Who was Gustavus Adolphus? - Part 2

The Lion of the North, as many called Gustavus Adolphus, started his reign at a young age and oversaw war, reform, and cooperation. All led to the establishment of Sweden as a Baltic superpower.

Reign of Lion of the North
Ending the Wars

Gustavus Adolphus faced a tough road ahead of his reign. He had to secure his throne from the Polish threat, to end the wars his father started, to unite the country, and to rebuild the Kingdom as a whole. A long road that Gustavus Adolphus walked into history.

While facing the challenges of legitimacy, the teenage King also dealt with the wars against the Danes and the Russians. He won peace with the Danes on January 28, 1613, with the signing of the Peace of Knäred. The peace, however, went into Sweden’s disadvantage. It placed under Danish control the port of Älvsborg that provided Sweden with vital access to the North Sea. Moreover, it stipulated that Sweden must pay 1 million Riksdaler to regain the port from Denmark. The so-called Älvsborg Ransom tested the determination of Gustavus Adolphus and the Swedish people. The crown imposed new taxes and raise others. For years, all suffered from taxation crippling the economy. So much the desperation for the ransom that even silver in the King’s table went into the furnace to become coins for payment. It took until 1619 for Sweden to pay the ransom and finally end a terrible affair with Denmark.

Old Älvsborg Fortress

While Denmark brought an economic crisis to Sweden, Gustavus’ peace with the Russians brought much-needed relief. Gustavus continued his father’s exploitation of Russian weakness measuring the new Tsar Michael Romanov an easy prey. He wanted to grab as many Russian lands on the Baltic coast as possible. Moreover, he feared Russia’s potential to be a contender in the Baltic Sea. Hence, cutting off Russia from the body of water also meant a geopolitical masterstroke. He continued the war until in 1617 when Swedish and Russian diplomats signed the Treaty of Stolbovo (Stolbova). Under the agreement, Sweden annexed Ingria and Kexholm that cut off Russia from the Baltic. It placed under the mercy of Sweden the passage of the Tsardom’s exports to Europe exacting duties and tolls. The setting contributed to the payment of the Älvsborg Ransom and the replenishment of the Crown coffers. For his achievement, Gustav boasted to the Riksdag, “I hope to God, that the Russians will feel it a bit difficult to skip over that little brook.”

On the other hand, the conflict with Poland held a vital significance for the solution to the problem of legitimacy. The deposed Sigismund III Vasa remained a contender to the Swedish throne. Luckily for Gustavus, Sigismund also engaged in conflict with Russia. Like Karl IX, he too claimed the Tsardom for himself. The conflict gave Gustavus time to build up his forces to challenge the Polish King in war. In 1617, Gustavus addressed the Riksdag in Orebro where he vilified Sigismund:

“What have we to expect of King Sigismund who is not only evil himself, but allows himself to be governed by that Devil’s party the Jesuits, the authors of the grievous tyranny in Spain, France and elsewhere?”

In 1617, Gustavus tested the waters first before engaging in full conflict with Poland. He launched an expedition to capture Dünamünde near Riga. When this expedition, failed, he then strengthened his military before trying once again in 1621. He took the opportunity when Ottoman attacked Poland in 1620. He started to build an alliance with Poland’s neighbors, in particular, Brandenburg-Prussia. For love with political advantages, he married Maria Eleanora. In 1621, He began his conquest of Riga for a month capturing the city on September 15, 1621. He then started a campaign to capture the region of Livonia which lasted until 1626. He then sought to cease ports around the Vistula Delta vital to Polish trade and economy. His campaign dragged on for 3 years meeting success after success. However, in June 1629, he suffered a defeat in the Battle of Stuhm where he encountered his greatest adversary Albrecht von Wallenstein. Despite the defeat, strategic victories won Sweden an upper hand in the negotiations. The Truce of Altmark signed in 1629 ended the Polish threat to Sweden and Gustavus’ crown. Furthermore, the agreement provided Sweden with additional revenue through the collection of duties from the ports of Danzig and Courland.

Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg

Gustavus ended the conflicts which his father endowed to him. All went well in the end despite the difficulties. He finished the war with the Danes at a great cost though but ended the war with Russia and Poland with great economic gains. Gustavus Adolphus completed his early challenges overseas.

Axel Oxenstierna and Domestic Reforms

Axel Oxenstierna, a prominent nobleman, took the position of High Chancellor in 1612. Many thought the brilliant politician and administrator to be the real power behind the throne - to be the de facto leader of Sweden. Despite this expectation, he became a trusted and able partner and counselor to the young energetic monarch. Together they transformed Sweden fit for its future role as a great power in the Baltic.

Axel Oxenstierna, 1626

King Gustav and Chancellor Oxenstierna worked to transform the government into an organized and efficient institution. A government that valued merit and service to the kingdom. They went against the usual governments in Europe that operated under the whims of the monarchs where favoritism and heritage brought promotion and appointments despite lack of talent and skills. This, with the assistance of Chancellor Oxenstierna, came to fruition.

The work began in 1614 when Gustavus Adolphus and Oxenstierna inaugurated the Svea Court of Appeal. They tasked the court to serve as the highest judicial court in the Kingdom - in other words, the Supreme Court of Sweden. Afterward, additional courts of appeals also began operation in Åbo and Dorpat.

