Who would have thought that someone would despise coffee; up to a point that he'll go into extreme to prove that it is dangerous? This being said, FoodBeast was able to get a sneak peek on King Gustav III's hatred for coffee.
A Swedish king, Gustav III reigned from 1771 to 1792. He on the other hand was not at all brutal as he abolished the torture of individuals accused of crimes, and he also passed legislation which promotes religious tolerance.
He may be tolerant with such acts, but his hatred for coffee however is unstoppable. The king despised coffee so much that he wanted to prove that it is in fact harmful. As per the website, coffee and tea consumption in Sweden was prohibited, since 1746, which is also his year of birth.
It may be prohibited, but coffee and tea consumption during his reign was unstoppable as it continually grew in popularity by the 2nd half of the 18th century, which terrified King Gustav. During his reign, in order for him to prove that coffee and tea is in fact harmful, Gustav opted to reach out to science to prove that his most despised drink is in fact harmful.
As per the Cambridge World History of Food, ''In the best scientific tradition, Sweden's Gustav III reputedly commuted the death sentences of twin brothers convicted of murder on the condition that one be given only tea to drink and the other coffee."
This being said however, his plan was not fully executed as his experiment didn't do as planned.
The tea drinker died first-at age 83-and Sweden became the world's most ardent coffee-consuming nation, with its citizens drinking five cups per person per day by 1975.
Though he was able to start with the experiment, he was not able to finish it as he was executed in a masquerade ball by his political enemy.
