Charles XI of Sweden
Encyclopedia
Charles XI also Carl, was King of Sweden
from 1660 until his death, in a period in Swedish history known as the Swedish empire
(1611–1718).
Charles was the only son of King Charles X of Sweden
and Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp
. His father died when he was five years old, so Charles was educated by his governors until his coronation at the age of seventeen. Soon after, he was forced out on military expeditions to secure the recently acquired dominions
from Danish
troops in the Scanian War
. Having successfully fought off the Danes, he returned to Stockholm
and engaged in correcting the country's neglected political, financial and economic situation, managing to sustain peace during the remaining 20 years of his reign. Changes in finance, commerce, national maritime and land armaments, judicial procedure, church government and education emerged during this period. Charles XI was succeeded by his only son Charles XII
, who made use of the well-trained army in battles throughout Europe.
The fact that Charles was crowned as Charles XI does not mean that he was the 11th king of Sweden by the name of Charles. His father's name (as the 10th) was due to his great-grandfather, King Charles IX of Sweden (1604–1611), having adopted his own numeral by using a mythological History of Sweden. This descendant was actually the 5th King Charles. The numbering tradition thus begun still continues, with the present king of Sweden being Carl XVI Gustaf
.
Charles was born in the Stockholm Palace Tre Kronor
in November 1655. His father Charles X of Sweden had left Sweden in July to fight in the war against Poland
. After several years of warfare, the king returned in the winter of 1659 and gathered his family and the Riksdag of the Estates
in Gothenburg
. In mid-January 1660 he fell ill and one month later he wrote down his last will and died.
Young Charles' education was left at the care of the regent
s appointed by his father. His mother Queen Hedvig Eleonora was the formal regent until Charles XI attained his majority on 18 December 1672, but she never involved herself much in politics.
During his first appearances in parliament, he talked to the government through her: he would whisper the questions he had to her, and she would ask them loud and clear.
As an adolescent, Charles devoted himself to sports and exercises, and his favourite pastime bear-hunting. He appeared ignorant of the very rudiments of statecraft
and almost illiterate
. His main difficulties were evident signs of dyslexia
, a disability that was poorly understood in those days. According to many contemporary sources, the king was considered poorly educated and therefore not qualified to conduct himself effectively in foreign affairs. Charles was dependent on his mother and advisors to interact with the foreign envoys since he had no foreign language skills apart from a little German
and was ignorant of the world outside the Swedish borders.
Italian
writer Lorenzo Magalotti visited Stockholm in 1674 and described Charles XI as "virtually afraid of everything, uneasy to talk to foreigners, and not daring to look anyone in the face". Other traits was a deep religious devotion: he was God-fearing, frequently prayed kneeling and attended sermons. Magalotti otherwise described the king's main pursuits as hunting, the upcoming war, and jokes.
The situation in Europe was shaky during this time and Sweden was going through financial problems. The guardians of Charles XI decided to negotiate an alliance with France
in 1671. This would ensure that Sweden would not be isolated in case of a war, and that the national finances would improve thanks to French subsidies
. France directed its aggression against the Dutch
in 1672, and by the spring of 1674, Sweden was forced to take part by directing forces towards Germany
, under the lead of Karl Gustav Wrangel.
Denmark
was an ally of the Habsburg
Holy Roman Empire
, and it was evident that Sweden was on the verge to yet another war against Denmark. An attempted remedy was made by chancellor Nils Brahe
, who traveled to Copenhagen, in the spring of 1675, to try to get the Danish princess Ulrika Eleonora engaged to the Swedish king. In mid-June 1675, the engagement was officially proclaimed. However, when news arrived about the Swedish defeat in the Battle of Fehrbellin
, Danish king Christian V declared war on Sweden in September.
The Swedish Privy Council
continued its internal feuds, and the king was forced to rule without them.
