Page 21 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Stockholm

THE HIST OR Y OF ST OCKHOLM  19

price for winning the bloody battle at Lützen
in 1632, as the king was killed in action.
Gustav II Adolf’s only child, Kristina, came
to the throne at the age of six. During her
reign (1633–54), life at the court was
influenced by the world of science and
philosophy. Kristina corresponded with
leading academics and invited the French
philosopher René Descartes, who died in
Stockholm in 1650 only a few months after Karl XII with the widowed queen on his arm leaving the burning
he had arrived. The Tre Kronor castle Tre Kronor fortress
became the permanent royal residence.
Kristina’s reluctance to marry resulted in and divided the land more evenly between
her cousin, Karl Gustav, becoming Crown the crown, nobility and peasants.
Prince. Kristina abdicated and left for Rome, While the body of Karl XI lay in state
where she converted to Catholicism. at Tre Kronor in 1697 a fire broke out,
destroying most of the building. The new
monarch was the teenage Karl XII (1697–
1718). He faced mammoth problems when
Denmark, Poland and Russia formed an
alliance in 1700 with the aim of crushing the
power of Sweden. Karl XII set off to battle.
Denmark and Poland were soon forced
to plead for peace, but Russia resisted.
A bold push towards Moscow was
unsuccessful, and the Swedish army suffered
a devastating defeat at Poltava in 1709.
This marked the beginning of the end
Queen Kristina, fascinated by science and corresponding with
leading scientists for Sweden as a great power.
Karl XII, the most controversial Swedish
The Carolian Era monarch, returned to Sweden in 1715
Karl X Gustav (1654–60) was the first of after an absence of 15 years. His plans to
three Karls to reign. At the height of regain Sweden’s position of dominance
Sweden’s era as a great power, and in one never came to pass, and he was killed in
of the most audacious episodes in the Norway in 1718.
history of war, he conquered Denmark by By now, Sweden was in crisis. Crop
leading his army across the frozen waters of failures and epidemics had annihilated
the Great Belt (see p21). Karl XI (1660–97) one-third of Stockholm’s population,
secured the southern Swedish provinces, and the state’s finances were drained.

1617 Death penalty introduced for
conversion to Catholicism 1654 Kristina abdicates and 1697 Tre Kronor castle destroyed by
Karl X Gustav is crowned king fire; 15-year-old Karl XII crowned
1632 Gustav II 1633 Six-year-old
Adolf killed at Kristina becomes 1655 Kristina converts to Catholicism 1709 Swedish army defeated
battle of Lützen queen; guardians rule and is ceremonially greeted in Rome by Peter the Great at Poltava
1625 1650 1675 1700
1648 Peace of
1618 Thirty 1658 Swedish army
Years’ War starts Westphalia gives crosses the Great
in Germany Sweden new Belt and acquires 1680 Karl XI starts the era of
territories
new territory under Carolian autocracy and limits
Gustav II Adolf Peace of Roskilde powers of the nobility 1718 Karl XII dies

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