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PERSONAL INFLUENCK OF GREAT COMMANDEKS IN THE PAST. 7S 



little doubt that he was frequently overcome with drink. More- 

 over, his sense of justice and gratitude appears to have been 

 blunted, and the execution of Parmenio, his trusted general, 

 and Chtus, one of bis best " Companions," stain a character 

 otherwise marked by noble quahties of personal generosity. 

 Of the remainder of his active career, little need be said. He 

 marched down the Indus to the sea, undertaking, always with 

 success, and often with much personal risk, various operations. 

 He transported his troops partly by sea, partly through the 

 Baluchistan and Persian deserts, to Mesopotamia, and he settled 

 in Babylon to consoHdate his empire. There, possibly from im- 

 prudent feasting, possibly from long exposure in travel, he died 

 at the early age of thirty -three. 



Such is a bald outhne of his career. Before we consider what 

 his influence (apart from the mihtary ardour which was so vital 

 a feature in his leadership) was on the countries he subdued, 

 and the world in which he hved, let us turn to Gustavus 

 Adolphus, so as to retain in our minds the main features in 

 the career of both, so that we may more adequately consider the 

 problems of their personal influence. 



Gustavus Adolphus, son of Charles IX of Sweden by his 

 second wife, Christina of Schleswig Holstein, a woman of imperi- 

 ous nature, came to the throne in 161 1 when he was only seventeen 

 years old. He had already had, not only the advantage of very 

 careful parental education and capable example, but experience 

 both in administration and in war. A portion of the kingdom 

 had been committed to his youthful charge, and there he was 

 encouraged to act on his own responsibihty, in the king's name. 

 He had from the earhest taken the keenest interest in mihtary 

 affairs, had learned all that he could assimilate from books, 

 and, what was of greater value, had been entrusted with command 

 in a campaign against the Danes, where he had shown marked 

 capacity and that absolute fearlessness which was afterwards 

 so characteristic. In all these respects his career so far closely 

 resembles that of Alexander. 



The country over which he was called at this early age to 

 reign was in grave difiiculties. Denmark still ruled some of its 

 southern provinces. Poland had a bitter cause of complaint 

 against Sweden in that the latter country had refused the rule 

 of the Polish king Sigismund, who, though the representative 

 of an older line of the Vasa dynasty, was a Roman Cathohc 

 and therefore refused by the Protestant Swedes. Russia, too^ 