The 20-year old king was inexperienced and considered ill-served amidst what has been called the anarchy
in the nation and dedicated the autumn in his newly-formed camp in Scania to arm the Swedish nation for battle in the Scanian War
. The Swedish soldiers in Scania were outnumbered and outequipped by the Danes and, in May 1676, these invaded Scania, taking Landskrona
, Helsingborg
, and proceeded through Bohuslän
towards Halmstad
. The King had to grow up quickly: he suddenly found himself alone and under great pressure.
The victory at the Battle of Halmstad
(17 August 1676), when Charles and his commander-in-chief
Simon Grundel-Helmfelt
defeated a Danish division, was the king's first gleam of good luck. Charles then continued south through Scania and arrived on the tableland of the flooded Kävlinge River
– near Lund
– on 11 November. The Danish army commanded by Christian V were positioned on the other side. It was impossible to cross the river and Charles had to wait for weeks until it froze. On 4 December the river froze and Charles launched a surprise attack on the Danish forces to fight the Battle of Lund
. This battle was one of the bloodiest engagements of its time. Of the over 20,000 combatants, about 8,000 perished on the battlefield. All the Swedish commanders showed ability, but the chief glory of the day was attributed to Charles XI and his fighting spirit. The battle proved to be a decisive one for the rule of the Scanian lands
and it has been described as the most significant event for Charles' personality; Charles commemorated this date for the rest of his life.
In the following year, 9,000 men led by Charles routed 12,000 Danes at the Battle of Landskrona
. This proved to be the last pitched battle
of the war because, in September 1678, Christian V evacuated his army back to Zealand. In 1679, Louis XIV of France
dictated the terms of a general pacification, and Charles XI, who is said to have bitterly resented "the insufferable tutelage" of the French king, was forced at last to acquiesce in a peace that managed to leave his empire
practically intact. Peace was made with Denmark in the treaties of Fontainebleau (1679)
and Lund, and with Brandenburg in the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1679)
.
(1611–1718).
In the first years, he was assisted by the man who had become his trusted prime-minister, Johan Göransson Gyllenstierna
(1635–1680). Some sources say the king was basically dependent on Gyllenstierna, but Gyllenstierna had a big influence upon Charles, at the very least. His sudden death in 1680 opened up the road to the monarch, and many men tried to get close to the king so they could take his place.
Sweden's weak economy had suffered during the war and was now in a deep crisis. Charles assembled the Riksdag of the Estates
in October 1680. The assembly has been described as one of the most important held by the Riksdag of the Estates. Here, the king finally pushed through the reduction
ordeal, something that had been discussed in the Riksdag since 1650. It meant that any land or object previously owned by the crown and lent or given away — including counties, baronies and lordships
— could be recovered. It affected many prominent persons of the nobility class, some of which were ruined. One of them was the former guardian and Lord Chief Justice Magnus De La Gardie, who among many other estates had to return the extravagant 248-room large Läckö Castle
. The reduction process involved the examination of every title deed in the kingdom — including the dominions
— and it resulted in the complete readjustment of the nation's finances.
in the middle of the 19th century.
. Since 1634, it had been mandatory for the king to take the advice from this council. During the Scanian War, the members of the council had internal feuds, and the king more or less ruled without listening to their advice. At the 1680 assembly, he asked the estates whether he was still bound to the council, to which the estates gave him his desired reply: "he was not bound by anyone other than himself", and thereby the absolute monarchy
was formally established in Sweden. The Riksdag of the Estates confirmed his power in 1693 by officially proclaiming that the king was the sole ruler of Sweden.
were to have 1,200 soldiers at disposal, at all times, and two farms were to provide accommodations for one soldier. His soldiers were known as Caroleans
and were trained to be skilled and to prefer attack to defence. Savaging and looting was strictly forbidden. The soldier huts around the country were the most visible part of the new Swedish allotment system
. However, Charles also modernized the military techniques and worked to improve the overall skill and knowledge of the officers by sending them abroad to study.
