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151-498: Gustav I (born Gustav Eriksson of the Vasa noble family ; 12 May 1496 – 29 September 1560), commonly known as Gustav Vasa , was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death in 1560, previously self-recognised Protector of the Realm ( Riksföreståndare ) from 1521, during the ongoing Swedish War of Liberation against King Christian II of Denmark, Norway and Sweden . Gustav rose to lead

302-550: A bullocky . For this, Gustav Eriksson got the nicknames "King Oxtail" and "Gustav Cow Butt", something he indeed disliked. When a swordsman drank to His Majesty "Gustav Cow Butt" in Kalmar in 1547, the swordsman was killed. While staying in Lübeck, Gustav could hear about developments in his native Sweden. While he was there, Christian II mobilised to attack Sweden in an effort to seize power from Sten Sture and his supporters. In 1520,

453-482: A flat tax at every level of government, however, because the national tax has a much higher exemption, the combined tax rate by all levels is progressive . The rates for 2024 are as follows (based on yearly incomes): Taxable income is reduced by general deductions which means that the marginal tax in practice varies between 8.2% on incomes just above 20,008 kronor to 55.6% on incomes above 780,000 kronor. For an average salary, on an additional pay of 100 kronor ,

604-517: A hereditary monarchy under the House of Vasa , which held the Swedish throne until 1654. Three of his sons, Eric XIV , John III and Charles IX , held the kingship at different points. Gustav Vasa has subsequently been labelled the founder of modern Sweden, and the " father of the nation ". Gustav liked to compare himself to Moses , whom he believed to have also liberated his people and established

755-631: A timpanist but no string players . Today, Kungliga Hovkapellet is the orchestra of the Royal Swedish Opera . 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, the manor house of the father, Erik. The newborn got his name, Gustav, from Erik's grandfather Gustav Anundsson. Erik Johansson's parents were Johan Kristersson and Birgitta Gustafsdotter of

906-448: 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

1057-703: A complete break with not only the Danish – Norwegian supremacy but also the Roman Catholic Church , whose assets were nationalised, with the Lutheran Church of Sweden established under his personal control. He became the first truly autocratic native Swedish sovereign and was a skilled bureaucrat and propagandist, with tales of his largely fictitious adventures during the liberation struggle still widespread to this day. In 1544, he abolished Medieval Sweden 's elective monarchy and replaced it with

1208-496: A country that previously had no standardised language, and where individual provinces held a strong regional power. He also laid the foundation for Sweden's professional army that was to make Sweden into a regional superpower in the 17th century. Gustav Vasa had a series of allegorical paintings made during his reign. The originals are lost but watercolor reproductions from the 18th century date remain. Several interpretations have been put forth, including that they show him abolishing

1359-620: 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

1510-603: A flat tax rate of 30% for capital gains. The Swedish tax authorities defines capital gains as incomes that can not be attributed to business operations or service. For example; rental of private assets, dividends, profit from the sale of assets and interest payments. With an investment savings account  [ sv ] a private individual pay a yearly tax instead of the capital gains tax. This account can be used for buying and selling shares in stock markets globally as well as funds. This tax varies from year to year depending on interest rate levels and other factors but in general

1661-522: 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

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1812-462: 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

1963-418: 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

2114-436: 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

2265-665: 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

2416-460: A leg and in his jaw. He gave a so-called "last speech" in 1560 to the chancellors, his children and other noblemen, whereby he encouraged them to remain united. On 29 September 1560, Gustav died and was buried (together with three of his wives, while only two are engraved) in the Cathedral of Uppsala . In Sweden, Gustav Vasa is considered to rank among the country's greatest kings, arguably even

2567-561: A meeting with the Privy Council, Gustav Eriksson announced his decision to accept. In 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 Laurentius Andreae raised the holy sacrament above a kneeling Gustav Eriksson. Flanked by the councillors of Lübeck, Gustav Eriksson was brought to Strängnäs Cathedral where

2718-845: 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,

2869-707: 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

3020-404: A passport or another such identity card or documentation. For a legal person it is required that the identity is verified with some form of attested certificate of registration/incorporation and that the representative demonstrates his/her authority to represent (sign) on behalf of the legal person when it requests registration for taxation. Foreign legal persons active in Sweden should first contact

