On 12th November 1611 a 16-year-old was crowned
King of Sweden. This was Gustavus Adolphus, who did a huge amount to reform his
country and, as a military general, was instrumental in saving the Protestant
movement in Europe during the Thirty Years War.
He succeeded the tyrannical King Charles IX who, at his
death, had left Sweden fighting three simultaneous wars. Gustavus settled these
quickly, learning some of the arts of war in the process, before concentrating
on domestic matters.
He persuaded the nobility of Sweden to forego some of their
ancient privileges for the good of the country, and also introduced a modern
education system that allowed talented people to rise to the top. The
government of Sweden became one of the most efficient in Europe.
The Thirty Years War broke out in 1618 as an attempt by the
Holy Roman Empire (a loose confederation of central European states) to turn
back the tide of Protestantism in Europe. Gustavus Adolphus stayed on the
sidelines until 1630, but his intervention was decisive.
He advanced rapidly through northern Germany and won a
convincing victory at the Battle of Breitenfeld (near Leipzig) in September
1631. The Swedes then rampaged through southern Germany, capturing the cities
of Munich, Nuremberg and Augsburg.
The Swedes had another major victory at Lützen, also near
Leipzig, on 16th November 1632, but Gustavus Adolphus was killed
while leading a cavalry charge during an early phase of the battle. His death
was a setback for the Protestant cause and was a major reason why the war was
to drag on for another 16 years.
© John Welford
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