The Swedish Royal Navy was improved with the founding of the Karlskrona
naval base in 1680, that became the navy's stronghold since then. It is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
of Scania
, Blekinge
, Halland
, in southern Sweden; Bohuslän
and Jämtland
, in southwest Sweden, and the island of Gotland
. Some assimilation policies included: the ban of all books written in Danish or Norwegian, thus breaking the promise made at the Treaty of Roskilde
; the use of Swedish language
in the conduction of sermons; and all new priests and teachers having to come from Sweden.
The king had seen bitter resentment from the Scanian peasants during the Scanian War and was particularly tough on that province. The guerrilla Snapphane
-movement, in northern Scania, had attacked his soldiers and stolen his money. They also had strong support by the local villages. Charles remained sceptical about the Scanian inhabitants, throughout his life. He did not allow soldiers from Scania in his Scanian regiment: the 1,200 soldiers that were to be stationed in Scania had to be recruited from more northern provinces. He also advocated rough treatment of the inhabitants, and the first Governor-General of Scania, his trusted aide Johan Gyllenstierna
(governor-general 1679–1680) was notably brutal in his treatment of the locals. The rule of Rutger von Ascheberg
(governor-general 1680–1693), proved more lenient.
The assimilation was not as strongly implemented on the German dominions of (Swedish Pomerania
, Bremen-Verden
, and the Baltic dominions (Estonia and Livonia). In Germany, Charles found himself being opposed by the estates there, and he was also bound by the law of the German emperor and the peace treaty. In the Baltic, the power structure was completely different, with a German-descended nobility that used serfs
, something that Charles abhorred and wanted to abolish but was unable to. Finally, Kexholm and Ingria were sparsely populated and not of great interest.
Christian
. In February 1686, a church law was put forth on his initiative. The church order declared that the king was ruler of the Church in the same way that he ruled the country and God ruled the world. Attending sermons on Sunday was made obligatory and ordinary people found walking around on the streets, during that time, risked being arrested. Three years later, he declared it obligatory for all commoners to learn to read a catechism
—written by archbishop Olov Svebilius
and then-bishop Haqvin Spegel—so that they would understand the "magnificence of God".
Charles then encouraged the production of a hymnal
(Psalmbok) to be printed and distributed to the churches (completed 1693), and a new print of the Bible
that was completed in 1703 and named after his successor: Charles XII Bible
.
On 6 May 1680, Charles married Ulrike Eleonora
(1656–1693), daughter of King Frederick III of Denmark
(1609–1670). He had previously been engaged to his cousin, Juliana of Hesse-Eschwege
, but the engagement was broken and he married Ulrike after the war, as a part of the peace treaty.
Ulrike Eleonora was beautiful and kind, but she always had to stand back to Charles' mother. The Queen Dowager was always mentioned before her in audiences and church blessings, but Ulrika was soft and did not take up the fight. She was completely different from the king: he enjoyed hunting and riding, while she enjoyed reading and art. Her softness was a stark contrast to her husband's roughness. Her Danish background made her situation more difficult; while Charles was away to inspect his troops or pursuing his pastimes, she was often lonely and sad.
She gave birth to seven children, of which only three outlived Charles:
Ulrika (the older) was sickly, and the many child births eventually broke her. When she became seriously ill, in 1693, Charles finally dedicated his time and care to her. Her death in July that year shook him deeply and he never fully recovered. Her infant son Ulric (1684–1685) was given Ulriksdal Palace
, which was renamed for him (Ulric's Dale).
.
Charles XI is commemorated on the 500-kronor
bill. His portrait is taken from one of Ehrenstrahl's paintings, possibly the one displayed on this page. The reason why the king is on the bill is because the Bank of Sweden was founded in 1668, during Charles' reign.
The fortified town of Carlsburg
near Bremen
, at the site of modern Bremerhaven
, was named after Charles XI.
Monarch of Sweden
The monarchy of Sweden is the constitutional monarchy of the Kingdom of Sweden. The present monarch, Carl XVI Gustaf, has reigned since 15 September 1973. He and his immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
from 1660 until his death, in a period in Swedish history known as the Swedish empire
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
(1611–1718).