3171-442: A progressive annual net wealth tax on the value of capital assets beyond 100,000 kronor. Thus, being a large supplemental tax on unearned income. In addition, the local government units in Sweden rely almost only on a local income tax as their basis of revenue, and with local expenditures such as hospitals and school buildings rising, this tax rose as well. With all these taxes rising, the Swedish government´s reasoning for this reform

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3322-606: A regent made many Swedish nobles, who had so far stayed loyal to King Christian, switch sides. Some noblemen, still loyal to 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 defences, including Stockholm, were still under Danish control. In 1522, after negotiations between Gustav Eriksson's people and Lübeck,

3473-401: A sovereign state. As a person, Gustav was known for ruthless methods and a bad temper, but also a fondness for music and had a certain sly wit and ability to outmaneuver and annihilate his opponents. He founded one of the oldest orchestras of the world, Kungliga Hovkapellet (Royal Court Orchestra); thus Royal housekeeping accounts from 1526 mention twelve musicians including wind players and

3624-409: 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

3775-450: 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

3926-495: A taxation system for income from work that combines an income tax (paid by the employee) with social security contributions (employers contributions) that are paid by the employer. The total salary cost for the employer is thereby the gross salary plus the payroll tax . The employer makes monthly preliminary deductions ( PAYE ) for income tax and also pays the payroll tax to the Swedish Tax Agency. The income tax

4077-434: Is a tax added on the supply of goods and services. In this way, making it impossible for individuals to evade tax. VAT was introduced in Sweden in 1969, replacing the previous retail sales tax ( omsättningskatt ). This was at a time when the country´s tax policy was moving toward greater dependence on indirect taxation and was a part of the Swedish reform of the indirect tax structure. The reform supporting indirect taxation

4228-538: 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

4379-524: Is contingent on the person being taxable in Sweden, and the social security contributions are contingent on the person being part of the Swedish social insurance plan. The income tax is finalised through a yearly tax assessment the year following the income year. 27% of taxpayer money in Sweden goes towards education and healthcare, whereas 5% goes to the police and military, and 42% to social security. Value added tax (VAT) which originated in France in 1954,

4530-475: Is information on how to submit the application. Sole traders who have a Swedish personal number, and corporations that have a representative who has a Swedish personal number and who is also authorised to sign (authorised to sign by himself) on behalf of the company, may submit the application electronically through the verksamt.se website. Verksamt.se is jointly managed by the Swedish Tax Agency ,

4681-440: Is less than 1% of the current value. A foreign company conducting business in Sweden, whether a natural or a legal person, may become taxable for VAT , employer's contributions and/or income tax. The company should then apply for registration at the Swedish Tax Agency , and may apply for a Swedish F-tax certificate . In the ‘Tax application for foreign entrepreneurs´ brochure and form, SKV 419 and SKV 4632 respectively, there

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4832-493: Is questionable if any of his adventures really did happen or were dramatised by Gustav himself; regardless of whether they happened or not, his adventures are still told to this day in Sweden. The memory of Gustav has been honoured greatly, resulting in embroidered history books, commemorative coins , and the annual ski event Vasaloppet (the largest ski event in the world with 15,000 participants). The city of Vaasa in Finland

4983-619: Is said that his body parts were displayed throughout Sweden as a warning to other would-be rebels; this is uncertain though his head was likely mounted on a pole at Kalmar . Modern Swedish scholarship has toned down criticism of Nils Dacke, sometimes making him into a hero in the vein of Robin Hood , particularly in Småland. Difficulties with the continuation of the Church also troubled Gustav Vasa. The 1540s saw him imposing death sentences upon both

5134-660: 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

5285-818: 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

5436-431: 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

5587-591: 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

5738-916: The Count's Feud in Denmark in which Gustav and Sweden were very active. When Christian III entered Copenhagen in 1536, the Catholic Church and the Hanseatic League were bankrupt and lost power in the Nordic countries, where the Lutheran Church of Sweden by the Reformation in Sweden obtained an ecclesiastical monopoly and the Church of Denmark by the Reformation in Denmark–Norway and Holstein . This process largely changed all

5889-727: 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

6040-607: 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

6191-807: 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

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6342-659: The Swedish Companies Registration Office and the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth . Other foreign companies may submit their application directly to the International Tax Offices at the Swedish Tax Agency by post. When registered with the Swedish Tax Agency, the foreign company receives a unique Swedish identity number. For natural persons to receive such a number they must verify their identity with

