ▁prosper ity ▁of ▁the ▁kingdom ▁more ▁than ▁any ▁of ▁his ▁prede cess ors . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁family ▁ ▁Oscar ▁was ▁born ▁at ▁ 2 9 1 ▁R ue ▁C is al pine ▁in ▁Paris ▁( today : ▁ 3 2 ▁R ue ▁Mon ce au ) ▁to ▁Jean - B apt iste ▁Jules ▁Bern ad otte , ▁then - F rench ▁Minister ▁of ▁War ▁and ▁later ▁Marsh al ▁of ▁the ▁Empire ▁and ▁S over eign ▁Prince ▁of ▁P onte cor vo , ▁and ▁D és ir ée ▁Cl ary , ▁Napoleon ▁Bon ap arte ' s ▁former ▁f ian c ée . ▁He ▁was ▁named ▁Joseph ▁after ▁his ▁god father ▁Joseph ▁Bon ap arte , ▁who ▁was ▁married ▁to ▁his ▁mother ' s ▁elder ▁sister ▁Jul ie , ▁but ▁was ▁also ▁given ▁the ▁names ▁François ▁Oscar . ▁The ▁latter ▁name ▁was ▁chosen ▁by ▁Napoleon ▁after ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁hero es ▁in ▁the ▁O ss ian ▁cycle ▁of ▁po ems