Charles was the only son of King Charles X of Sweden
Charles X Gustav of Sweden
Charles X Gustav also Carl Gustav, was King of Sweden from 1654 until his death. He was the son of John Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Catherine of Sweden. After his father's death he also succeeded him as Pfalzgraf. He was married to Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, who...
and Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp
Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp
Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp was the queen consort of King Charles X of Sweden and queen mother of King Charles XI...
. His father died when he was five years old, so Charles was educated by his governors until his coronation at the age of seventeen. Soon after, he was forced out on military expeditions to secure the recently acquired dominions
Dominions of Sweden
The Dominions of Sweden or Svenska besittningar were territories that historically came under control of the Swedish Crown, but never became fully integrated with Sweden. This generally meant that they were ruled by Governors-General under the Swedish monarch, but within certain limits retained...
from Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
troops in the Scanian War
Scanian War
The Scanian War was a part of the Northern Wars involving the union of Denmark-Norway, Brandenburg and Sweden. It was fought mainly on Scanian soil, in the former Danish provinces along the border with Sweden and in Northern Germany...
. Having successfully fought off the Danes, he returned to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
and engaged in correcting the country's neglected political, financial and economic situation, managing to sustain peace during the remaining 20 years of his reign. Changes in finance, commerce, national maritime and land armaments, judicial procedure, church government and education emerged during this period. Charles XI was succeeded by his only son Charles XII
Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718...
, who made use of the well-trained army in battles throughout Europe.
The fact that Charles was crowned as Charles XI does not mean that he was the 11th king of Sweden by the name of Charles. His father's name (as the 10th) was due to his great-grandfather, King Charles IX of Sweden (1604–1611), having adopted his own numeral by using a mythological History of Sweden. This descendant was actually the 5th King Charles. The numbering tradition thus begun still continues, with the present king of Sweden being Carl XVI Gustaf
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...
.
Under guardian rule
Tre kronor (castle)
Tre Kronor or Three Crowns was a castle located in Stockholm, Sweden, on the site where Stockholm Palace is today. It is believed to have been a citadel that Birger Jarl built into a royal castle in the middle of the 13th century...
in November 1655. His father Charles X of Sweden had left Sweden in July to fight in the war against Poland
Northern Wars
Northern Wars is a term used for a series of wars fought in northern and northeastern Europe in the 16th and 17th century. An internationally agreed nomenclature for these wars has not yet been devised...
. After several years of warfare, the king returned in the winter of 1659 and gathered his family and the Riksdag of the Estates
Riksdag of the Estates
The Riksdag of the Estates , was the name used for the Estates of the Swedish realm when they were assembled. Until its dissolution in 1866, the institution was the highest authority in Sweden next to the King...
in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
. In mid-January 1660 he fell ill and one month later he wrote down his last will and died.
Young Charles' education was left at the care of the regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
s appointed by his father. His mother Queen Hedvig Eleonora was the formal regent until Charles XI attained his majority on 18 December 1672, but she never involved herself much in politics.
During his first appearances in parliament, he talked to the government through her: he would whisper the questions he had to her, and she would ask them loud and clear.
As an adolescent, Charles devoted himself to sports and exercises, and his favourite pastime bear-hunting. He appeared ignorant of the very rudiments of statecraft
Policy
A policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome. The term is not normally used to denote what is actually done, this is normally referred to as either procedure or protocol...
and almost illiterate
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
. His main difficulties were evident signs of dyslexia
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a very broad term defining a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, or rapid...
, a disability that was poorly understood in those days. According to many contemporary sources, the king was considered poorly educated and therefore not qualified to conduct himself effectively in foreign affairs. Charles was dependent on his mother and advisors to interact with the foreign envoys since he had no foreign language skills apart from a little German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and was ignorant of the world outside the Swedish borders.
Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
writer Lorenzo Magalotti visited Stockholm in 1674 and described Charles XI as "virtually afraid of everything, uneasy to talk to foreigners, and not daring to look anyone in the face". Other traits was a deep religious devotion: he was God-fearing, frequently prayed kneeling and attended sermons. Magalotti otherwise described the king's main pursuits as hunting, the upcoming war, and jokes.
Scanian war
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1671. This would ensure that Sweden would not be isolated in case of a war, and that the national finances would improve thanks to French subsidies
Subsidy
A subsidy is an assistance paid to a business or economic sector. Most subsidies are made by the government to producers or distributors in an industry to prevent the decline of that industry or an increase in the prices of its products or simply to encourage it to hire more labor A subsidy (also...
. France directed its aggression against the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 1672, and by the spring of 1674, Sweden was forced to take part by directing forces towards Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, under the lead of Karl Gustav Wrangel.
Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
was an ally of the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, and it was evident that Sweden was on the verge to yet another war against Denmark. An attempted remedy was made by chancellor Nils Brahe
Nils Brahe
Count Nils Brahe was a Swedish soldier and younger brother of Per Brahe. He served with distinction under King Gustavus Adolphus, who regarded him as the best general in the Swedish army after Lennart Torstenson....
, who traveled to Copenhagen, in the spring of 1675, to try to get the Danish princess Ulrika Eleonora engaged to the Swedish king. In mid-June 1675, the engagement was officially proclaimed. However, when news arrived about the Swedish defeat in the Battle of Fehrbellin
Battle of Fehrbellin
The Battle of Fehrbellin was fought on June 18, 1675 between Swedish and Brandenburg-Prussian troops. The Swedes, under Count Waldemar von Wrangel , had invaded and occupied parts of Brandenburg from their possessions in Pomerania, but were repelled by the forces of Frederick William, the Great...
, Danish king Christian V declared war on Sweden in September.
The Swedish Privy Council
Privy Council of Sweden
The High Council of Sweden or Council of the Realm consisted originally of those men of noble, common and clergical background, that the king saw fit for advisory service...
continued its internal feuds, and the king was forced to rule without them.
The 20-year old king was inexperienced and considered ill-served amidst what has been called the anarchy
Anarchy
Anarchy , has more than one colloquial definition. In the United States, the term "anarchy" typically is meant to refer to a society which lacks publicly recognized government or violently enforced political authority...
in the nation and dedicated the autumn in his newly-formed camp in Scania to arm the Swedish nation for battle in the Scanian War
Scanian War
The Scanian War was a part of the Northern Wars involving the union of Denmark-Norway, Brandenburg and Sweden. It was fought mainly on Scanian soil, in the former Danish provinces along the border with Sweden and in Northern Germany...
. The Swedish soldiers in Scania were outnumbered and outequipped by the Danes and, in May 1676, these invaded Scania, taking Landskrona
Landskrona
Landskrona is a locality and the seat of Landskrona Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 28,670 inhabitants in 2005.-History:The city of Landskrona was founded at the location of Scania's best natural harbour, as a means of King Eric of Pomerania's anti-Hanseatic policy, intended to compete...
, Helsingborg
Helsingborg
Helsingborg is a city and the seat of Helsingborg Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 97,122 inhabitants in 2010. Helsingborg is the centre of an area in the Øresund region of about 320,000 inhabitants in north-west Scania, and is Sweden's closest point to Denmark, with the Danish city...
, and proceeded through Bohuslän
Bohuslän
' is a Swedish traditional province, or landskap, situated in Götaland on the northernmost part of the country's west coast. It is bordered by Dalsland to the northeast, Västergötland to the southeast, the Skagerrak arm of the North Sea to the west, and the county of Østfold in Norway to the north...
towards Halmstad
Halmstad
Halmstad is a port, university, industrial and recreational city at the mouth of Nissan in the province of Halland on the Swedish west coast. Halmstad is the seat of Halmstad Municipality and the capital of Halland County...
. The King had to grow up quickly: he suddenly found himself alone and under great pressure.
