Arboga ( Swedish pronunciation: [ˈârːˌboːɡa] ) is a locality and the seat of Arboga Municipality in Västmanland County , Sweden with 10,989 inhabitants in 2020.
126-442: The city of Arboga is known to have existed as a town since the 13th century but the area has been inhabited since around 900 AD. The name (originally Arbugæ) consists of the two words "Ar" which in ancient Swedish means river and bughi which means "bend" and which together have the meaning "river bend". The city was at one time a residence of the royal family of Vasa . It was the scene of church assemblies and national diets, and it
252-448: A Swedish noblewoman. He was crowned as Eric XIV, but was not necessarily the 14th king of Sweden named Eric. He and his brother Charles IX (1604–11) adopted regnal numbers according to Johannes Magnus 's partly fictitious history of Sweden. There had, however, been at least six earlier Swedish kings with the name of Eric, as well as pretenders about whom very little is known. In domestic politics, Eric's ambitions were strongly opposed by
378-500: A cavalry charge on his wing. Lützen was a victory for the Protestants, but cost them their leader, which caused their campaign to lose direction and finally suffer a crushing defeat at Nördlingen . Towards 1:00 pm, in the thick mix of gun smoke and fog covering the field, the king was separated from his fellow riders and suffered multiple shots. A bullet crushed his left arm below the elbow. Almost simultaneously his horse suffered
504-620: A diplomatic mission, in an attempt to solve the conflict by negotiations. Charles at first looked ready to negotiate but in fact he was playing for time, trying to confirm his power at another Riksdag (in Arboga), recruiting peasants for his army, and isolating Sigismund's followers. In 1598, the Sejm gave Sigismund the go-ahead to wage a military campaign against his opponents in Sweden; however it refused to give him significant support. Sigismund's army
630-522: A fourteenth century Swedish noble family, tracing agnatic kinship to Nils Kettilsson (Vasa) (died 1378), fogde of Tre Kronor Castle in Stockholm . Several members held high offices during the 15th century. In 1523, after the Stockholm bloodbath and the abolition of the Kalmar Union , Gustav Eriksson (Vasa) became King Gustav I of Sweden and the royal house was founded. His reign
756-462: A full-out war against them, despite potential lure of territorial gains in Silesia . He realized that such a move would cause much unrest in a heavily Catholic Commonwealth, that he likely lacked the authority and power to push such a change of policy through the Sejm, and that the resulting conflict would be very difficult. From 1636 onward, for the next few years, Władysław strengthened his ties with
882-418: A general, Gustavus Adolphus is famous for employing mobile artillery on the battlefield, as well as very aggressive tactics, where attack was stressed over defense, and mobility and cavalry initiative were emphasized. Christina was the only surviving legitimate child of King Gustav II Adolph and his wife Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg . At the age of six she succeeded her father on the throne upon his death at
1008-491: A great-grandchild of Gustav IV Adolf of the house Holstein-Gottorp. John III of Sweden married Catherine Jagellonka , the sister of Sigismund II Augustus of Poland . When Sigismund II of Poland died without issue, the son of John III of Sweden and Catherine Jagellonka was elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania as Sigismund III in 1587. On John's death, Sigismund also gained the Swedish throne. However, Sigismund
1134-716: A leader of the theatrical and musical life and protected many Baroque artists, composers, and musicians. In 1654 Christina, the daughter of Gustavus Adolphus, the Protestant Champion of the Thirty Years' War , abdicated, converted to Catholicism and left the country. The throne passed to her half-cousin Charles X of the House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken , a cadet branch of the Wittelsbachs . The kings of
1260-845: A military alliance with Sweden. In response to this alliance, the Polish king Sigismund III decided to intervene officially and to declare war upon Russia , aiming to weaken Sweden's ally and to gain territorial concessions. Hetman of the Crown Stanisław Żółkiewski held a triumphal entry by the Kraków suburb of the Royal Palace, leading with him the prisoners: the Russian tsar Wasyl IV Szujski, his brothers: Dimitri Szujski with his wife - Grand Duchess Ekaterina Grigoryevna, daughter Grigory Malyuta Skuratov and Ivan Shuysky Mikhail Shein, and Filaret,
1386-456: A monument to Gustavus Adolphus was agreed to, and it was suggested by Superintendent Grossmann that the best memorial to Gustavus Adolphus would be the formation of a union for propagating his ideas. It quickly gained popularity in Germany. The lack of political correctness received some criticism; however, the organization used GAW as its brand in the meanwhile. The Swedish royal family visited
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#17327733953521512-707: A part of the preliminary religious strife before the Thirty Years' War, and reigned as regent before taking the throne as Charles IX of Sweden in 1604. Crown Prince Gustav Adolph had Gagnef-Floda in Dalecarlia as a duchy from 1610. Upon his father's death in October 1611, a sixteen-year-old Gustavus inherited the throne (declared of age and able to reign himself at seventeen as of 16 December), as well as an ongoing succession of occasionally belligerent dynastic disputes with his Polish cousin. Sigismund III wanted to regain
1638-616: A population of about 14,057 (2023). Bands like Bring Me the Horizon , Arch Enemy , Architects , and Dimmu Borgir recorded albums with Fredrik Nordström in his own recording studio Studio Fredman . Recently, the studio was relocated to Gothenburg . The following sports clubs are in Arboga: In addition the Sixth Women's World Gliding Championships was held 15–25 June 2011. Alexander Gustafsson , mixed martial artist ,
1764-650: A quarrel between the Protestant and Catholic parties. The Brandenburg minister and diplomat baron Samuel von Winterfeld [ de ] influenced Gustavus Adolphus to support and protect the Protestant side in Germany. When Gustavus Adolphus began his push into northern Germany in June–July 1630, he had just 4,000 troops. He was soon able to consolidate the Protestant position in the north, however, using reinforcements from Sweden and money supplied by France at
1890-608: A round of this dynastic dispute, Gustavus Adolphus invaded Livonia when he was 31, beginning the Polish–Swedish War (1626–1629) . In the course of it he won a victory at Wallhof , fought at Gniew , Dirschau , and suffered a defeat at Trzciana . His reign became known from his actions a few years later when, in June 1630, he landed in Germany, marking the Swedish intervention in the Thirty Years' War . Gustavus Adolphus intervened on
