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Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden

Also known as the Lion from the North (nickname)

Stockholm Palace, 19 Dec 1594 – Lützen, 16 Nov 1632

13 facts3 sources

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Facts and their sources

  • Born19 Dec 1594, Stockholm Palacenot verified1 source
  • TitleMonarch of Sweden, 1611–1632not verified1 source
  • EventBattle of Breitenfeldor Battle of Lützen · Treaty of Stolbovonot verified1 source
  • EventTreaty of Stolbovoor Battle of Lützen · Battle of Breitenfeldnot verified1 source
  • EventBattle of Lützenor Battle of Breitenfeld · Treaty of Stolbovonot verified1 source
  • Died16 Nov 1632, Lützennot verified1 source
  • FatherCharles IX of Swedennot verified1 source
  • MotherChristina of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorpnot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 19 Dec 1594

    Born in Stockholm Palace

  2. 1611–1632

    Monarch of Sweden

  3. 1616–1626

    2 children are born

  4. 16 Nov 1632

    Dies in Lützen, aged 37

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 2

During his lifetime

He lived through 5 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Stockholm Palace.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1590s · Gustavus is born in Stockholm Palace

In the news1593

Lutheranism established as the state religion

The Uppsala Synod affirmed the Evangelical Lutheran faith as the state religion, solidifying Sweden's break from the Catholic Church.

Getting around

Impersonating royal servants to secure horses

Travelers who were not on royal business sometimes impersonated royal servants to secure horses, as ordinary peasants were often unwilling or unable to provide fresh teams when the roads were poor. If they could not find transport, they had to rely on the limited hospitality of local peasants or priests, often sleeping on floors near farm animals.

In the news1596–1598

Crop failures caused widespread hardship

General crop failures caused by severe weather led to widespread hardship and peasant unrest in Finland.

Daily life

Home-based learning and labor socialization

Formal schooling was not yet a dominant part of children's lives, as religious instruction took place within the home. Children were primarily socialized through labor, working as apprentices, farm laborers, or helping their families.

What people wore

Functional accessories on belts

Both men and women wore belts where they carried practical items, including leather pouches and knives, and women specifically kept farm keys on theirs.

Music

Polish dances at the 1594 coronation

At the 1594 coronation of King Sigismund in Uppsala, four specific dances were performed, reflecting the strong cultural influence from the Polish court.

At the table

Beaver Served as Fasting Fish

Beaver was consumed as a fish substitute on fasting days because people believed it was a water-dwelling animal that swam using its tail. This allowed it to be eaten during the religious periods when meat was prohibited.