Bilden av Karl XII : En historiografisk analys av framställningen av Karl XII i uppslagsverk kring förra sekelskiftet

Sammanfattning: The aim of this essay is to investigate and compare how Charles XII is depicted in the encyclopedias Nordisk Familjebok first and second edition from 1884 and 1910. The essay also has a historiographic purpose for examining whether there are clear links between the development of academic history research and how Charles XII is described in the two encyclopedias. The main hypothesis is that the encyclopedias are influenced by the historiographic development in their ambition to achieve academic authority. The method for achieving this purpose has been a qualitative text analysis, which means that the articles about Charles XII have been thoroughly analyzed, focusing on the preparation of Charles XII's formation and personality, the social conditions in Sweden during his reign, the outbreak of the Great Northern War, invasion of Russia, exile in the Ottoman Empire and finally his death. Despite the short period of time between the encyclopedias, my analysis has shown that the two articles about Charles XII are totally different. The first edition depicts a negative image of the king, while the second edition is positive in its presentation. The historiographical links between the scientific development and the encyclopedia's description of Charles XII have been very clear. In particular, the so-called "Old and New School" influences have become evident.