2016-412: A shot to the neck that made it hard to control. In the mix of fog and smoke from the burning town of Lützen the king rode astray behind enemy lines. There he sustained yet another shot in the back, was stabbed and fell from his horse. Lying on the ground, he received a final, fatal shot to the temple. His fate remained unknown for some time. However, when the gunnery paused and the smoke cleared, his horse
2142-404: A sixteen-year-old Gustavus inherited the throne, being declared of age and able to reign himself at seventeen as of 16 December. He also inherited an ongoing succession of occasionally belligerent dynastic disputes with his Polish cousin, Sigismund III, who persisted in his effort to regain the Swedish throne. He also briefly assumed the title of tsar of Russia in the beginning of his reign. In
2268-450: A strong Kalmar Union dominated by Denmark, took advantage of the situation and put pressure on the rebels. The city wanted privileges on future trade as well as guarantees regarding the loans they had granted the rebels. The Privy Council and Gustav Eriksson knew the support from Lübeck was absolutely crucial. As a response, the council decided to appoint Gustav Eriksson king. The ceremonial election of Gustav as king of Sweden took place when
2394-520: A threat in the manifesto had never reached more than a quarter of the size of the Swedish fleet. Moreover, it was never maintained to challenge Sweden but to face the separatist Netherlands. So if ruling the Baltic Sea was a goal of Swedish strategy, the conquests in Germany were not a defensive war but an act of expansion. From Swedish Finland, Gustavus Adolphus advanced along the Baltic Sea coast and eventually to Augsburg and Munich and he even urged
2520-590: Is also the only Swedish monarch to be styled "the Great". This decision was made by the Swedish Estates of the Realm, when they convened in 1633. Thus, by their decision he is officially, to this day, to be called Gustaf Adolf the Great ( Gustavus Adolphus Magnus ). Gustavus Adolphus was the main figure responsible for the success of Swedish arms during the Thirty Years' War and led his nation to great prestige. As
2646-486: Is an exaggeration to credit him with a uniquely disciplined conscript army, or call his the first military state to fight a protracted war on the continent. He argues that he improved existing techniques and used them brilliantly. Richard Brzezinski says his legendary status was based on inaccurate myths created by later historians. Many of his innovations were developed by his senior staff. Gustavus Adolphus' politics also show progressive tendencies: for example, in 1631, in
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#17327733953522772-401: Is failing or great, subject to such rule in common, so that otherwise I would have had scant reason to desire such a rule, had I not found myself obliged to it through God's bidding and nature. Now it was of my acquaintance, that inasmuch as God had let me be born a prince, such as I then am born, then my good and my destruction were knotted into one with the common good; for every reason then, it
2898-627: Is known for the antiquities in its neighborhood. The first session of the Riksdag of the Estates was held in Arboga in 1435. Albertus Pictor , the most famous Swedish artist of the late medieval period, was admitted burgher of the town in 1465. Today the city is an important traffic link since the highways E18 and E20 merge there. Two railways Mälarbanan and Svealandsbanan , between Stockholm and Hallsberg also merge in Arboga. The city has
3024-535: Is my protector!" However, it is more likely that he simply wore a padded cuirass rather than going into battle wearing no battle protection whatsoever. In 1627, near Dirschau in Prussia, a Polish soldier shot him in the muscles above his shoulders. He survived, but the doctors could not remove the bullet, so from that point on, he could not wear iron armor and two fingers of his right hand were paralyzed. The plate cuirass normally worn by important officers at that time
3150-660: Is sometimes referred to as the beginning of the modern Swedish state, which included the King's break with the Catholic Church during the Protestant Reformation and the foundation of the Church of Sweden . However, his eldest son and successor Erik XIV of Sweden was overthrown by Gustav's younger son, King John III of Sweden . John III married a Catholic Polish princess, Catherine Jagiellon , leading to
3276-481: Is widely commemorated by Protestants in Europe as the main defender of their cause during the Thirty Years' War, with multiple churches, foundations and other undertakings named after him. He became a symbol of Swedish pride, and his name is attached to city squares in major Swedish cities like Stockholm , Gothenburg and Helsingborg . Gustavus Adolphus Day is celebrated in Sweden and Finland each year on 6 November,
3402-818: The Battle of Lützen in 1632. His early death was a great loss to the Lutheran side. This resulted in large parts of Germany and other countries, which had been conquered for Lutheranism, to be reconquered for Catholicism (via the Counter-Reformation). His involvement in the Thirty Years' War gave rise to the saying that he was the incarnation of "the Lion of the North", or as it is put in German "der Löwe von Mitternacht". Gustav II Adolf's success in making Sweden one of
3528-431: The Battle of Lützen , and began ruling when she reached the age of 18. Christina is remembered as one of the most educated women of the 1600s. She was fond of paintings, books, manuscripts, and sculptures. With her interest in religion, philosophy, mathematics and alchemy, she attracted many scientists to Stockholm , wanting the city to become the " Athens of the North". She was intelligent, fickle and moody; she rejected
3654-537: The Battle of Stångebro , (also known as the battle of Linköping ). Sigismund was captured and forced to hand over some of his followers such as the Chancellor of Sweden, Erik Larsson Sparre, (1550–1600). In May 1599, Charles' forces captured the last fortress held by Sigismund, Kalmar. On July 24, 1599, the Riksdag in Stockholm officially dethroned Sigismund. The new King of Sweden was Charles IX of Sweden, and
3780-603: The Confessio Augustana , the core confession of faith of the Lutheran Church , and let himself be praised as its saviour. Yet Gustavus Adolphus's own "manifesto of war" does not mention any religious motivations at all but speaks of political and economic reasons. Sweden would have to maintain its integrity in the face of several provocations and aggressions by the Habsburg Empire. The manifesto
3906-727: The Polish–Swedish union was dissolved after barely seven years of existence. In March 1600, some of Sigismund's supporters were executed, including five senators in an event known as the Linköping Bloodbath . The Polish–Muscovite War or the Polish–Russian War (1605–1618), in Poland known as the Dimitriads , took place in the early 17th century as a sequence of military conflicts and eastward invasions carried out by
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4032-592: The Rhine , making plans for the invasion of the rest of the Holy Roman Empire . In March 1632, Gustavus Adolphus invaded Bavaria , an ally of the Emperor. He forced the withdrawal of his Catholic opponents at the Battle of Rain , marking the high point of the campaign. In the summer of that year, he sought a political solution that would preserve the existing structure of states in Germany, while guaranteeing
