(1496-1560)
Three or four hundred years ago the little country of Denmark was of
much greater importance than it is to-day. It had the mightiest navy in
the world, and its rule over the seas was undisputed. Its appearance on
the map was also very different then, for it not only extended over much
of the German territory now surrounding it, but also held all Norway as
a province. Sweden, too, though often rebelling, and being punished with
terrible cruelty, was, up to the year 1523, a dependency of the Danish
crown.
Naturally the Danes rather looked down on the conquered Swedes, and made
them the subject of many rude jests and taunts. There was in the
beginning of the sixteenth century at the great Danish university at
Upsala a Swedish boy, who with the rest of his countrymen must have
suffered many such insults. His proud, brave, little heart rebelled
against this treatment; and one day, when his teacher had driven him
beyond endurance with his severe punishments and bitter sneers, the boy
snatched out his little sword and plunged it straight through the
master's book. "I will teach you something, too," he cried; "teach you
that the Swedes are no cowards, for some day I will gather them together
and treat every Dane in Sweden as I do your book." Then he rushed out of
the school, never to return.
[Illustration: Gustavus Vasa.]
Many lads have, in some moment of passion made big boasts of what they
would do "some day." Few ever made so tremendous a vaunt; fewer still
ever so completely fulfilled their threats; and, perhaps, no one ever
struggled so patiently, so nobly, nor against such tremendous obstacles
before the goal was reached, as did this angry little Swede, known to
history as Gustavus Vasa. He was born in 1496, and was the oldest son of
Sir Eric Johansson, governor of a little group of islands in the Gulf of
Bothnia. Returning home after his precipitate flight from school,
Gustavus grew up under the eye of his stalwart father, who trained him
to be not only a strong and a shrewd man, but also a good one.
Sent at the age of eighteen to the court of Svante Sture, the regent
governing Sweden, he threw himself eagerly into the great war for
freedom which his countrymen had begun under that mighty leader. This
struggle was so far successful that four years later King Christian, of
Denmark, utterly defeated on land and with his fleet in sore danger
anchored off Stockholm, and proposed a peace. He asked that hostages be
sent to remain on his ships, while he was on shore arranging the treaty.
This was readily agreed to, and the hostages went on board without a
thought of evil, the king having guaranteed their safe return. Young
Vasa, although only twenty-two, had already gained such prominence among
the patriots as to be one of those selected for this duty. Just as he
and his companions reached the ships, the wind, which had hitherto blown
from such a direction that King Christian was unable to leave the
harbor, suddenly changed, and the king as promptly changing his plans,
hoisted sail and fled from Stockholm, carrying with him, as prisoners,
the hostages whom he was bound in honor to respect. But this grim and
cruel old king never at any time let himself be checked by his promised
word; and now he seriously considered slaying these men as rebels and
traitors. Finally he concluded to hold them as prisoners.
Gustavus was placed for safe keeping in the castle of Eric Bauer, a
Jutland noble, where he remained for two years. He lived on the very
poorest food, and far worse, had to endure taunts a hundred times more
bitter than those of his old school days, from the young nobles about
him. Worse still, he learned from them that King Christian was gathering
another and greater army with which to utterly crush the rebellious
Swedes; and he could neither warn his countrymen nor raise a finger to
give them help. But his courage and patience never failed him. Through
all that weary time he was always planning and watching for a chance to
escape. At last it came. Deceived by his apparent indifference his
jailers permitted him to ride, and even to hunt with them, but always
under a careful watch. One day, however, the hunt grew so exciting that
everyone forgot Gustavus and rode hard and fast after the game. He saw
his opportunity, and rode hardest and fastest of all. Soon he was first
in the race; but he did not stop when he reached the captured deer.
There was no one in sight and he hurried on faster than ever. When his
horse gave out he pressed forward on foot, and nightfall found him forty
miles from the castle. He astonished a countryman by trading clothes
with him; and the next day, thus disguised, he hired himself to a drover
to help him drive a herd of cattle to the great German city of Lubeck.
Probably no cattle had ever been so driven before. Our hero knew well
that the pursuit would be fast and furious, and he kept the herd almost
on a steady run. The old drover was in a perpetual state of amazement;
he did not know whether to regard his new assistant as a madman or as
the most valuable hand he had ever hired. Gustavus never let the poor
old fellow rest a moment; he had to eat his meals as he walked, and even
to totter along half asleep. At last animals and men reached Lubeck, all
badly worn out, but safe, for Lubeck was a free city and a powerful one,
and when, an hour later, the enraged Eric Bauer galloped up to its great
gates, he knew that his prisoner was beyond his reach, and that unless
he could persuade the citizens to give him up there was no chance of
recapturing him.