6493-565: 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

6644-419: 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

6795-399: 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

6946-449: The municipality , the county council , and the central government . Social security contributions are paid to finance the social security system. Income tax on salaries is deducted by the employer (a PAYE system) and paid directly by the employer to the Swedish Tax Agency ( Skatteverket ). The effective taxation rate in Sweden is commonly cited as among the highest in the world; see list of countries by tax rates . Sweden has

7097-713: The nobility . This meant that central power was manifested through the Battle of Stångebro 1599 with the Linköping Riksdag 1600 and Karl XI 's Great Reduction 1680 as the basis for the future Swedish state after the Instrument of Government of 1809 . Many Swedes see Gustav Vasa as the father of the country and he is celebrated as such. Gustav proved an energetic administrator with a ruthless streak not inferior to his predecessor's, brutally suppressing subsequent uprisings ( three in Dalarna – which had once been

7248-554: The Catholic church, but the main view is that they depict him freeing Sweden from Christian II's control. Gustav's first wife was Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg (1513–1535), whom he married on 24 September 1531. They had a son: On 1 October 1536, he married his second wife, Margareta Leijonhufvud (1514–1551). Their children were: At Vadstena Castle , on 22 August 1552, he married his third wife, Katarina Stenbock (1535–1621). House of Vasa The Vasa dynasty descended from

7399-437: 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

7550-478: 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

7701-550: 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

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7852-453: The Danes. Today most of these stories are considered to have no other foundation than legend and skilful propaganda by Gustav himself during his time. One such story states he was staying at a close friend's farm to rest for one day during his escape from the Danish army. As he was warming himself in the common room, the Danish soldiers got a tip from one of the farm hands that Gustav was in his landlord's farm house. The Danish soldiers burst into

8003-483: 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 men as hostages to be kept by the Danes for as long as the negotiations lasted. However, Christian did not show up for

8154-596: 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

8305-462: The Hanseatic city joined the war against Denmark. The winter of 1523 saw the 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

8456-408: 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

8607-503: 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

8758-523: 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),

8909-510: The Petri brothers, as well as his former chancellor Laurentius Andreae . All of them were however granted amnesty, after spending several months in jail. In 1554–1557, he waged an inconclusive war against Ivan the Terrible of Russia. In the late 1550s, Gustav's health declined. When his grave was opened in 1945, an examination of his corpse revealed that he had suffered chronic infections of

9060-533: 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

9211-444: 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

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9362-423: 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

9513-412: 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:

9664-409: The Pope know the impossibility of the request, and the possible results if the Pope persisted, but – for better or worse – the Pope did persist, and refused to accept the king's suggestions of archbishops. At the time, incidentally and for different reasons, there were also four other unoccupied bishop's seats, where the king made suggestions to the Pope about candidates, but the Pope only accepted one of

9815-438: 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

9966-422: 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

10117-401: 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

10268-432: The Swedish Companies Registration Office to ask if they are required to register a branch office. If such a registration is made with the Swedish Companies Registration Office, they will supplied with a Swedish registration number by the Swedish Tax Agency. For contact information, see the Swedish Companies Registrations Office website. Further information in English can be found on the Swedish Tax Agency's website. Buying

10419-444: 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

10570-527: The Swedish Parliament. The Swedish Parliament was then declared in interdict by the Pope which remains in effect to this day. This was followed by Christian II's invasion in 1520 in which Sten Sture the younger died. After the Battle of Bogesund and the Stockholm bloodbath in 1520, and the Swedish liberation war, Gustav was elected king in Strängnäs 6 June 1523 and Stockholm's liberation declared at midsummer 1523. Sweden has been free from foreign powers ever since. The process continued another 13 years until

10721-399: The Swedish Tax Agency's Website. In addition, the employee pays 7% in pension contributions to the public system, with a cap at an annual income of 420,447 kr. Thus, the maximum employee contribution is 29,400 kr. However, this contribution is neutralized by a corresponding income tax reduction (tax credit) for the employee. Corporate net income is taxed at a flat rate of 20.6%. Sweden has