4158-422: The Riksdag of the Estates in 1634. He is often regarded as one of the greatest military commanders in modern history, with use of an early form of combined arms . His most notable military victory was the Battle of Breitenfeld in 1631. With his resources, logistics, and support, Gustavus Adolphus was positioned to become a major European leader, but he was killed a year later at the Battle of Lützen . He
4284-607: The Scandinavian Seven Years' War , but rejected the resulting Treaties of Roskilde (1568) where his envoys had accepted far-reaching Danish demands. After two more years of fighting, this war was concluded without many Swedish concessions in the Treaty of Stettin (1570) . During the following years he defeated Russia in the Livonian War , and regained Narva by the Treaty of Plussa in 1583. His foreign policy
4410-807: The Smolensk War against Muscovy (1633). In 1648 John Casimir was elected by the Polish Parliament to succeed his half-brother on the Polish throne. The reign of the last of the Vasas in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth would be dominated by the Russo-Polish War (1654–67), followed by the war with Sweden (" The Deluge "), the scene for which had been set by the Commonwealth's two previous Vasa kings. Most of Poland
4536-511: The Swedish nobility , including his half-brother, the later John III of Sweden (1537–92). John was the Duke of Finland and was married to a Polish princess , which made him friendly with Poland. John pursued an expansionist policy in Livonia (now Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) which led to contention between the brothers. In 1563, John was seized and tried for high treason by Eric's order. In
4662-624: The Swiss Confederacy to join him. This was no longer about Baltic interests but the imperial capital of Vienna and the alpine passes that were now in close reach of the Swedish army. Burkhardt points out that the Gothic legacy of the Swedes, coalesced as a political program. The Swedish king was also " Rex Gotorum " ( Latin : King of the Goths ), and the list of kings was traced back to
4788-687: The Treaty of Bärwalde . After Swedish plundering in Brandenburg (1631) endangered the system of retrieving war contributions from occupied territories , "marauding and plundering" by Swedish soldiers was prohibited. Meanwhile, a Catholic army under Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly was laying waste to Saxony . Gustavus Adolphus met Tilly's army and won a decisive victory at the First Battle of Breitenfeld in September 1631. He then marched across Germany, establishing his winter quarters near
4914-557: The University of Tartu . Despite significant hardships for the common people, the period of Swedish rule over Estonia has been idealized in local folklore as the "good old Swedish times", which has been attributed to comparisons with the harder times that followed under the Russian rule. On 27 August 1617, his speech before his coronation included the following statement: I had carefully learned to understand, about that experience which I could have upon things of rule, how fortune
5040-419: The great powers of Europe, and perhaps the most important power in the Thirty Years' War after France and Spain, was due not only to his military brilliance, but also to important institutional reforms in Sweden's government. The chief among these reforms was the institution of the first Parish registrations, so that the central government could more efficiently tax and conscript its populace. Gustavus Adolphus
5166-399: The house of Holstein-Gottorp , which produced the kings of Sweden from 1751 to 1818, emphasized their Vasa descent through a female line. The current ruling house of Bernadotte similarly claims a Vasa mantle: Charles XIV was an adopted son of Charles XIII ; his son Oscar I married a Vasa descendant Josephine of Leuchtenberg ; their grandson Gustav V married Victoria of Baden who was
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5292-452: The Baltic Sea. The final inherited war, the war against Poland , ended in 1629 with the Truce of Altmark , which transferred the large province of Livonia to Sweden and freed the Swedish forces for the subsequent intervention in the Thirty Years' War in Germany, where Swedish forces had already established a bridgehead in 1628. The electorate of Brandenburg was especially torn apart by
5418-437: The Commonwealth's next king was reached on 8 November, but as the pacta conventa were not yet ready, the official announcement was delayed until 13 November. In the pacta conventa , Władysław pledged himself to fund a military school and equipment; to find a way to fund a naval fleet; to maintain current alliances; not to raise armies, give offices or military ranks to foreigners, negotiate peace treaties or declare war without
5544-478: The Commonwealth. His first plan was an attempt to secure a hereditary province within the country, which would not be threatened by the possible power shift following a future royal election; this, however, did not gain sufficient support in the Sejm. Władysław used the title of the King of Sweden although he had no control over Sweden and never set foot in that country. John Casimir for most of his life remained in
5670-550: The Danes for as long as the negotiations lasted. However, Christian did not show up for the negotiations, violated the deal with the Swedish side, and took the hostages to Copenhagen . The six hostages were Hemming Gadh , Lars Siggesson (Sparre), Jöran Siggesson (Sparre), Olof Ryning, Bengt Nilsson (Färla) – and Gustav Eriksson. The election of Gustav Eriksson as a regent made many Swedish nobles , who had so far stayed loyal to King Christian, switch sides. Some noblemen, still loyal to
5796-458: The Danish war was the most serious. During his reign, Sweden rose from the status of a Baltic Sea basin regional power to one of the great powers of Europe and a model of early modern era government. Gustavus Adolphus is known as the "father of modern warfare", or the first modern general. He taught a number of other military commanders, such as Lennart Torstensson , who would go on to expand
5922-566: The Estates in 1634, making him officially called Gustavus Adolphus the Great ( Gustavus Adolphus Magnus ). Gustavus Adolphus was the main figure responsible for the success of Swedish arms during the Thirty Years' War and led his nation to great prestige. As a general , Gustavus Adolphus employed mobile artillery on the battlefield, as well as very aggressive tactics, where attack was stressed over defense, and mobility and cavalry initiative were emphasized. Among other innovations, he installed an early form of combined arms in his formations, where
