Gustav Adolf was the Swedish king. Born December 9, 1594 in the Swedish town of Niekeping. His parents were Charles IX and Christina Holstein. What is interesting about the personality of the King of Sweden, Gustavus II Adolf, to his contemporaries? What benefits did the government bring to the country? What methods did he use? Read about all this and not only in the article.
short biography
Gustav 2 Adolf was one of the largest military leaders of the time. This man was an excellent commander. He improved the organization and armament of his army, and some of his principles are still valid. Gustav significantly strengthened Sweden's position in Europe. He was fluent in five languages. In science, he preferred history and mathematics. He was professionally engaged in horse riding and fencing. Among the favorite authors of the king were Seneca, Hugo Grotius and Xenophon.
His father took him to meetings of the state council from the age of eleven. At the age of twelve, Gustav Adolf had already begun to serve in the army under the rank of lower rank. And in 1611, during the war with Denmark, he received a baptism of fire. The king was nicknamed "The Snow King" and "Northern Lion." Also, for his golden hair color, he received the nickname "Golden King".
Gustav was a tall and broad-shouldered man. He really loved the red color in clothes. Officers and soldiers immediately noticed him. He was not only a king, but also the commander in chief, who leads the army into battle and takes part in it himself. He owned several types of weapons, for example a pistol, a sword and a sapper shovel. Gustav, together with his soldiers, was starving, cold from the cold, walking in mud and blood in short boots, and sitting in the saddle for half an day. Gustav was still a gourmet and loved to eat delicious food, because of which he became very stout, was not very agile and quick.
A family
Gustav's father was King Charles IX of Sweden (1550-1611). In 1560, Charles IX became the master of the duchy. And in 1607 he was crowned under the name of Charles IX. He died in 1611. Gustav's mother was the second wife of Charles IX, Christina Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp (1573-1625). She was the Queen of Sweden from 1604 to 1611. Gustav's parents married on August 22, 1592. After the loss of her husband and son, Christine moved away from public affairs.
Personal life
King of Sweden Gustav Adolf II since 1620 was married once to Maria Eleanor of Brandenburg. The couple had two daughters. Christina Augusta lived only a year, from 1623 to 1624. The second daughter, also Christina, was born on December 8, 1626. From birth, girls in Sweden said that if her father dies without leaving male heirs, she will inherit the throne.
From an early age, Christina was already titled queen. According to the girl, her father did not look for souls in her, and her mother hated with all her heart. Due to the fact that Gustav Adolf died in 1632, and his mother lived in Germany until 1633, her aunt, the Palatine Countess Catherine, was engaged in the education of Christina. Kristina could not get along with her mother when she returned to Sweden, so in 1636 she moved back to her aunt.
Christina began to rule on her own in 1644, after she was recognized as an adult. Although she began attending the meetings of the Royal Council in 1642. Renounced the crown of Christine in 1654. In addition to two daughters, King Gustav II Adolf also had an illegitimate son, Gustav Gustavson of Wazaborg.
Governing body
When Gustav II Adolf of Sweden came to power, he immediately passed three wars after the death of his father - with Russia, Poland and Denmark. Gustavus Adolf did not recognize the aristocracy and lured it, giving it numerous advantages and promising to discuss its actions with the government. The king first struck Denmark, then Russia, but then made peace with her, and then attacked Poland.
War with Denmark
King Gustav 2 Adolf, a brief biography of which is presented to your attention in the article, completed the hostilities with Denmark on January 20, 1613 by the Knedred world. The ruler bought the Elvsborg fortress for Sweden.
War with Russia
The conflict between Sweden and Russia began under the father of Gustav. The aim of the war, which began in 1611, was to block Russia’s path to the Baltic Sea and appoint Karl Philip the Russian ruler. Initially, Sweden was successful and captured several Russian cities, including Novgorod. But further setbacks began. The Swedes could not capture Tikhvin, Tikhvin Assumption Monastery and Pskov. Moreover, the capture of Pskov was led by Gustav II Adolf himself.
The war ended on February 27, 1617 with the signing of the Stolbovo Peace. As a result of the agreement, the Swedes received several Russian settlements, for example, Yam (now Kingisepp), Ivangorod, the village of Koporye, Noteburg (Oreshek fortress) and Kexholm (now Priozersk). Gustav was very pleased with the successes he had achieved, and said that since the Russians are now separated from them by different waters, they cannot reach Sweden.
War with Poland
After the end of the war with Russia, Gustav turned his attention to Poland. The war on the lands of Poland took place until 1618. After a couple of years, the armistice Sweden conquered Riga, and Gustav signed a series of privileges for the city. In the second armistice, which lasted until 1625, Gustav was engaged in domestic affairs and improved the army and navy. Reconciliation with Poland was facilitated by several countries, for example France and England. They promised to reconcile the two countries in exchange for Sweden participating in the German war. As a result, in 1629, Poland and Sweden entered into a ceasefire for a period of six years.
Thirty Years War
In 1630, the King of Sweden, Gustav 2 Adolf, entered the Thirty Years War. The confrontation began due to disagreements between the Protestant and Catholic lands. He was prompted by political and religious reasons. Gustav created a union of Protestant princes, where he was a key hero. A huge army was selected with the help of funds that were collected on the conquered lands.