10872-633: The Swedish War of Liberation following the Stockholm Bloodbath , where his father was executed. Gustav's election as king on 6 June 1523 (the National Day of Sweden ) and his triumphant entry into Stockholm eleven days later marked Sweden's final secession from the Kalmar Union . Gustav Vasa gradually became the country's leader during the Swedish War of Liberation . Gustav continued the process begun by his predecessor Sten Sture

11023-528: The Swedish tax system, which is highlighted in their sharp increase since originally implemented (they amounted to 6% of the wage bills of private businesses in 1950, but 40% in the late 1970s). In 2018, the Swedish social security contribution paid by the employer is 31.42%, calculated on top of the employee's salary before taxes. The percentage is lower for old employees. The specifics of the payroll tax ( National Insurance in UK English) may be found at

11174-465: 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

11325-634: The Younger and Sten Sture the Elder of freeing Sweden from foreign political and economic interests such as the Kalmar Union with Denmark , the Catholic Church in Rome, and the Hanseatic League in Lübeck. Under Sten Sture the Younger, the archbishop Gustav Trolle was removed from his office, and his castle Almarestäket on lake Mälaren was demolished in the winter of 1517 on orders from

11476-522: The acceptance of a new archbishop selected by Gustav himself: Johannes Magnus . The Pope sent back his decision demanding that the unlawful expulsion of Archbishop Gustav Trolle be rescinded, and that the archbishop be reinstated. Here Sweden's remote geographical location proved to have a marked impact – for the former Archbishop had been allied with Christian, or at least was considered to have been so allied in contemporary Stockholm, and to reinstate him would be close to impossible for Gustav. The king let

11627-579: The background to the famous cross-country ski race Vasaloppet . Gustav Eriksson was appointed hövitsman . The rebel force he led grew. In February 1521 it consisted of 400 men, mainly from the area around Lake Siljan . The first significant conflict in the Dissolution of the Kalmar Union took place at Brunnbäck's Ferry in April, where a rebel army defeated an army loyal to the king. The sacking of

11778-581: 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

11929-630: The candidates. Because the Pope refused to budge on the issue of Gustav Trolle, the king, influenced by Lutheran scholar Olaus Petri , in 1531 took it upon himself to appoint yet another archbishop, namely the brother of Olaus, Laurentius Petri . With this royal act, the Pope lost any influence over the Swedish Church. In the 1520s, the Petri brothers led a campaign for the introduction of Lutheranism . The decade saw many events which can be seen as gradual introductions of Protestantism , for instance

12080-403: 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

12231-587: The city of Västerås and with it controlling important copper and silver mines gave Gustav Vasa resources and supporters flocked to him. Other parts of Sweden, for example the Götaland provinces of Småland and Västergötland , also saw rebellions. The leading noblemen of Götaland joined Gustav Eriksson's forces and, in Vadstena in August, they declared Gustav regent of Sweden. The election of Gustav Eriksson as

12382-512: The coronation of Christian. This was to take place in the newly captured Stockholm in November. Even though King Christian had promised amnesty to his enemies within the Sture party, including Gustav Eriksson, the latter chose to decline the invitation. The coronation took place on 4 November and days of festivities in a friendly spirit followed. When the celebration had lasted a few days, the castle

12533-478: The country with the second highest ratio of taxes to gross national product (at 37.1%) among the developed countries that make up the Organization for Economic Cooperation and development. The second reason for Sweden implementing the indirect tax reforms was the weight of the existing direct tax burden. The country had an extremely progressive individual income tax, in addition to the inhabitants having to pay

12684-677: The country. People from Dalarna rebelled three times in the first ten years of Gustav's reign, as they considered the king to have been too harsh on everyone he perceived as a supporter of the Danish, and as they resented his introduction of Protestantism. Many of those who had helped Gustav in his war against the Danes became involved in these rebellions and paid for this, several of them with their lives. Peasants in Småland rebelled in 1542 , fuelled by grievances over taxes, church reform and confiscation of church bells and vestments. For several months this uprising caused Gustav severe difficulties in

12835-417: The dense forests. The king sent a letter to the people of the province of Dalarna, requesting that they should circulate letters to every Swedish province, stating their support for the king with their troops, and urging every other province to do the same. Gustav got his troops, with whose help – and, not least, with paid German mercenaries – he managed to defeat the rebels in the spring of 1543. The leader of