The citizens did not give Gustavus up. He and his jailer were brought
face to face before the City Council to argue their case. When Eric said
his prisoner had broken his word in escaping, Gustavus related how the
king had broken his in the capture. When Eric threatened them all with
his master's wrath, the shrewd old burghers laughed. They knew King
Christian had other things to keep him busy enough, and that he would
think twice before attacking their great league of cities. Besides, this
young man had already shown that he could do great things, and, as one
of the Council said, "Who knows what he may win if we send him home." So
Eric was forced to leave without his captive; and after some delay,
during which he was treated with high honor, Gustavus was sent home by
the kind Lubeckers with the promise to help him, if need be, with both
men and money.
Indeed Sweden needed all the help she could get just then; but it did
not seem as though one man could do much for her. King Christian had
carried out his threats, and landing with a great army, defeated the
brave Sture and spread terror and destruction through all the land. The
tale of his cruelty and treacheries belongs rather to the history of
Sweden than of Gustavus. Enough to say that, having by promises of
peace and pardon got all the leading Swedes into his power, he had them
murdered, and then he and his soldiers went on slaying the common people
right and left in mere wanton savagery. All the surviving nobles were in
his pay; the least suspicion of an uprising was crushed with an iron
hand, the least murmur of discontent brought death. Never had Sweden
seemed more helpless in the power of the Danes.
To this unhappy country came Gustavus Vasa, and at once he was declared
an outlaw, and a great price was offered for his head; for the king knew
that here survived one man whom he could neither terrify nor bribe. One
castle still held out against the besieging Danes, and for this Gustavus
set out. But its defenders were disheartened by their hopeless position,
and were almost on the point of surrender. They answered angrily to his
brave words, and he left them to try and rouse the peasantry all over
the land.
Now began for him such a period of danger, sorrow, and privation, as few
men could have endured and lived. The land was filled with Danes eager
for his capture. The peasants were timid and disheartened. To his
passionate patriotic appeal they answered only, "We have salt and
herring still. If we rebel we will lose them too." Often they drove him
away with stones. Sometimes his own countrymen would have slain him for
the promised reward. At length it was no longer possible for him to
remain in Southern Sweden, and with a single servant he fled to the
highlands of Dalecarlia, a province in the north. From this on his life
reads like some wild romance of adventure. He had the grim courage and
grit and perseverance of a bull-dog. Nothing could dishearten him in his
seemingly hopeless and insane resolve to raise the Swedes once more
against Christian.
He found as much devotion in some places, as he did treachery in others.
Having crossed a ferry in advance of his servant, this latter rode off
with their small stock of money. Gustavus plunged his horse into the
river, and riding back after the faithless servitor, pursued him all day
straight back into the enemy's country, until the terrified thief,
abandoning horse and money and all, fled into the woods. Gustavus
recovered his property and pursued his course. The Danes swarmed into
Dalecarlia after him. He disguised himself as a woodcutter, and lived as
such. One day he met in the woods a giant Dalesman named Liss Lars, and,
as they were chatting together, a great bear attacked Gustavus. After a
fierce battle Lars slew the brute with a blow of his axe. The two
woodcutters became friends, and Lars got his companion a place under the
same master as himself, where Gustavus remained a whole winter
unsuspected. Often he himself was questioned by the Danish spies,
hunting for the now famous Vasa.
[Illustration: Abdication of Gustavus Vasa.]
Once there was like to have been trouble between the two friends, for
Lars loved a maiden at the farm, who out of coquetry often smiled at
Gustavus, until the giant Dalesman became terribly jealous. One day when
she brought them their noon-day ale, she handed it first to Gustavus,
who, after drinking, returned it with a pleasant word and a pat on the
cheek. With a roar like a mad bull, Lars rushed on his comrade and
seized him in his giant arms. As he did so he saw around his neck the
embroidered collar worn by the Swedish nobility. The astounded Dalesman
staggered back, pointing to it. "Either thou art a thief, or the great
Gustavus himself." "Ay, friend Lars, I am the outlaw Gustavus, son of
Eric. Now, wilt thou hand me over to the Danes, or smash my head against
the floor, as just now thou seemedest minded?" "I will swear eternal
fealty to thee," cried Lars; "and if thou raisest the standard of
revolt, I will be the first to join."
Soon, however, even this retired spot became too unsafe, and Gustavus
fled farther north. Once an old schoolmate offered him shelter, and
then, while Gustavus slept, rode away to get help to capture him. But
the housewife, suspecting her husband's treachery, roused Gustavus, who
climbed through a window twenty feet from the ground, and escaped on a
horse the good woman had provided.