The victory at the Battle of Halmstad
Battle of Halmstad
The Battle of Halmstad was fought at Fyllebro, approximately five kilometers south of the town Halmstad in southwest Sweden on August 17, 1676...
(17 August 1676), when Charles and his commander-in-chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
Simon Grundel-Helmfelt
Simon Grundel-Helmfelt
Baron Simon Grundel-Helmfelt was a Swedish Field marshal. Helmfelt is most notable for the overwhelming victory he won despite being heavily outnumbered at the Battle of Lund....
defeated a Danish division, was the king's first gleam of good luck. Charles then continued south through Scania and arrived on the tableland of the flooded Kävlinge River
Kävlinge River
Kävlinge River is the name of a small river on the flat lands of Scania in southern Sweden....
– near Lund
Lund
-Main sights:During the 12th and 13th centuries, when the town was the seat of the archbishop, many churches and monasteries were built. At its peak, Lund had 27 churches, but most of them were demolished as result of the Reformation in 1536. Several medieval buildings remain, including Lund...
– on 11 November. The Danish army commanded by Christian V were positioned on the other side. It was impossible to cross the river and Charles had to wait for weeks until it froze. On 4 December the river froze and Charles launched a surprise attack on the Danish forces to fight the Battle of Lund
Battle of Lund
The Battle of Lund was fought on December 4, 1676 in an area north of the city of Lund in Scania in southern Sweden, between the invading Danish army and the army of Charles XI of Sweden. It was part of the Scanian War...
. This battle was one of the bloodiest engagements of its time. Of the over 20,000 combatants, about 8,000 perished on the battlefield. All the Swedish commanders showed ability, but the chief glory of the day was attributed to Charles XI and his fighting spirit. The battle proved to be a decisive one for the rule of the Scanian lands
Skåneland
Skåneland or Skånelandene are terms used in historical contexts in Scandinavia to describe the area on the southern and south-western part of the Scandinavian peninsula, which under the Treaty of Roskilde was transferred from Denmark to Sweden. It corresponds to the provinces of Blekinge,...
and it has been described as the most significant event for Charles' personality; Charles commemorated this date for the rest of his life.
In the following year, 9,000 men led by Charles routed 12,000 Danes at the Battle of Landskrona
Battle of Landskrona
The Battle of Landskrona was fought on the Ylleshed moore, outside the town of Landskrona, in southern Sweden onJuly 14, 1677 .-Prelude:...
. This proved to be the last pitched battle
Pitched battle
A pitched battle is a battle where both sides choose to fight at a chosen location and time and where either side has the option to disengage either before the battle starts, or shortly after the first armed exchanges....
of the war because, in September 1678, Christian V evacuated his army back to Zealand. In 1679, Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
dictated the terms of a general pacification, and Charles XI, who is said to have bitterly resented "the insufferable tutelage" of the French king, was forced at last to acquiesce in a peace that managed to leave his empire
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
practically intact. Peace was made with Denmark in the treaties of Fontainebleau (1679)
Treaty of Fontainebleau (1679)
The Treaty of Fontainebleau, signed on 23 August / 2 September 1679, ended hostilities between Denmark-Norway and the Swedish Empire in the Scanian War. Denmark, pressured by France, restored all conquests made during the war to Sweden in turn for a "paltry indemnity". The treaty was confirmed,...
and Lund, and with Brandenburg in the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1679)
Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1679)
The Treaty or Peace of Saint-Germain-en-Laye of 19 June or 29 June 1679 was a peace treaty between France and the Electorate of Brandenburg. It restored to France's ally Sweden her dominions Bremen-Verden and Swedish Pomerania, lost to Brandenburg in the Scanian War...
.
Post-war actions
Charles devoted the rest of his life avoiding further warfare by gaining larger independence in foreign affairs, while he also promoted the economy stabilization and a reorganization of the military. His remaining 20 years at the throne were the longest peace time of the Swedish EmpireSwedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
(1611–1718).