6048-705: The GAW headquarters in Leipzig on the 400th birthday of Gustavus Adolphus, in 1994. The Columbia Encyclopedia sums up his record: The German Socialist Franz Mehring wrote a biography of Gustavus Adolphus with a Marxist perspective on the actions of the Swedish king during the Thirty Years' War. In it, he makes a case that the war was fought over economics and trade rather than religion. The Swedes discovered huge deposits of copper, which were used to build brass cannon. The cottage-industrial growth stimulated an armaments industry. In his book "Ofredsår" ("Years of Warfare"),
6174-568: The Gothic rulers to construct continuity. Prior to his embarkment to northern Germany, Gustavus urged the Swedish nobility to follow the example of conquests set by their Gothic ancestors. Had he lived longer, it would have been likely that Gustavus had reached out for the imperial crown of the Holy Roman Empire. The Swedish composer Franz Berwald composed the choral work Gustaf Adolph den stores seger och död vid Lützen ( Gustav Adolf
6300-474: The Great", or Gustav Adolf den Store in Swedish , the only Swedish monarch to be so honoured. As those Vasa princes who descended from deposed monarchs were excluded from the throne and Gustavus Adolphus's younger brother had died ten years before, his young daughter Christina became his successor, with Maria Eleonora and other ministers governing on her behalf. He left one other known child, his illegitimate son Gustav, Count of Vasaborg . Gustavus Adolphus
6426-440: The Great's Victory and Death near Lützen ) in 1845. He is also the protagonist of Max Bruch 's 1898 choral work Gustav Adolf . He is also a significant supporting character in the best-selling alternate history book series, 1632 , written by American author Eric Flint (first published in 2000). The song "The Lion from the North" from the album Carolus Rex , released in 2012 by Swedish power metal band Sabaton ,
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#17327733953526552-596: The Habsburgs. In the meantime, Władysław still tried to take a leading role in European politics, and negotiate a peaceful settlement to the Thirty Years' War , a settlement which he hoped would ease his way into regaining the Swedish crown . Following the armistice of Stuhmsdorf, Władysław came to increasingly realize that his prospects for regaining the Swedish throne were dim. In the years 1636–1638 he proposed several reforms to strengthen his and his dynasty's power in
6678-465: The Hanseatic city joined the war against Denmark. The winter of 1523 saw their joint forces attack the Danish and Norwegian areas of Scania , Halland, Blekinge, and Bohuslän. During this winter, Christian II was overthrown and replaced by Frederick I. The new king openly claimed the Swedish throne and had hopes Lübeck would abandon the Swedish rebels. The German city, preferring an independent Sweden to
6804-503: The House of Vasa becoming rulers of Poland. Their Catholic son Sigismund III Vasa , then ruler of a short-lived Polish–Swedish union , was usurped in 1599 by John's Protestant brother King Charles IX of Sweden in the War against Sigismund . The dynasty was then split into a Protestant Swedish branch and a Catholic Polish one, which contended for crowns in subsequent wars. The involvement of
6930-576: The Lübeck representatives on the other. After the hymn " Te Deum ", Andreae proclaimed Gustav Eriksson king of Sweden. He was, however, still not crowned. In 1983, in remembrance of the election of Gustav as Swedish king on 6 June, that date was declared the National Day of Sweden . Eric XIV was born at Tre Kronor on 13 December 1533. Before the age of two, he lost his mother. In 1536, his father, Gustav Vasa, married Margaret Leijonhufvud (1516–51),
7056-474: The Polish Commonwealth in 1589. King Sigismund also tried to maintain peace with his powerful neighbor by marrying Archduchess Anna of Austria in 1592. It was always his intention to be allied with Catholic Austria against the Protestant forces that were tearing Christendom apart. After the death of John III of Sweden , his son Sigismund succeeded to the throne of Sweden. Sigismund at that time
7182-503: The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was not formally at war with Russia until 1609, and various Russian factions fought amongst themselves, allied with the Commonwealth and other countries or fighting against them. Sweden also participated in the conflict during the course of the Ingrian War (1610–1617), sometimes allying itself with Russia, and other times fighting against it. The aims of the various factions changed frequently as well as
7308-581: The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and returned to France, where he joined the Jesuits and became abbot of Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris . Following his abdication Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki (Michael I) was elected the new king and was crowned on September 29, 1669. Before his death John Casimir intended to return to Poland, however shortly before the journey in Autumn 1672 he fell dangerously ill to
7434-412: The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, or the private armies and mercenaries led by the magnates (the Commonwealth aristocracy), when the Russian Tsardom was torn by a series of civil wars, the time most commonly referred to in the Russian history as the " Time of Troubles ", sparked by the Russian dynastic crisis and overall internal chaos. The sides and their goals changed several times during this conflict:
7560-438: The Protestants in Sweden and landed in Poland on 7 October. He immediately agreed to give up several royal privileges to the Sejm (parliament) of the Commonwealth in the hope of winning over some of his enemies and settling the disputed election. Lesser Prussian Treasurer Jan Dulski proclaimed him king on behalf of the Crown Marshal Andrzej Opaliński . On 27 December, he was crowned in Wawel Cathedral in Kraków . It seemed that
7686-422: The Sejm's approval; not to take a wife without the Senate's approval; to convince his brothers to take an oath to the Commonwealth; and to transfer the profits from the Royal Mint to the Royal Treasury rather than to a private treasury. When the election result had been announced by the Crown Grand Marshal, Łukasz Opaliński , the nobility ( szlachta ), who had taken part in the election, began festivities in honor of
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#17327733953527812-472: The Spanish tercios that were up to 50 ranks deep) used in other pike and shot armies of the day. In consequence, his forces could redeploy and reconfigure very rapidly, confounding his enemies. He created the modern Swedish Navy , which transported troops and supplies to the Continental battlefront. Carl von Clausewitz and Napoleon Bonaparte considered him one of the greatest generals of all time, an evaluation agreed with by George S. Patton and others. He
7938-401: The Swedes, Goths and Wends"; after his father died in 1592, he added "hereditary king of the Swedes, Goths, and Vandals". However, as was often the case with the Polish electoral monarchy, the outcome was strongly contested by the "losers" and a faction of the Polish nobility backed Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria . Upon hearing of his election King Sigismund slipped through the clutches of
