200 SOLDIERS AND SAILORS Papacy and the Catholic League ; and Germany, after its mighty effort at re- lease, would have lapsed back into the Middle Ages. To few men the oppor- tunity is offered to exercise such a far-reaching influence upon the history of mankind ; but fewer still are those who see its full significance, and seeing it, seize it, and without one look behind march into the storm and stress of world- shaping events. Gustavus Adolphus was born December 9, 1594. He was the son ot King Charles IX. of Sweden, and the grandson of the renowned Gustavus Vasa. He was a precocious child, and it is told (though it appears rather incredible) that
- t the age of twelve he spoke Latin, French, German, Dutch, and Italian with
threat fluency, besides having a superficial acquaintance with Polish and Russian, There can be no doubt, however, that he was well taught, and that he possessed i remarkable facility in acquiring languages. For all that, he was far from being d bookish boy. In riding, fencing, and all chivalrous accomplishments he took a lively interest and exhibited much skill It was in stormy times that his boy- hood fell, Sweden being at that time involved in frequent wars, and his father, in order to train him in the duties of a military commander, took him early into his camp and made him share his campaigns. Many of the famous captains of that day who had fought in the Low Countries and in France, were made welcome at the Swedish court ; and the favorite pastime of the young Gustavus was to question them concerning the battles, sieges, and military exploits in which they had been engaged. When Charles IX. died, in 1611, Gustavus, being then seventeen years old, was declared to be of age and succeeded to the throne. There was need of an able and resolute man to cope with the many difficulties which sprang up round about him. In the first place there was one war with Denmark, already raging ; the strained relations with Russia and Poland threatened to precipitate two more. Norway, which was then united with Denmark under the same king, was also jealous of Sweden ; and the Norwegian peasantry destroyed at Kringelen, in Guldbrandsdal, an army of Scottish mercenaries, under the command of Colonel Sinclair, which was marching to the relief of Gustavus. The Danes had occu- pied two important Swedish cities, Calmar and Elfsborg, and being determined to utilize their advantages to the full, repelled all overtures for peace. It was of no avail that Gustavus renounced his title of King of the Laplanders, the as- sumption of which by his father had been one of the causes of the war. Christian IV., of Denmark, continued to push hostilities with unflagging vigor, and several battles were fought with varying fortunes. In 1612, he set sail with a fleet of thirty-six vessels for Stockholm, intending to capture the city. The Swedish fleet, being much inferior in numbers, was forced to retire under shelter of the fortress of Waxholm, which guards the access to the capital. In this dire dilem- ma, Gustavus strained every nerve to avert the threatened disaster. With a small force, chiefly of Dalecarlians, he marched day and night, and hastened to Waxholm in the hope of surprising the Danish fleet which had been detained by adverse winds. But the enemy, being probably informed of his approach, saw