At another time, by burying himself in a load of hay he was carried past
some Danish soldiers who were searching for him. They thrust their
spears through the hay and then rode on. One of the spears wounded the
hidden man, and, seeing the blood trickle down, the soldiers hurried
back. But the driver had snatched out his knife and given a slight cut
to one of his horses; and when he pointed to this, charging one of them
with having done it, they rode away again laughing at their own
suspicions. In a hundred other equally dangerous situations he escaped
either by his own courage, or by the ready wit of the brave Dalecarlian
peasants; and at last the Danish spies gave up the hunt for him, and
returned to Stockholm.
Then he came forth again, and in ringing words urged the people to
revolt. But though they loved Gustavus, and loved Sweden, yet they held
back in doubt and fear from his daring plans; and so the hero left them,
and went on through the surrounding provinces, telling everywhere of
King Christian's cruelty, and sowing seed which was to ripen later on.
Yet nowhere could he rouse the peasants to action, until word came that
the cruel king had sworn to cut a hand and foot from every man in
Sweden, that they might never revolt again. Now all felt that there was
nothing left but fight. In great haste the Dalecarlians sent after
Gustavus and brought him back. They held a great meeting, and to it came
Gustavus' wood-cutter friend, Liss Lars. He made a great homely speech,
saying, "This Gustavus, son of Eric, is a man. He has threshed with me,
and I know him. We can trust him, and sense has he, more than all of us
put together. He must be our leader."
All swore fealty to Gustavus; and he bade them make swords and spears
and arrows on their own anvils, while he went on again to rouse the
other provinces. King Christian had been called home by a rumor of
rebellion there, but his lieutenants thought to crush this little
uprising of the Dalecarlians as easily as they had a few others, and one
of them marched promptly there with a large force. The brave peasants,
led by Liss Lars and another, attacked him as he was crossing a river
and defeated him with great slaughter. Gustavus heard rumors of the
battle, and that his little army was destroyed. In wild haste he
galloped back to Dalecarlia to find them celebrating their victory.
Now did the men he had roused in every quarter come pouring in; and he
drilled them, and trained them, and encouraged them, became head and
hand and heart for them all, till soon he had such an army that he might
fairly hope to match any force the Danes could bring against him. Then
he sent out a proclamation declaring Christian deposed for his cruel and
bloody tyranny, and calling all true Swedes to join him in making war
upon the oppressor.
Thus did this young man at twenty-five become the leader of a great
rebellion, which he himself had created and controlled. He led his men
against one fortress after another. There were long sieges and terrible
battles; but Gustavus proved himself as great a general as he was a man;
and two years later, in 1525, Stockholm, the last town remaining to the
Danes in Sweden, surrendered to his army. Christian himself had been
unable to leave Denmark, but he was in constant communication with his
lieutenants, and wild was his rage at the continued success of his young
opponent. Gustavus's mother and sister, with many other Swedish ladies,
had fallen into the king's hands at the time of those wholesale murders;
and he tried to frighten the hero with threats of what he would do to
them; but poor Gustavus had learned only too surely that most of them
were already dead from his cruel treatment. Finally this brute was
deposed by his own subjects, and a new king chosen. This king made some
faint attempts to recover Sweden, but he had small chance against such a
man as Vasa.
The hero and his army entered Stockholm in triumph; and such of the old
nobles as were left, gathered in a council and offered him the crown
which he had wrested from Denmark. He refused it, saying he had labored
for his country, not himself, and bade the nobles choose from among
themselves some older man. But the whole country cried out that they
would submit to no man but him; he had freed them, he should rule them.
So there was, what seldom has been in history, a free choice of a king
by a united people; and Gustavus, son of Eric, became Gustavus I., King
of Sweden. Five years before he had been carried off a helpless, almost
friendless prisoner, by a mighty king. Now they had, by sheer force of
character, changed places; the king was in a dungeon, Gustavus on a
throne.
Though the remainder of our hero's life was less adventurous, it was no
less noble. He made, as all had foreseen, a great king, showing himself
as wise and high-minded as he had already proven brave and patient. He
found Sweden a petty province, he left it a mighty kingdom; he found it
a wilderness, poor, thinly peopled, and semi-barbarous, he left it
prosperous, populous, and civilized. He himself was the head and centre
of all this, performing an amount of work which seems almost impossible
for one man. His letters, some of which remain, are clear, minute in
detail, and exact. He knew just how he wanted things done, and he had
them done his way. His own life might be summed up in his advice to his
two sons, given when, only a few months before his death, he resigned a
crown grown too heavy for his failing strength. "Think carefully,
execute promptly, _never give up_, never delay. Resolves not carried out
are like clouds without rain in times of drought."