In the first years, he was assisted by the man who had become his trusted prime-minister, Johan Göransson Gyllenstierna
Johan Göransson Gyllenstierna
Johan Göransson Gyllenstierna was a Swedish statesman.-Biography:He completed his studies at Uppsala University and then visited most of the European states, which laid the foundation for his deep insight into international politics which afterwards distinguished him...
(1635–1680). Some sources say the king was basically dependent on Gyllenstierna, but Gyllenstierna had a big influence upon Charles, at the very least. His sudden death in 1680 opened up the road to the monarch, and many men tried to get close to the king so they could take his place.
Financial restoration
Riksdag of the Estates
The Riksdag of the Estates , was the name used for the Estates of the Swedish realm when they were assembled. Until its dissolution in 1866, the institution was the highest authority in Sweden next to the King...
in October 1680. The assembly has been described as one of the most important held by the Riksdag of the Estates. Here, the king finally pushed through the reduction
Reduction (Sweden)
In the reductions in Sweden, fiefs that had been granted to the Swedish nobility were returned to the Crown.The first reduction under Charles X Gustav of Sweden in 1655 restored a quarter of "donations" made after 1632. In the Great Reduction of 1680 under Charles XI of Sweden the Crown...
ordeal, something that had been discussed in the Riksdag since 1650. It meant that any land or object previously owned by the crown and lent or given away — including counties, baronies and lordships
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
— could be recovered. It affected many prominent persons of the nobility class, some of which were ruined. One of them was the former guardian and Lord Chief Justice Magnus De La Gardie, who among many other estates had to return the extravagant 248-room large Läckö Castle
Läckö Castle
Läckö Castle is a medieval castle in Sweden. Läckö Castle is best known as Magnus de la Gardie's magnificent castle on the shores of Lake Vänern, the largest lake in Sweden....
. The reduction process involved the examination of every title deed in the kingdom — including the dominions
Dominions of Sweden
The Dominions of Sweden or Svenska besittningar were territories that historically came under control of the Swedish Crown, but never became fully integrated with Sweden. This generally meant that they were ruled by Governors-General under the Swedish monarch, but within certain limits retained...
— and it resulted in the complete readjustment of the nation's finances.
Urban legend
An urban legend in Sweden is the story of Charles XI travelling around the country dressed as a farmer or simple traveller. In the legends he is referred to as the Greycoat (Swedish: Gråkappan). The reason why he dressed like an average person was to discover and identify corruption and oppression against the populace. There are many stories about him arriving to villages looking for corrupt church officials and sending them to the gallows. However, Charles XI never did travel alone, he was always followed by a military cortegé. But he was one of the kings in Sweden during the era that travelled the most through-out the country. The stories of the Greycoat were published in a book by Arvid August AfzeliusArvid August Afzelius
Arvid August Afzelius was a Swedish pastor, poet, historian and mythologist.From 1828 till his death he was parish priest of Enköping...
in the middle of the 19th century.
Absolutism
Another important decision made during the assembly was that of the Swedish Privy CouncilPrivy Council of Sweden
The High Council of Sweden or Council of the Realm consisted originally of those men of noble, common and clergical background, that the king saw fit for advisory service...
. Since 1634, it had been mandatory for the king to take the advice from this council. During the Scanian War, the members of the council had internal feuds, and the king more or less ruled without listening to their advice. At the 1680 assembly, he asked the estates whether he was still bound to the council, to which the estates gave him his desired reply: "he was not bound by anyone other than himself", and thereby the absolute monarchy
Absolute monarchy
Absolute monarchy is a monarchical form of government in which the monarch exercises ultimate governing authority as head of state and head of government, his or her power not being limited by a constitution or by the law. An absolute monarch thus wields unrestricted political power over the...
was formally established in Sweden. The Riksdag of the Estates confirmed his power in 1693 by officially proclaiming that the king was the sole ruler of Sweden.
