GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS '201 that their opportunity for capturing the capital was gone, and returned again to their own coast. Negotiations were now resumed and peace was concluded in 1613. The Danes were to surrender Calmar immediately and Elfsborg at the end of six years ; the Swedes agreeing to pay a war indemnity of one million thalers. The war with Russia, which Gustavus had inherited from his father, had of late been in a state of suspension. The Swedes had occupied a large amount of Russian territory, in which were several strong fortresses. In the confusion which reigned as to the succession, after the extinction of the ancient house of Rurik, there was a capital chance of fishing in troubled waters. A strong party in Russia desired to elect a Swedish prince as sovereign, and actually sent an embassy to Stockholm to offer the throne to Charles Philip, a younger brother of Gustavus. But the king did not favor this plan. For four years he con- tinued the war and secured important advantages. But what was more valuable than territorial gains, he acquired a wide experience in strategy and the conduct of campaigns, a habit of dealing promptly with large questions, and a sharpened judgment of men. In February, 1617, the treaty of peace was signed, Russia ced- ing to Sweden a large territory on the east of the Baltic. Gustavus was now in a position to prosecute with greater energy the war with Poland. Sigismund III., of Poland, was the only son of King John III., of Sweden, and was, therefore, as a scion of the ancient royal house, the legitimate heir to the Swedish throne. But in the first place he was a Catholic ; and in the second place, the house of Vasa, had by force of arms and with the support of the people, successfully as- serted its right to the crown which Gustavus I. had won. After repeated extensions of the armistice which by common consent pre- vailed, the King of Sweden resumed hostilities in July, 1621 ; and the war raged with varying success until September, 1629, when another armistice was con- cluded for six years. The chief result of this exhausting warfare was the stipula- tion which was agreed to, that liberty of conscience should be granted to Prot- estants and Catholics, and that the commerce between Poland and Sweden was declared free. The renown of these wars, two of which had been brought to a triumphant issue, spread far over Europe ; and the Protestant princes of Germany became aware that there was a great military captain of their own faith in the Scandi- navian North. They were at that time sorely oppressed, the success of the im- perial arms, under Tilly and Wallenstein, seeming to threaten the very existence of the Reformed Faith. The Emperor Ferdinand II. was carrying everything with a high hand after the defeat of King Christian IV. of Denmark, who, with more courage than success, had undertaken to champion the Protestant cause. It was in this desperate strait that all eyes turned toward the young King of Swe- den. An appeal was sent to him for aid. in the name of their common religion ; and Gustavus, after a brief hesitation, accepted the call. He had long watched with deep concern the war of devastation by which Wallenstein and the scarcely less terrible Tilly were seeking to destroy the fruits of the Reformation ; and it is said that he had a clear presentiment that sooner or later he would be drawn
