Stories of persons and places in Europe . Fresh victories brought fresh troops,and in a little while the whole of the northern part of Sweden had thrownoff the Danish yoke. But Christians cruelties were drawing to a close. His own people weredisgusted with him and put him in prison. Then the Swedish nobles metand elected Gustavus Vasa king of Sweden. Warrior KijSTgs.—During the century following that in which GustavusYasa lived, two kings arose in Sweden who proved that the land of Odincould still produce warriors when they were needed. The first was Gusta-vus Adolphus, a direct descendant of
Stories of persons and places in Europe . Fresh victories brought fresh troops,and in a little while the whole of the northern part of Sweden had thrownoff the Danish yoke. But Christians cruelties were drawing to a close. His own people weredisgusted with him and put him in prison. Then the Swedish nobles metand elected Gustavus Vasa king of Sweden. Warrior KijSTgs.—During the century following that in which GustavusYasa lived, two kings arose in Sweden who proved that the land of Odincould still produce warriors when they were needed. The first was Gusta-vus Adolphus, a direct descendant of the other Gustavus, who found him-self in trouble with Danes, Russians and Poles during the first years of hisreign. He overcame them all and by his wise rule, made the people prosper-ous and happy and very proud of their young king. At this time the thirty years war was raging in Europe, between theCatholics and Protestants. The Swedes were Protestants, and they sawthat if their brethren down in Germany were conquered there would be. VIKING. 60 Persons and Places in Europe. trouble in store for them. At least Gustavus saw this, and, calling his peo-ple together, he told them that he had long wished to help the persecutedbrethren, and now he was ready to go with as many soldiers as would followhim. Then he took his little five-year-old daughter up in his arms, com-mended her to their care as their future queen if he never came back, andafter a few touching farewell words closed the meeting with prayer. Twenty thousand Swedes followed their king into Germany, and therebegan a series of conquests that made him the hero of the war. Withineight months he had taken eighty fortified places, and during the next twoyears defeated three times the greatest general of Europe, who had neverbefore been vanquished. His last battle was fought at Lutzen, and there the hero was slain whileleading a charge early in the day. The sight of his riderless horse rushingback from the front was the fi
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidstoriesofper, bookyear1887