The Swedish army captured a very large part of Germany, and the Swedish king Gustav II Adolf began to think about how to carry out a coup in German territories. However, he never realized his ideas, since in November 1632 the king died at the Battle of Lutzen. Although Sweden participated in the war for only a couple of years, its contribution to the war is very significant. In this confrontation, Gustav resorted to unusual tactics and strategies, thanks to which he entered this era as a hero, and German Protestants still revere him. The result of the war in 1645 was the unconditional victory of the Swedish-French army, but a peace treaty was signed only in 1648.
The first ties of Gustav II Adolf with Germany
For the first time, being in an agreement with the captured city of Stralsund, Gustav delved into German affairs. The king ordered the German ruler to withdraw troops from Upper and Lower Saxony and from the coast of the Baltic Sea. He also demanded that their privileges and advantages be returned to some German rulers. Having been refused, in response Gustav ordered the Swedish army to capture the island of Rügen. On July 4, 1630, the Swedish fleet landed its army, which included 12.5 thousand infantry and about 2 thousand cavalry, on the island of Usedom.
The king began to strengthen his position along the perimeter of the coast. Having captured the city of Stetin, he made it a warehouse, and then organized several expeditions east and west to the regions of Pomerania and Mecklenburg.
On August 23, 1631, the Swedish king signed an agreement with France, which stipulated that the French were obliged to make annual payments to Sweden for military operations. On April 26, Gustav II Adolf captured Frankfurt an der Oder and Landsberg. Johann Zerklas von Tilly was unable to defend Frankfurt and began the capture of Magdeburg. Gustav could not come to the rescue, as he was in negotiations, and he only received a notification about what was happening on that territory.
After that, Gustav sent his army to the capital of Germany, Berlin, and forced the Elector of Brandenburg to sign an alliance treaty. On July 8, the army of Gustav II Adolf left Berlin and, crossing the Elbe River, were based in the Verbena camp. Then Gustav made an alliance with the Saxon army, and they headed for Leipzig.
On September 17, 1631, the Swedish army defeated the imperial forces at the battle of Breitenfeld. The Imperials lost about 17,000 people. Victory in this battle raised the popularity of the Swedish king and entailed the transition of many Protestants to his side. Further, the Swedish army moved to Main in order to attract new allies. Thanks to such a strategy and acquired allies, Johann Zerklas von Tilly was cut off from Bavaria and Austria. After a siege lasting four days, the Swedish military captured Erfurt, Würzburg, Frankfurt and Mainz. Seeing these victories, residents of many cities in southwestern Germany went over to the side of the Swedish army.
In late 1631 and early 1632, the Swedish king Gustav II Adolf negotiated with European countries and prepared for a decisive campaign against the empire. Further, when the Swedish army numbered about 40,000, Gustav gave the order to advance on Till. Upon learning of the advance of the Swedish army, Till strengthened his position near the city of Rhine. The army of Gustav for the first time in history made a forced crossing and pushed the enemy away from the city.
Sweden development
Gustav II Adolf always knew that in order for Sweden to become stronger, it is necessary to use natural resources. But for this, funds were needed that the country did not have. The king attracted foreigners to invest in the development of the metallurgical industry. Gustav was very lucky in this matter. Foreign entrepreneurs came to the country, who remained there due to cheap labor, excess water and other factors. The established industry allowed Sweden to start export trade relations.
In 1620, Sweden was the only country in Europe to sell copper. Copper export was the main source of army development. Gustav also wanted to replace in-kind taxation with cash. The king was very concerned about improving the army. He changed the draft system, trained the army in new tactics of warfare. He created a new weapon, thanks to his knowledge of weaponry.
Date and cause of death of the king
By autumn, the Swedish king Gustav II Adolf began to suffer some defeats. In November, the Swedish army launched an offensive to the city of Lutzen. There, on November 6, 1632, Gustav II Adolf was killed after an unsuccessful attack by the Swedish army on the Imperials. So tragically ended the life of the great commander and ruler of Sweden.
Interesting Facts
In the end, I would like to note some interesting facts from the life of the Swedish king Gustav II Adolf:
- Napoleon considered the Swedish king a great commander of antiquity.
- In 1920, a stamp with a portrait of the Swedish king Gustav II Adolf was issued by Swedish post. In 1994, the Estonian post office also issued its same brand. Monuments to Gustav II Adolf in Stockholm and Tartu were erected.
- The methods of planning the strategy of the great commander were used until the 18th century.
- During his reign in Sweden, the Novgorod boyars offered him to take the throne in Russia.
- Until now, on November 6, Sweden raised the national flag in honor of Gustav II, who is considered a significant person in the country.
Conclusion
The life of Gustav II Adolf was not very long, but very eventful. He reigned for twenty years, and this period is very important for the history of Sweden and the whole world. Gustav was very educated and spoke five languages. He was remembered in history as a great commander and organizer of the army. He established a new salary for the troops. Thanks to this, theft cases have decreased in the armies. Gustav always carefully prepared for war and was an example to follow. He improved the economy of Sweden and its public administration. Gustav II Adolf simplified the tax system and entered into trade cooperation with Spain, the Netherlands and Russia. He founded a university in Tartu and a gymnasium of his own name in Tallinn. In the last year of his life, he ordered the founding of the city of Nien on the banks of the Okhta River.