Government reorganization started in 1618. It focused on the establishment of different government boards or colleges that mirrored modern-day ministries or departments. On that year, Oxenstierna and Gustavus established the Financial Board and the Chancery. The Chancery became the centerpiece of the government as described by Oxenstierna as “the soul of the Kingdom.” The additional boards the Admiralty and the War Board began meeting in 1632. In 1634, Oxenstierna cemented the organization of the government under his Form of Government Ordinance. The boards met regularly as same as the heads of the boards convening as the state council regularly in Stockholm. With definite responsibilities, the boards and the government as a whole continued to operate despite the absence of the King. An effective bureaucracy with autonomy and structure to operate effectively without much oversight perfectly fitting for King Gustavus who went overseas to fight in campaigns.

On the local level, Gustavus and Oxenstierna reformed the administration throughout the 1620s. It focused on establishing central supervision. They divided the country into provinces with each having a capital where an appointed governor resided. The Crown tasked the governors to manage taxation and to supervise the conscription in villages. Conscription took an important aspect in the nation as Gustavus worked to build up a national army.

While the crown government reorganized, the Riksdag also transformed into a respected institution of the Kingdom. The body served as the representative assembly of the kingdom. They confirmed the direct rule of King Gustavus for concessions that ensured limitations in the power of the Crown. Nevertheless, the body operated with few rules and organization. Loud and lack of decorum rang across their assembly hall. Oxenstierna worked closely with the Riksdag to change this condition. In 1617, he with Gustavus' approval issued an ordinance in 1617. It established the composition of the Riksdag with representatives from 4 estates of the country: (1) Nobility, (2) Clergy, (3) Burgher/Townspeople, and (4) Peasantry. The Chancellor also established the Riksdag’s procedure which remained in use until 1866. In turn, the Riksdag transformed into a respectable body even to King Gustavus who spoke to them with great eloquence and importance. The Riksdag and the King came into understanding through the mediation of Chancellor Oxenstierna. This cordial relation created political stability that contributed to Sweden’s rise as a great power.

Though the Riksdag composed of representatives of different estates, the nobility held the greatest power. It stood in equal to the King and represented by the Chancellor himself. The Charter of 1617 guaranteed the rights of the nobility and gave the estate a monopoly in vital government positions. Nevertheless, the Chancellor and Gustavus prevented complacency within the nobility by challenging them to be competent and dedicated civil servants of the Kingdom. Such a challenge went into the 1626 Statutes of the Nobility. Furthermore, they made the composition of the nobility open, thus, men from other estates with talent and skills had the opportunity to be part of the nobility and serve the government. The competition between the old aristocrats or those from traditional nobles and the new aristocracy resulted in the training of skilled officials to man the government – the so-called “aristocratic bureaucracy.”

To foster great talents, Gustavus Adolphus invested in education. In the 1620s he promoted the establishment of many Gymnasia which served as the early form of secondary education in Sweden. He also funded the development of the University of Uppsala by donating 300 estates dubbed as the “Gustavian Hereditaments”. He also established new universities such as the University of Tartu, which grew as a hub for higher education in the Baltic Region.

University of Uppsala, 1789

Economic reforms also went into Gustavus’ agenda. For centuries, Sweden delved in barter trade while the rest of Europe turned to money economy and mercantilism. King Gustavus and the Chancellor worked for the economy’s transition to finance future military and diplomatic endeavors. The Crown began to reduce taxation in kind and promoted payments in coins. Increasing revenue also became a focus for the Crown. Monopolies in the copper and iron industries kept while new monopolies in salt in 1628 and grain trade in 1631 aimed to further boost Crown profits.

Sweden enjoyed a great surged in the sale of its metals. The country topped Europe’s list of major suppliers of iron and copper. The introduction of copper coins in Spain in 1599 resulted in higher demands and higher prices. Government revenues from its copper monopoly surged. Next to copper, iron provided a great boost in the country’s economy. The King’s welcoming of foreign talent and investment paid off. Dutch investments and Dutch loans updated Sweden’s iron mining and processing. Men like Louis de Geer introduced innovations that gave Swedish iron products higher value. The metal industry powered Sweden for about a century funding the foundation of an empire that Gustavus desired.

Gustavus Adolphus and Axel Oxenstierna built a Sweden fit and ready for their ambitions. With an efficient government, a nobility dedicated to the service of the country, and an economy profiting, they prepared for their project to make the Baltic Sea the biggest Swedish lake.

See also:

Gustavus Adolphus - Part 3

Gustavus Adolphus - Part 1

Gustavus Adolphus and the Swedish Economy

Bibliography:

Websites:

“Gustavus II,” Encyclopedia of World Biography. Encyclopedia.com. Accessed on August 11, 2020. URL: https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/history/scandinavian-history-biographies/gustavus-ii

Roberts, Michael. “Gustavus Adolphus.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed on September 5, 2020. URL: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gustav-II-Adolf/Entrance-into-the-Thirty-Years-War

Books:

Grimberg, Carl. A History of Sweden. Translated by C.W. Foss. Rock Island, Illinois, Augustana Book Concern, 1935.

Andersson, Ingvar. A History of Sweden. Translated by Carolyn Hannay. New York, New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1968.