134 CHRISTIAN THE TYRANT. 



melodious ; and such was the power of his eloquence and 

 persuasiveness, that when addressing an assembly, he seldom 

 failed to convince and to gain adherents. 



King Johan died in his hereditary dominions, Denmark, 

 in the year 1513, leaving to his son, Christian II., all his 

 rights to the Swedish crown, which rights, whether real 

 or imaginary, the Dane felt by no means inclined to 

 forego. 



The Seger-hufva, or caul, which Gustavus is reported to 

 have had on his head, was considered ominous of his. future 

 brilliant fortune. Christian, on the contrary, according to 

 the old chronicles, came into the world with his fist clenched, 

 and his hands filled with blood; from which the supersti- 

 tions of those days augured that he would turn out as was 

 unhappily the case a cruel and sanguinary villain. 



It is recorded that on one occasion, during Christian's 

 infancy, a large ape snatched him from his nurse's arms, and 

 ascended with him to the roof of the palace, whence, however, 

 unluckily for humanity, the animal after a time brought him 

 down again in safety. In childhood he evinced a morose and 

 savage disposition, which increased with his years. Much of 

 this was perhaps hereditary, for his father, King Johan, in 

 the latter part of his life, was of a most violent temper, 

 amounting at times almost to insanity. 



Christian was first placed under the care of a dignitary of 

 the Church, but neither admonition nor severe punishment 

 could bring him to reason and obedience. This young 

 Prince had a peculiar fancy for climbing upon the highest 

 roofs, walls, &c. His preceptor warned him against the 

 dangerous practice, saying: "Those who climb the highest 

 fall the lowest." But Christian very impudently replied: 