8064-444: The Swedish Intervention in the Thirty Years' War. Gustavus intervened on the anti-Imperial side, which at the time was losing to the Holy Roman Empire and its Catholic allies; the Swedish forces would quickly reverse that situation. Gustavus was married to Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg , the daughter of John Sigismund , Elector of Brandenburg, and chose the Prussian city of Elbing as the base for his operations in Germany. He died in
8190-401: The Swedish historian and author Peter Englund argues that there was probably no single all-important reason for the king's decision to go to war. Instead, it was likely a combination of religious, security, as well as economic considerations. This view is supported by German historian Johannes Burkhardt, who writes that Gustavus entered the 30 Years War exactly 100 years after the publication of
8316-465: The Swedish throne and pursued his own political agenda. The new Riksdag he summoned at Arboga in 1597 – again despite the King's orders – saw few participants, and only one from the Privy Council. Even so, Duke Charles did not achieve support for his military action, but initiated it nonetheless. Parts of southern Sweden were successfully taken. Several of the Privy Council members fled to Poland to convince Sigismund to take counteractions. Sigismund sent
8442-534: The Thirty Years' War gave rise to the nickname "the Lion from the North". Historian Ronald S. Love wrote that in 1560–1660 there were "a few innovators, notably Maurice of Nassau and Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, whom many scholars credit with revolutionary developments in warfare and with having laid the foundations of military practice for the next two centuries." Scholars consider him an extremely able military commander. His integration of infantry, cavalry, logistics, and particularly his use of artillery, earned him
8568-420: The aid of other churches and commemorates Gustavus' legacy. It is responsible for taking care of the Diaspora work of the EKD and has separate branches internationally. The organization in Austria is called the Gustav-Adolf-Verein. The project of forming such a society was first broached in connection with the bicentennial celebration of the Battle of Lützen on 6 November 1832. A proposal to collect funds for
8694-434: The anti-Imperial side, which at the time was losing to the Holy Roman Empire and its Catholic allies; the Swedish forces would quickly reverse that situation. Gustavus Adolphus was married to Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg , the daughter of John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg , and chose the Prussian city of Elbing as the base for his operations in Germany. He died in the Battle of Lützen in 1632. His involvement in
8820-474: The artillery, as his heavy cavalry did when turning captured artillery on the opposing Catholic tercios at First Breitenfeld . Pikemen could shoot—if not as accurately as those designated musketeers—so a valuable firearm could be kept in the firing line. His infantrymen and gunners were taught to ride, if needed. Napoleon thought highly of the achievement and copied the tactics. However, recent historians have challenged his reputation. B. H. Liddell Hart says it
8946-424: The assassin was named as Prince Francis Albert of Saxe-Lauenburg [ de ] , who was next to the king on the occasion and was thought to be acting on behalf of the enemy. When King Charles XII of Sweden was shown purported evidence in 1707 he dismissed the theory out of doubt that "any prince could be so ungrateful" . In February 1633, the Riksdag of the Estates gave him the title "Gustavus Adolphus
9072-477: The boundaries and power of the Swedish Empire after Gustavus Adolphus's death. Spoils meant he became a successful bookraider in Europe, targeting Jesuit library collections. His contributions to Sweden's rise in power included reformation of the administrative structure. For example, he began Parish Registration of the population, so that the central government could more efficiently tax and conscript
9198-581: The boyar's request to send prince Władysław to Moscow and his conversion to Orthodoxy. Instead, Sigismund proposed that he should reign as a regent in Muscovy instead. This unrealistic proposal led to a resumption of hostilities. Briefly, beginning in 1610, Władysław struck Muscovite silver and gold coins (Kopek) in the Russian mints in Moscow and Novgorod with his titulary Tsar and Grand Prince Vladislav Zigimontovych of all Russia . Władysław tried to regain
9324-421: The cavalry could attack from the safety of an infantry line reinforced by cannon, and retire again within to regroup after their foray. Inspired by the reform of Maurice of Nassau , he adopted much shallower infantry formations than were common in the pike and shot armies of the era, with formations typically fighting in 5 or 6 ranks, occasionally supported at some distance by another such formation—the gaps being
9450-403: The city of Riga in modern-day Latvia . John Casimir had married his brother's widow, Marie Louise Gonzaga (Polish: Maria Ludwika ), who was a major support to the King. Marie Louise suddenly died in 1667 and this may have caused the monarch's early political decline. On 16 September 1668, grief-stricken after the death of his wife in the previous year, John II Casimir abdicated the throne of
9576-509: The conquered territory of Estonia he forced the local nobility into granting more individual rights to the commoners. He also encouraged education, opening a school in Tallinn in 1631, today known as Gustav Adolf Grammar School ( Estonian : Gustav Adolfi Gümnaasium ). On 30 June 1632, Gustavus Adolphus signed the decree for the foundation of Academia Dorpatensis in Estonia, today known as
9702-606: The day the king died at Lützen. One of the traditions on this day is the Gustavus Adolphus pastry . In Finland, the day is also celebrated as "Swedish heritage day". Gustavus Adolphus College , a Lutheran college in St. Peter, Minnesota , is also named for him. The Gustav-Adolf-Werk (GAW) of the Evangelical Church in Germany , founded on the bicentennial celebration of the Battle of Lützen , has as its object
9828-416: The fact that he and his forces had to oppose superior generals (e.g. Jan Karol Chodkiewicz and Christian IV of Denmark) and partly to sheer ill-luck. Compared with his foreign policy, the domestic policy of Charles IX was comparatively unimportant. It aimed at confirming and supplementing what had already been done during his regency. He did not officially become king until 22 March 1604. The first deed in which
9954-413: The fall of 1568, the dukes and the nobles rebelled, and Eric was dethroned. He was then imprisoned by Duke John, who took power. Eric's most trusted counsellor, Jöran Persson (1530–68), took much of the blame for the actions directed against the nobility during Eric XIV's reign and was executed shortly after John III ascended to the throne. John further initiated peace talks with Denmark and Lübeck to end
