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Sigismund was crowned in 1594; but on his failure to keep his
promises, his uncle was recalled to the regency (1595), and when
Sigismund invaded Sweden in 1598 he was defeated by Charles
and compelled to enter into a compromise at Linköping. Again
breaking faith, he was formally deposed (1599), while Charles
was appointed regent for life. After having prosecuted
Sigis-mund’s adherents with great harshness, and succeeded in
preventing the recognition of Ladislaus, Sigismund’s son. Charles IX.,
assumed the title of king in 1604. His administration was
beneficial to the country, and he was a zealous promoter of commerce,
mining, and agriculture, but his wars with Russia and Denmark,
which were unfinished at his death (1611), caused much misery.
His son and successor was Oustavus II., better known as
Gustavus Adolphus, the most able and famous of the Swedish
kings. Though seventeen years of age only, he was at once
declared major by the Estates. In 1613 he terminated the ‘Kalmar
War1 with Denmark by the Peace of Knäröd , and in 1617 that
with Russia by the Peace of Stolbova, which secured Kexholm,
Karelen, and Ingermanland to Sweden. By the Treaty of Altmark
in 1629 he obtained from Poland the cession of Livonia and four
Prussian seaports for six years. At the same time he bestowed
much attention on his home affairs. With the aid of his chancellor
and friend Axel Oxcnstjerna he passed codes of judicial procedure
and founded a supreme court atStockholm(1614-15), and afterwards
erected appeal courts at Abo, Dorpat, and Jönköping. In 1617 he
reorganised the national assembly, dividing it into the four estates
of Nobles, Clergy, Burghers, and Peasants, and giving it the sole
power of passing laws and levying taxes. He founded several new
towns, favoured the mining and commercial industries, extended
the university of LTpsala, and established another at Dorpat. At
the same time he strengthened his army and navy, which he soon
had occasion to use. In 1630 he went to Germany to support the
Protestant cause in the Thirty Years1 War, and after several
brilliant victories and a glorious career, which raised Sweden to the
proudest position she has ever occupied in history, he fell on 6th
Nov., 1632, at the Battle of Liitzen. The war was continued under
his (laughter and successor Christina, under the able regency of
Oxenstjema. In 1635, by another treaty with Poland, Livonia
was secured to Sweden for 26years more. War broke
outwithDen-mark in 1643, but was terminated by the Peace of Brömsebro
in 1645. At length, in 1648, the Thirty Years1 War was ended by
the Peace of Westphalia. These treaties secured to Sweden
Jemtland and Herjedalen, the island of Gotland, the principalities of
Bremen and Verden, part of Pomerania with Stettin and the
is-lauds of Riigen , Usedom, and Wollin , and the town of Wismar,
besides a considerable war indemnity and other advantages.
During the regency it was arranged that the royal council or cabinet
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