Gustavus Adolphus
Gustavus Adolphus (1594–1632), King of Sweden from 1611, who raised Sweden to a great power and led its army into the Thirty Years' War until his death at Lützen.
Category: Figures
- 1611 – January 20, 1613Denmark and Sweden fight the Kalmar War for control of the Baltic
In 1611 Christian IV of Denmark-Norway attacks Sweden at the start of the Kalmar War. The Treaty of Knäred on 20 January 1613 forces Sweden to pay a heavy indemnity, but Sweden keeps its territory, bar Älvsborg.
- October 30, 1611Gustavus Adolphus becomes King of Sweden at sixteen
On 30 October 1611 Gustavus Adolphus becomes King of Sweden on his father Charles IX's death, aged sixteen, in the middle of the Kalmar War. He is declared of age in January 1612 and reorganises Swedish government and army.
- July 6, 1630Gustavus Adolphus lands on Usedom and brings Sweden into the war
On 6 July 1630 (26 June Old Style) Gustavus Adolphus lands his army on Usedom, off Pomerania, and Sweden enters the war. Sources differ on the force, from about 4,000 to 13,000 men. He occupies Pomerania under the Treaty of Stettin.
- January 23, 1631France agrees to finance Sweden in the Treaty of Bärwalde
On 23 January 1631 Richelieu's France agrees to pay Sweden 400,000 Reichstaler a year, and Sweden to keep an army of 36,000 in Germany. Gustavus Adolphus must respect Catholic worship and Bavaria's neutrality. Richelieu fights the Habsburgs by proxy.
- September 17, 1631Gustavus Adolphus and Saxony defeat Tilly at Breitenfeld
On 17 September 1631 the Swedish-Saxon army defeats Tilly's Imperial-League army near Leipzig. The Saxons break early but the Swedes counterattack. It is the Protestants' first major victory and opens southern Germany to Sweden.
- April 15, 1632Gustavus Adolphus crosses the Lech at Rain and Tilly is mortally wounded
On 15 April 1632 Gustavus Adolphus defeats the Catholic League at Rain on the Lech. Tilly's thigh is shattered and he dies two weeks later. Maximilian of Bavaria retreats, leaving Bavaria open to Swedish invasion.
- May 17, 1632Gustavus Adolphus enters Munich
On 17 May 1632 Gustavus Adolphus's army enters Munich, capital of Maximilian of Bavaria, the leader of the Catholic League. Bavaria is widely pillaged. The Swedes then advance on Nuremberg.
- September 3, 1632Wallenstein repels Gustavus Adolphus's assault at the Alte Veste near Nuremberg
On 3 September 1632 Gustavus Adolphus attacks Wallenstein's entrenched camp at the Alte Veste, near Nuremberg, and is repulsed with about 2,500 casualties. Short of supplies, he withdraws south on 19 September.
- November 16, 1632Gustavus Adolphus is killed at the Battle of Lützen
On 16 November 1632 (6 November Old Style) Gustavus Adolphus is killed leading a cavalry charge at Lützen. The Swedes hold the field against Wallenstein, who withdraws to Bohemia, but Sweden loses its king and the war goes on.