10080-535: The famous Protestant general and King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden in the Thirty Years' War gave rise to the saying that he was the incarnation of "the Lion of the North" ( German : Der Löwe von Mitternacht ). Yet, notably, his daughter and heiress Queen Christina of Sweden (1632–1654) abdicated in 1654 after converting to Catholicism, and emigrated to Rome , where she was hosted by the Papacy . In Poland, John II Casimir of Poland abdicated in 1668. With his death,
10206-624: The fire of Vilnius, an event which even required the royal family to evacuate their residence in the Vilnius Castle . Later that year, Władysław, aged 15, was elected Tsar by Muscovy's aristocracy council of Seven boyars , who overthrew tsar Vasily Shuysky during the Polish-Muscovite War and Muscovy's Time of Troubles. His election was ruined by his father, Sigismund, who aimed to convert Muscovy's population from Orthodox religion to Catholicism. Sigismund refused to agree to
10332-479: The following ceremony, led by the deacon of Strängnäs, Laurentius Andreae , Gustav swore the royal oath. The next day, bishops and priests joined Gustav in Roggeborgen where Andreae raised the holy sacrament above a kneeling Gustav Eriksson. Flanked by the councilors of Lübeck, Gustav Eriksson was brought to Strängnäs Cathedral where the king sat down in the choir with the Swedish privy councilors on one side, and
10458-463: The ground, mostly by the retreating enemy units. Although the reign of John Casimir is remembered to be one of the most disastrous and perhaps most unsuccessful in the history of Poland and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, he is often referred to as the "warrior king" that fought bravely to save his nation and his people. In 1660 John II Casimir was forced to renounce his claim to the Swedish throne and acknowledge Swedish sovereignty over Livonia and
10584-528: The issue of who would be King of Poland had been settled when Maximilian III invaded at the head of his army to claim his crown. The hostilities did not last long as Hetman Jan Zamoyski at the head of a Polish army loyal to King Sigismund met and successfully defeated the Austrian troops at the Battle of Byczyna and took Maximilian III as prisoner of war. However, at the request of Pope Sixtus V , King Sigismund III released Maximilian who surrendered his claim to
10710-482: The king, chose to leave Sweden, while others were killed. As a result, the Swedish Privy Council lost old members who were replaced by supporters of Gustav Eriksson. Most fortified cities and castles were conquered by Gustav's rebels, but the strongholds with the best defenses, including Stockholm, were still under Danish control. In 1522, after negotiations between Gustav Eriksson's faction and Lübeck ,
10836-548: The leading men of Sweden met in Strängnäs in June 1523. When the councilors of Sweden had chosen Gustav as king, he met with the two visiting councilors of Lübeck. The German representatives supported the appointment without hesitation and declared it an act of God. Gustav stated he had to bow to what was described as the will of God. In a meeting with the Privy Council, Gustav Eriksson announced his decision to accept. In
10962-468: The limits of royal power in Poland, as major factors for the failure included significant autonomy of the military commanders, which did not see Władysław as their superior, and lack of funds for the army, as the Polish parliament (sejm) refused to subsidize the war. The election sejm of 1632 eventually concluded in the election of Władysław; he had no serious other contenders. The decision on who would be
11088-442: The manor house of the father, Erik. The newborn got his name, Gustav, from Erik's grandfather Gustav Anundsson. Since the end of the 14th century, Sweden had been a part of the Kalmar Union with Denmark and Norway . The Danish dominance in this union occasionally led to uprisings in Sweden. During Gustav's childhood, parts of the Swedish nobility has tried to make Sweden independent from the union. Gustav and his father Erik supported
11214-708: The new king, which lasted three hours. Władysław was crowned in the Wawel Cathedral, in Kraków on 6 February in the following year. Władysław IV owed nominal allegiance to the Imperial Habsburgs as a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece . His relationship with the Habsburgs was relatively strong; although he was not above carrying some negotiations with their enemies, like France, he refused Cardinal Richelieu 's 1635 proposal of an alliance and
11340-602: The news of the fall of Kamieniec Podolski , which was seized by the Ottomans. He then turned to Pope Clement X to ask for assistance for the Commonwealth in a defensive war against the Turks. The French, who were secretly in contact with him during his stay in the abbey, were astonished by such a great affection of the king to remember the loss of his kingdom, and so concerned about the loss of only one city. Nevertheless, distressed and seriously ill John II Casimir died shortly after
11466-553: The non-canonical Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. After early Commonwealth victories ( Battle of Klushino ), which culminated in Polish forces entering Moscow in 1610, Sigismund's son, Prince Władysław of Poland , was briefly elected tsar. With the intensification of the Polish intervention in Muscovy , in 1609, the royal family moved to their residence in Vilnius , capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. There he witnessed
11592-474: The official consent of the Polish king Sigismund III Vasa , attempted to exploit Russia's weakness and intervene in its civil war by supporting the impostors for the tsardom, False Dmitriy I and later False Dmitriy II , against the crowned tsars, Boris Godunov and Vasili Shuiski . The first wave of the Polish intervention began in 1605 and ended in 1606 with the death of False Dmitri I . The second wave started in 1607 and lasted until 1609, when Tsar Vasili made
11718-534: The party of Sten Sture the Younger , regent of Sweden from 1512, and its struggle against the Danish King Christian II . Following the battle of Brännkyrka in 1518, where Sten Sture's troops beat the Danish forces, it was decided that Sten Sture and King Christian would meet in Österhaninge for negotiations. To guarantee the safety of the king, the Swedish side sent six hostages to be kept by
11844-487: The people. He is also widely commemorated by Protestants in Europe as the main defender of their cause during the Thirty Years' War, with multiple churches, foundations and other undertakings named after him, including the Gustav-Adolf-Werk . Gustavus Adolphus was born in Stockholm on 9 December 1594, eldest son of Duke Charles of the House of Vasa and his second wife, Christina of Holstein-Gottorp . At
11970-461: The provinces of the artillery and cavalry as noted above. His artillery were themselves different—in addition to the usual complements of heavy cannon, he introduced light mobile guns for the first time into the Renaissance battlefield. These were grouped in batteries supporting his more linearly deployed formations, replacing the cumbersome and unmaneuverable traditional deep squares (such as
