SWEDEN. 97 



apparent to the crown of Sweden, though then a minor. Upon the 

 death of his father, which happened in 161 1, he was declared of age 

 by the states, though then only in his 18th year. Gustavu's, soon 

 alter his accession, found himself, through the power and intrigues of 

 the Poles, Russians, and Danes, engaged in a war with all his neigh- 

 bours, under infinite disadvantages, all which he surmounted. He had 

 nearly rendered himself sovereign of Russia. In 1617 he made a 

 peace, under the mediation of James I, of England, by which he 

 recovered Livonia, and four towns in the prefecture ot Novgorod, with 

 which he likewise received a sum of money. 



, The ideas of Gustavus began now to extend. He had seen much 

 military service, and he was assisted by the counsels of La Gardie, 

 one of the best generals and wisest statesmen of his age. His troops 

 had become the best disciplined and most warlike in Europe. The 

 princes of the house of Austria were, it is certain, early jealous of 

 his enterprising spirit, and supported his ancient implacable enemy 

 Sigismund, whom he defeated. In 1627, he formed the siege of 

 Dantzick, in which he was unsuccessful ; but the attempt, which was 

 defected only by the sudden rise of the Vistula, added so much to 

 •his military character, that the protestant princes placed him at the 

 head of the confederacy for reducing the house of Austria. His life, 

 from that time, was a continued chain of the most rapid and wonder-^ 

 ful successes. After taking Riga, and overruning Livonia, he enter- 

 ed Poland, where he was victorious; and from thence, in 1630, he 

 landed in Pomerania, drove the Germans out of Mecklenburg, defeat- 

 ed the famous count Tilly, the Austrian general, who was till then 

 thought invincible, and overran Franconia. Upon the defeat and 

 death of Tilly, Wallenstein, another Austrian general of equal repu- 

 tation, was appointed to the command against Gustavus, who was 

 killed upon the plain of Lutzen in 1632, after gaining a victory, which, 

 had he survived, would probably have put a period to the Austrian 

 greatness. 



The amazing abilities of Gustavus Adolphus, both in the cabinet 

 and the field, never appeared so fully as after his death. He left 

 behind hirn a set of generals trained by himself, who maintained the 

 glory of the Swedish army with most astonishing valour and success. 

 The names of duke Bernard, Bannicr, Torstenson, Wrangel, and 

 others, and their great actions in war, will long live in the annals of 

 Europe. It is uncertain what course Gustavus would have pursued, 

 had his life been prolonged, and his successes continued ; but there is 

 the strongest reason to believe, that he had in view somewhat more 

 than the relief of the protestants, and the restoration of the Palatine 

 family. His chancellor Oxenstiern was as consummate a politician 

 as he was a warrior ; and during the minority of his daughter Chris- 

 tina, he managed the affairs of Sweden with such success, that she 

 in a manner dictated the peace of Westphalia, in 1648, which gave a' 

 new system to the affairs of Eyrope. 



Christina was but six years of age when her father was killed.,. She 

 received a noble education ; but her fine genius took an uncommon;* 

 and indeed romantic turn. She invited to her court Descartes, *Sal- ,% "£,*/' 

 masius, and other learned men, to whom she was not, however, ex- 

 tremely liberal. She expressed a value for Grotius ; and she was an 

 excellent judge of the polite arts, but illiberal and indelicate in the 

 choice of her private favourites. She at the same time discharged 

 ail the duties of her high station ; and though her generals were 



Vol. I. O 



