File:The library of historic characters and famous events of all nations and all ages; (1902) (14782201124).jpg

Identifier: libraryofhistori05spof (find matches)
Title: The library of historic characters and famous events of all nations and all ages;
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Spofford, Ainsworth Rand, 1825-1908 Weitenkampf, Frank, 1866-1962 Lamberton, John Porter, 1839-1917
Subjects: Biography History
Publisher: Philadelphia : W. Finley
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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e-dish history. He was born at Stockholm, on the gth of Decem-ber, 1594, and was the eldest son of Charles IX., and a grand-son of Gustavus Vasa. His mother was Christina, of SchleswigHolstein. He was carefully educated by tutors named JohnSkytte and the Count de la Gardie. He learned Latin, whichwas then the universal language of diplomacy, and could con-verse fluently in four languages besides his own. He was, also,sufficiently acquainted with Greek to be able to read Xeno-phon in the original. At an early age he was accustomed topublic affairs. At the audiences given to foreign ambassadors,his father required him to reply on behalf of the crown ofSweden when he was but ten years old. When Christian IV. of Denmark declared war against Swe-den, in April, 1611, Gustavus was sent to collect troops for therelief of Kalmar, then the most important Swedish seaport,which Christian had besieged and which he soon took. CharlesIX. died October 30, 1611, and, for two months after his death,208
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<1 ^; i s GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS. 209 Sweden was without a king, for Gustavus was but seventeenyears old, and the age of legal authority for kings had beenfixed at twenty-four. In December, 1611, the Diet declaredhim to be of full age, and he took his fathers title ElectedKing and Hereditary Prince of the Swedes, Goths and Wan-dais. At his accession, Sweden was involved in war against theking of Denmark, who possessed the three southern provincesof the Swedish peninsula, Blekingen, Holland and Schonen.Few kings have inherited a kingdom in a more critical condi-tion. His chief minister and adviser was the Chancellor AxelOxenstierna, one of the greatest statesmen of modern times.These two now sat down to play in earnest the great game ofwar against all the powers of northern Europe. The stakewas the ver\- national existence of Sweden. In the beirinninofof 1612, Christian, of Denmark, occupied the two most import-ant fortresses of Sweden, Kalmar and Elfsborg. The war wasended in January, 1

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