12096-549: The royal House of Vasa became extinct in 1672, though the current King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf , is descended from Gustav I through his paternal great-grandmother, Victoria of Baden , a descendant of Gustav I's great-great-grandson Adolphus Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz . Gustav Eriksson , a son of Cecilia Månsdotter Eka and Erik Johansson Vasa , was probably born in 1496. The birth most likely took place in Rydboholm Castle , northeast of Stockholm ,
12222-558: The scale of the parties' goals, which ranged from minor border adjustments to imposing the Polish Kings or the Polish-backed impostors' claims to the Russian throne and even the creation of a new state by forming a union between the Commonwealth and Russia. The war can be divided into four stages. In the first stage, certain commonwealth szlachta (nobility), encouraged by some Russian boyars (Russian aristocracy), but without
12348-543: The security of its Protestants. But achieving these objectives depended on his continued success on the battlefield. Some other military actions in the Thirty Years' War with Gustavus at the head were: the victorious battles of Frankfurt an der Oder and Werben , the botched Siege of Nuremberg , the Battle of Fürth , and the unfavourable Battle of the Alte Veste . Gustavus Adolphus is reported to have entered battle without wearing any armor, proclaiming, "The Lord God
12474-451: The sexual role of a woman. She caused a scandal when she decided not to marry and in 1654 when she abdicated her throne. She changed her name to Kristina Augusta Wasa and converted to Catholicism , adopting the name Christina Alexandra. At the age of 28 the " Minerva of the North" moved to Rome. The Pope described Christina as "a queen without a realm, a Christian without faith, and a woman without shame". Notwithstanding all that, she became
12600-426: The shadow of his older half-brother, Władysław IV Vasa. He had few friends among the Polish nobility. Unfriendly, secretive, dividing his time between lavish partying and religious contemplation, and disliking politics, he did not have a strong power base nor influence at the Polish court, instead supporting unfavorable Habsburg policies. He did, however, display talent as a military commander, showing his abilities in
12726-585: The situation; Sigismund was crowned in Uppsala Cathedral and became the king of Sweden. The Kingdom of Sweden was now in a personal union with Poland-Lithuania. In July, Sigismund left Sweden in the hands of the regency council and returned to Poland. Sweden was to be ruled jointly by the Privy Council of Sweden and Sigismund's uncle Duke Charles. Sigismund, however, reneged on his earlier promises, opening Catholic schools, and giving Catholics prominent posts. Charles in turn did not give up on acquiring
12852-538: The throne of Sweden and tried to force Gustavus Adolphus to renounce the title. In a round of this dynastic dispute, Gustavus invaded Livonia when he was 31, beginning the Polish-Swedish War (1625–1629). He intervened on behalf of the Lutherans in Germany, who opened the gates to their cities to him. His reign became famous from his actions a few years later when in June 1630 he landed in Germany, marking
12978-632: The time, his cousin Sigismund was both King of Sweden and Poland. The Protestant Duke Charles forced the Catholic Sigismund to abandon the throne of Sweden in 1599, part of the preliminary religious strife before the Thirty Years' War , and reigned as regent before taking the throne as Charles IX of Sweden in 1604. Crown Prince Gustav Adolph had Gagnef-Floda in Dalecarlia as a duchy from 1610. Upon his father's death in October 1611,
13104-529: The title appears is dated 20 March 1604; but he was not crowned until 15 March 1607. Gustavus Adolphus was born in Stockholm as the oldest son of Duke Charles of the Vasa dynasty and his second wife, Christina of Holstein-Gottorp . At the time, the King of Sweden was Gustavus Adolphus' cousin Sigismund. The staunch Protestant Duke Charles forced the Catholic Sigismund to let go of the throne of Sweden in 1599,
13230-470: The title of the "Father of Modern Warfare". Future commanders who studied and admired Gustavus Adolphus include Napoleon I of France and Carl von Clausewitz . His advancements in warfare helped make Sweden the dominant Baltic power for the next hundred years ( see Swedish Empire ). He is also the only Swedish monarch to be styled " the Great ". This decision was made by the Swedish Riksdag of
13356-487: The tsar's throne himself, organizing a campaign in 1616. Despite some military victories, he was unable to capture Moscow. The Commonwealth gained some disputed territories in the Truce of Deulino , but Władysław was never able to reign in Russia; the throne during this time was instead held by tsar Michael Romanov. He held on to the title, without any real power, until 1634. Likely, the failure of this campaign showed Władysław
13482-551: The unexpected Turkish invasion of Poland on December 16, 1672, from apoplexy and was buried inside the Wawel Cathedral in Kraków. His heart was interred in the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The Riksdag at Linköping , 24 February 1604 declared that Sigismund abdicated the Swedish throne, that duke Charles was recognized as the sovereign. He was declared king as Karl IX (anglicized as Charles IX) . Charles's short reign
13608-673: The victorious for Sweden Storming of Kristianopel and the unsuccessful Battle of Vittsjö , — was concluded in 1613 with a peace that did not cost Sweden any territory except for Älvsborg Castle, which Sweden had to pay to get back , but it was forced to pay a heavy indemnity to Denmark–Norway ( Treaty of Knäred ). During this war, Gustavus Adolphus let his soldiers plunder towns and villages, and as he met little resistance from Danish forces in Scania , they pillaged and devastated twenty-four Scanian parishes. His memory in Scania has been negative because of that fear. The largest destroyed settlement
13734-755: Was Catholic , which ultimately led to his losing the throne in Sweden. His Lutheran uncle Charles IX succeeded him. We thus have two Houses of Vasa from this point onwards: the senior, Catholic branch ruling in Poland and Lithuania, and the cadet, Protestant branch ruling in Sweden. This arrangement led to numerous wars between the two states. After John, the Polish Vasa died out. See also Rulers of Poland . Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus (9 December [ N.S 19 December] 1594 – 6 November [ N.S 16 November] 1632), also known in English as Gustav II Adolf or Gustav II Adolph ,
13860-484: Was King of Sweden from 1611 to 1632, and is credited with the rise of Sweden as a great European power ( Swedish : Stormaktstiden ). During his reign, Sweden became one of the primary military forces in Europe during the Thirty Years' War , helping to determine the political and religious balance of power in Europe. He was formally and posthumously given the name Gustavus Adolphus the Great (Swedish: Gustav Adolf den store ; Latin : Gustavus Adolphus Magnus ) by
13986-530: Was affected by his connection to Poland; his son Sigismund III Vasa was made king of Poland in 1587. In January 1569, John was recognized as king by the same riksdag that forced Eric XIV off the throne. But this recognition was not without influence from John; Duke Karl received confirmation on his dukedom without the restrictions of his power that the Arboga articles imposed. The nobility's power and rights were extended and their responsibilities lessened. John
