| Gustavus,
kings of Sweden. Gustavus I, 1496-1560 (r.1523-60), was the founder
of the modern Swedish state and the VASA dynasty. After his father,
a Swedish senator, was killed (1520) in a massacre ordered by
the Danish king, CHRISTIAN II, Gustavus escaped from prison and
defeated the Danes. His election as king by the Riksdag (1523)
ended the KALMAR UNION of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. In 1527
he founded a national Protestant Church. With a newly strengthened
navy he defeated LÜBECK (1537), freeing Swedish commerce
from the power of the HANSEATIC LEAGUE. In 1544 he made the throne
hereditary in the Vasa family, ending the election of Swedish
kings. His son Eric XIV succeeded him. Gustavus II (Gustavus
Adolphus), 1594-1632 (r.1611-32), was the son of CHARLES IX.
Aided by his chancellor, OXENSTIERNA, he ended the Kalmar War
with Denmark (1613) and forced Russia to cede Ingermanland (1617).
In the THIRTY YEARS WAR he obtained much of Polish Livonia and
several Baltic ports (1629), then invaded German Pomerania, defeating
TILLY near Leipzig (1631). At Lützen (1632) the Swedes defeated
WALLENSTEIN, but Gustavus was killed. His daughter, CHRISTINA,
succeeded him. Gustavus III, 1746-92 (r.1771-92), was the son
of Adolphus Frederick. To quell civil strife, he imposed (1772)
a new constitution restoring the royal prerogatives lost by his
successors. In a war with Russia and Denmark (1788-90) he was
victorious. He planned a coalition to aid the French royalists
but was assassinated by an agent of the nobles. |
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