12986-533: The dynasties Vasa and Sture respectively, both dynasties of high nobility. Birgitta Gustafsdotter was the sister of Sten Sture the Elder, regent of Sweden, and their mother was a half-sister of King Charles VIII of Sweden . Being a relative and ally of uncle Sten Sture, Erik inherited the regent's estates in Uppland and Södermanland when the latter died in 1503. Although a member of a family with considerable properties since childhood, Gustav Eriksson would later be

13137-477: The employee pays 32.7 kronor in income tax. The main source for local authorities and country councils in Sweden is a local income tax which is paid by 85% of the population. These 85% are citizens earning above a certain level of income, and the tax is added to the national income tax. Sweden has various types of local authority with 290 municipalities (kommuner) and 18 country councils (landsting). Furthermore, there are two regions, Västra Götaland and Skåne, where

13288-416: 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

13439-413: 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

13590-535: 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,

13741-560: The farm house and began searching in the common room for someone that would fit Gustav's description. As one of the soldiers came close to check Gustav Vasa, all of a sudden the landlady took out a bakery spade and started to hit Gustav and scolded him as a "lazy farm boy" and ordered him to go out and work. The Danish soldier found it amusing and did not realise this "lazy farm boy" was in fact Gustav Vasa himself who managed to slip away from danger and escape death. There are many other stories about Gustav's close encounters with death, however it

13892-624: 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

14043-486: The first region to support his claim to the throne – one in Västergötland , and one in Småland ). He worked to raise taxes and bring about a Reformation in Sweden, replacing the prerogatives of local landowners, noblemen and clergy with centrally appointed governors and bishops. His 37-year rule, which was the longest of an adult Swedish king to that date (subsequently passed by Gustav V and Carl XVI Gustav ) saw

14194-419: 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

14345-460: The forces of King Christian were triumphant. Sten Sture died in March, but some strongholds, including the Swedish capital Stockholm, were still able to withstand the Danish forces. Gustav left Lübeck on a ship, and was put ashore south of Kalmar on 31 May. It seems Gustav stayed largely inactive during his first months back on Swedish soil. According to some sources, Gustav received an invitation to

14496-463: 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

14647-518: The holder of possessions of a much greater dimension. Both of Gustav's parents descended from Gregers , the illegitimate son of Birger Jarl ; Gustav's father descended from Gregers through his maternal great-grandmother Margareta Karlsdotter, while Gustav's mother descended from him through her father Magnus Karlsson Eka. Additionally, Birgitta Gustafsdotter and Sten Sture (and consequently also Gustav) descended from King Sverker II of Sweden through King Sverker's granddaughter Benedikte Sunesdotter (who

14798-401: The independence of Sweden. The hopes Gustav had carried of winning further provinces (Gotland and Blekinge) were however scuttled. The treaty marked the end of the Swedish War of Liberation. After Gustav seized power, the previous Archbishop, Gustav Trolle , who at the time held the post of a sort of chancellor, was exiled from the country. Gustav sent a message to Pope Clement VII requesting

14949-528: 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

15100-659: The king sat down in the choir with the Swedish privy councillors on one side, and the Lübeck representatives on the other. After the hymn " Te Deum ", Laurentius 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 . Shortly after the events of 1523 in Strängnäs, letters patent were issued to Lübeck and its allied Hanseatic cities, who now were freed from tolls when trading in Sweden. An agreement, designed by Lübeck negotiators,

15251-482: 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 ,

15402-536: 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

15553-468: 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

15704-513: The local authorities the right to raise necessary taxes to fulfill these duties. Thus, local authorities are free to set their own rates. In 2003 the average rate was 31.17%. The rates over the country are quite equal due to the present equalization system which was introduced in 1996. This system is horizontal because the resources are transferred between local authorities. Equalization is achieved by evening out differences in tax bases and structural conditions (age, geographical distance etc.). However,

15855-442: 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

16006-550: The marriage of Olaus Petri – a consecrated priest – and several texts published by him, advocating Lutheran dogmas. A translation of the New Testament had also been published in 1526. After the reformation, a full translation was published in 1540–41, called the Gustav Vasa Bible . However, knowledge of Greek and Hebrew among Swedish clergymen was not sufficient for a translation from the original sources; instead