14112-620: Was already the elected King of Poland (since 1587). Sigismund certainly valued the Swedish throne and upon learning about the death of his father, and the pretensions to the throne of his uncle, Duke Charles of Södermanland , he asked the Sejm (Polish parliament) for permission to leave the Commonwealth and go to Sweden, where he could secure the Swedish crown. The Sejm gave him permission, and on 3 August 1593, Sigismund, accompanied by his wife, Anna of Habsburg , and other followers, departed for Sweden. The agreement of 19 February seemed to have calmed
14238-399: Was also renowned for his constancy of purpose and the equality of his troops—no one part of his armies was considered better or received preferred treatment, as was common in other armies where the cavalry were the elite, followed by the artillery, and both disdained the lowly infantry. In Gustavus Adolphus's' army the units were extensively cross-trained. Both cavalry and infantry could service
14364-453: Was an extremely able military commander. His innovative tactical integration of infantry, cavalry, logistics and particularly his use of artillery, earned him the title of the "Father of Modern Warfare". Future commanders who studied and admired Gustav II Adolf include Napoleon I of France and Carl von Clausewitz. His advancements in military science made Sweden the dominant Baltic power for the next one hundred years ( see Swedish Empire ). He
14490-479: Was assisted in his efforts by Count Axel Oxenstierna , the Lord High Chancellor of Sweden , who also acted as regent after his death. Coming to the throne at the age of 16, Gustavus Adolphus inherited three wars from his father Charles IX of Sweden : border conflicts with Russia and Denmark–Norway , and a dynastic struggle with his first cousin, King Sigismund III Vasa of Poland . Of these,
14616-641: Was born in Arboga. House of Vasa The House of Vasa or Wasa ( Swedish : Vasaätten , Polish : Wazowie , Lithuanian : Vazos ) was an early modern royal house founded in 1523 in Sweden . Its members ruled the Kingdom of Sweden from 1523 to 1654 and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1587 to 1668; its agnatic line became extinct with the death of King John II Casimir of Poland in 1672. The Vasa dynasty descended from
14742-477: Was composed mostly of mercenaries (Germans and Hungarians), supported by a relatively small Polish force (although with some artillery). Sigismund's campaign was poorly planned. He was unable to coordinate his troop movements with his supporters, particularly Fleming who was supposed to attack Charles from Finland . After initial successes (the taking of Kalmar and defeating Charles' troops at Stegeborg ), Sigismund's forces were defeated on September 25, 1598, at
14868-469: Was invaded by the Swedish army during the Deluge without much of a fight, due to the conspiratorial complicity of Polish and Lithuanian governors and nobility. In the course of a few years, the Commonwealth rose to force the Swedes out of Poland, ending the short-lived intrusions and campaigns, however, at a high cost. Most of the cities and towns in the Commonwealth were sacked, plundered and some were burnt to
14994-682: Was now my promise that I should take great pains about their well-being and good governance and management, and thereabout bear close concern. Gustavus Adolphus inherited three wars from his father when he ascended the throne: against Denmark–Norway , which had attacked Sweden earlier in 1611; against Russia, due to Sweden having tried to take advantage of the Russian Time of Troubles ; and against Poland-Lithuania , due to King Charles's having deposed King Sigismund III, his nephew, as King of Sweden. The war against Denmark–Norway ( Kalmar War ), during which Gustavus fought in minor military actions, —
15120-406: Was one of uninterrupted warfare. The hostility of Poland and the breakup of Russia involved him in overseas contests for the possession of Livonia and Ingria , the Polish–Swedish War (1600–1611) and the Ingrian War , while his pretensions to claim Lappland brought upon him a war with Denmark in the last year of his reign. In all these struggles, he was more or less unsuccessful, owing partly to
15246-620: Was raised Catholic. His Polish connection came through his mother, daughter of Sigismund I the Old , and the Jagiellonian dynasty had ruled Poland and then the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth since 1386. Sigismund was elected King of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth on 19 August 1587. From that time his official name and title became "Sigismund III, by the grace of God, king of Poland, grand duke of Lithuania , Ruthenia , Prussia , Masovia , Samogitia , Livonia and also hereditary king of
15372-481: Was replaced by a buff coat made of moose hide, which would have serious consequences later. On 6 November 1632, Gustavus Adolphus encountered the Imperial Army under Albrecht von Wallenstein at Lützen , in what would prove to be one of the most significant battles of the Thirty Years' War. Gustavus Adolphus was killed when, at a crucial point in the battle, he became separated from his troops while leading
15498-433: Was spotted between the two lines, Gustavus Adolphus himself not on it and nowhere to be seen. His disappearance stopped the initiative of the hitherto successful Swedish right wing, while a search was conducted. His partly stripped body was found an hour or two later, and evacuated from the field in a Swedish artillery wagon. As late as the 19th century several stories were retold about Gustav Adolphus's death. In most of them
15624-431: Was still concerned about his position as king as long as Eric was alive. In 1571 he ordered Erik's guards to kill him if there was any suspicion of an escape attempt. It is possible this is how Eric died in 1577. Sigismund III Vasa was born when his parents, John III and Catherine Jagiellon, were held prisoner by John's brother King Eric XIV, but John replaced Eric in 1568. Sweden had become Protestant, but young Sigismund
15750-564: Was the Town Væ , which two years later was replaced by Danish–Norwegian King Christian IV as the nearby Christiansted (after the Swedification process, spelled Kristianstad), the last Scanian town to be founded by a Danish king. The war against Russia ( Ingrian War ) marked Gustavus' involvement in the successful Siege of Gdov and the failed Siege of Pskov and ended in 1617 with the Treaty of Stolbovo , which excluded Russia from
15876-477: Was written by scholar Johann Adler Salvius in a style common of the time that promotes a "just war". Burkhardt argues that traditional Swedish historiography constructed a defensive interest in security out of that by taking the manifesto's text for granted. But to defend Stockholm, the occupation of the German Baltic territories would have been an extreme advance and the imperial Baltic Sea fleet mentioned as
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