16157-512: The modern Swedish state, if not of the nation as such. Historians have nonetheless noted the often brutal methods with which he ruled, and his legacy, though clearly of great and lasting importance, is not necessarily viewed in exclusively positive terms. Many details of Gustav Vasa's historical record are disputed. In 19th-century Swedish history a folklore developed wherein Gustav was supposed to have had many adventures when he liberated Sweden from

16308-410: The most significant ruler in Swedish history. Having ended foreign domination over Sweden, centralised and reorganised the government, cut religious ties to Rome, established the Swedish Church, and founded Sweden's hereditary monarchy, Gustav Vasa holds a place of great prominence in Swedish history and is a central character in Swedish nationalist narratives. He is often described as a founding father of

16459-509: The municipalities are town planning, all primary and secondary education, water and sewage, parks and open spaces, most welfare functions and refuse collection. While the ones shared with country councils and the central government are some culture and leisure activities, regional/spatial planning and environmental and consumer protection. The most financially burdensome and important functions of all these are education and social welfare. Therefore, Sweden has implemented constitutional laws that give

16610-506: The negotiations, violated the deal with the Swedish side and took the hostages aboard ships carrying them to Copenhagen . The six members of the kidnapped hostage were Hemming Gadh , Lars Siggesson (Sparre), Jöran Siggesson (Sparre), Olof Ryning, Bengt Nilsson (Färla) – and Gustav Eriksson. Gustav was held in Kalø Castle where he was treated very well after promising he would not make attempts to escape. A reason for this gentle treatment

16761-708: 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

16912-602: 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

17063-553: 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

17214-474: 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

17365-629: The old king Christian, were still holding castles in Finland , a part of Sweden at the time. During the summer and fall of 1523 they all surrendered. The next year, on 24 August 1524, Gustav arrived in Malmö in order to reach a settlement with Denmark-Norway and its king Frederick. The Treaty of Malmö (in Swedish: Malmö recess ) had both positive and negative sides to it, from king Gustav's perspective. The treaty meant that Denmark-Norway acknowledged

17516-426: The old power structures in Sweden, where previously every issue had to be negotiated with powerful nobles . With the rest of the power elite wiped out in the Stockholm bloodbath, Gustav and the parliament had sole control in Sweden. As a consequence of this, Gustav and all future Swedish kings came to communicate with the population through the king's bailiffs and the Church of Sweden 's clergy instead of through

17667-402: 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

17818-570: The peasantry in the province, but with little success initially. Being chased by men loyal to king Christian and failing at creating an army to challenge the king, Gustav Eriksson had no other alternative but to flee to Norway. While he made his way from Mora via Lima to Norway, people that had recently turned down Gustav's call for support against the king changed their minds. Representatives of that group caught up with Gustav before he had reached Norway and convinced him to follow them back to Mora. Gustav Eriksson's run towards Norway and back has formed

17969-476: The province of Dalarna , in what was then northwestern Sweden. What happened there has been described in Peder Svart's chronicle, which can be described as a strongly biased heroic tale about Gustav Eriksson. The Dalarna adventures of Gustav that could be described as a part of the national heritage of Sweden, can therefore not be verified in a satisfying way. He is supposed to have tried to gather troops among

18120-475: The rebels, Nils Dacke , has traditionally been seen as a traitor to Sweden. His own letters and proclamations to fellow peasants focused on the suppression of Roman Catholic customs of piety, the King's requisitions of church bells and church plate to be smelted down for money and the general discontent with Gustav's autocratic measures, and the King's letters indicate that Dacke had considerable military success for several months. Historical records state that Nils

18271-415: The regent Gustav Eriksson as king of Sweden took place when the leading men of Sweden got together in Strängnäs in June 1523. When the councillors of Sweden had chosen Gustav as king, he met with the two visiting councillors 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

18422-457: The regional councils are directly elected and the responsibility for the major part of the national government´s regional development resources for the region lies. Additionally, they are responsible for health care and generally hold more power than the other counties. Lastly, there is the island municipality of Gotland which combines the functions of county council and the municipality. The municipalities hold various functions. The ones exclusive to

18573-483: 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 ,

18724-558: 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

18875-451: 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

19026-426: 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

19177-585: 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

19328-459: The system has been criticized for putting high burdens on a small number of municipalities (especially Stockholm) and has undergone many revisions due to this. Due to the implementation of value-added tax resulting in a reduction of the tax burden on businesses, Sweden made up this deficiency from the business sector by an adoption of an employers' payroller tax . These payroll taxes imposed on employers have become an increasingly important part of

19479-593: 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

19630-598: 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,

19781-538: 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

19932-551: 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

20083-524: The work followed the German translation by Martin Luther in 1534. Gustav Vasa's breaking with the Catholic Church is virtually simultaneous with Henry VIII doing the same in England; both kings acted following a similar pattern, i.e., a prolonged confrontation with the Pope culminating with the king deciding to take his own decisions independently of Rome. Gustav encountered resistance from some areas of

20234-690: 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 . Taxation in Sweden Taxation in Sweden on salaries for an employee involves contributing to three different levels of government:

20385-433: Was King Christian's hope to convince the six men to switch sides, and turn against their leader Sten Sture. This strategy was successful regarding all men but Gustav, who stayed loyal to the Sture party. In 1519, Gustav Eriksson escaped from Kalø. He fled to the Hanseatic city of Lübeck where he arrived on 30 September. How he managed to escape is not certain, but according to a somewhat likely story, he disguised himself as

20536-530: 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

20687-620: 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

20838-399: Was also given to Olaudah Equiano , a prominent Black British abolitionist . Gustav used to be portrayed on the 1,000 kronor note, until he was replaced by Dag Hammarskjöld in June 2016. Gustav has been regarded by some as a power-hungry man who wished to control everything: the Church, the economy, the army and all foreign affairs. But in doing this, he also did manage to unite Sweden,

20989-453: 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

21140-477: 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

21291-421: Was implemented due to the need for an additional source of revenue to meet the social responsibilities of affluence. With Sweden´s flourishing economy, public consumption through education, welfare, national defense, healthcare etc. was rising rapidly. Improvement of the public sector, in addition to a growing population resulted in the costs rising. When all these costs went up, taxes rose as well, and Sweden became

21442-522: 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

21593-607: Was locked and the former enemies of King Christian were imprisoned. Accusations against the old supporters of Sten Sture regarding heresy were brought forward. The following day the sentences were announced. During the Stockholm Bloodbath, close to 100 people were executed on Stortorget , among them Gustav Eriksson's father, Erik Johansson, and uncle, Joakim Brahe . Gustav himself was at the time staying at Räfsnäs, close to Gripsholm Castle . Gustav Eriksson had reasons to fear for his life and left Räfsnäs. He travelled to

21744-537: Was made with the Danish defenders in Stockholm. On 17 June the rebels could enter the capital city. At Midsummer , a grand entrance of king Gustav was arranged at Söderport, the southern gate of Stockholm. Celebrations followed, including a mass of thanksgiving in Storkyrkan (also known as Stockholm Cathedral) led by Peder Jakobsson. Gustav could now install himself in the Tre Kronor palace. Bailiffs, loyal to

21895-457: Was married to Svantepolk Knutsson, son of Duke of Reval). 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 tried to make Sweden independent. Gustav and his father Erik supported the party of Sten Sture the Younger, regent of Sweden from 1512, and its struggle against

22046-468: Was named after the royal house of Vasa in 1606. 18th century playwrights and librettists used his biography as the source for some of their works, including the 1739 Gustavus Vasa by Henry Brooke (the first play banned under the Licensing Act 1737 , due to Robert Walpole 's belief that the play's villain was a proxy for himself) and the 1770 Gustavo primo re di Svezia . The name Gustavus Vasa

22197-525: 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

22348-692: 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

22499-433: Was seriously wounded during a battle, taking bullet wounds to both legs; if this is true, his survival may have been surprising in view of contemporary medical techniques. Some sources state that Nils was executed by quartering ; others that he was reduced to the state of an outlaw after recovering from his wounds, and killed while trying to escape through the woods on the border between Småland and then Danish Blekinge . It

22650-431: 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

22801-492: Was with two goals in mind: 1) no decrease of the government's tax receipts 2) no transfer of any substantial part of the tax burden from business to the consumer. Thus, the need for an indirect tax system arose. Today, the value added tax ( mervärdesskatt or moms ) rate in Sweden is 25%, with exceptions for food and services like hotel room rental fees (12%), and for sales of publications , admission tickets to cultural events and travel within Sweden (6%). Sweden has

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