Military restructure
In the 1682 assembly of the Riksdag of the Estates, the king put forth his suggestion for a military reform, whereby each of the lands of SwedenLands of Sweden
The lands of Sweden are three traditional parts, essentially three collectives of provinces, in Sweden. These "lands" have no administrative function, and there is no official designation for this subdivision level...
were to have 1,200 soldiers at disposal, at all times, and two farms were to provide accommodations for one soldier. His soldiers were known as Caroleans
Caroleans
Caroleans were the soldiers of the Swedish kings Charles XI and Charles XII.-The Carolean army:To compensate for the lack of manpower and resources Sweden strived for innovative ways to make an effective army...
and were trained to be skilled and to prefer attack to defence. Savaging and looting was strictly forbidden. The soldier huts around the country were the most visible part of the new Swedish allotment system
Swedish allotment system
The allotment system was a system used in Sweden for keeping a trained army at all times. This system came into use in around 1640, and was replaced in the early 1900s by the Swedish Armed Forces conscription system...
. However, Charles also modernized the military techniques and worked to improve the overall skill and knowledge of the officers by sending them abroad to study.
The Swedish Royal Navy was improved with the founding of the Karlskrona
Karlskrona
Karlskrona is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with 35,212 inhabitants in 2010. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to Sweden's only remaining naval base and the headquarters of the...
naval base in 1680, that became the navy's stronghold since then. It is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Assimilation of the newest dominions
Charles felt it very important to assimilate the new Swedish dominionsDominions of Sweden
The Dominions of Sweden or Svenska besittningar were territories that historically came under control of the Swedish Crown, but never became fully integrated with Sweden. This generally meant that they were ruled by Governors-General under the Swedish monarch, but within certain limits retained...
of Scania
Scania
Scania is the southernmost of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden, constituting a peninsula on the southern tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, and some adjacent islands. The modern administrative subdivision Skåne County is almost, but not totally, congruent with the...
, Blekinge
Blekinge
' is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden , situated in the south of the country. It borders Småland, Scania and the Baltic Sea.The name "Blekinge" comes from the adjective bleke, which corresponds to the nautical term for "dead calm"....
, Halland
Halland
' is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden , on the western coast of Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat.-Administration:...
, in southern Sweden; Bohuslän
Bohuslän
' is a Swedish traditional province, or landskap, situated in Götaland on the northernmost part of the country's west coast. It is bordered by Dalsland to the northeast, Västergötland to the southeast, the Skagerrak arm of the North Sea to the west, and the county of Østfold in Norway to the north...
and Jämtland
Jämtland
Jämtland or Jamtland is a historical province or landskap in the center of Sweden in northern Europe. It borders to Härjedalen and Medelpad in the south, Ångermanland in the east, Lapland in the north and Trøndelag and Norway in the west...
, in southwest Sweden, and the island of Gotland
Gotland
Gotland is a county, province, municipality and diocese of Sweden; it is Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. At 3,140 square kilometers in area, the region makes up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area...
. Some assimilation policies included: the ban of all books written in Danish or Norwegian, thus breaking the promise made at the Treaty of Roskilde
Treaty of Roskilde
The Treaty of Roskilde was concluded on 26 February or 8 March 1658 during the Second Northern War between Frederick III of Denmark–Norway and Charles X Gustav of Sweden in the Danish city of Roskilde...
; the use of Swedish language
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
in the conduction of sermons; and all new priests and teachers having to come from Sweden.
The king had seen bitter resentment from the Scanian peasants during the Scanian War and was particularly tough on that province. The guerrilla Snapphane
Snapphane
A snapphane was a member of a 17th century pro-Danish guerrilla organization that fought against the Swedes in the Second Northern and Scanian Wars, primarily in the former eastern Danish provinces which in the course of these wars became southern Sweden....
-movement, in northern Scania, had attacked his soldiers and stolen his money. They also had strong support by the local villages. Charles remained sceptical about the Scanian inhabitants, throughout his life. He did not allow soldiers from Scania in his Scanian regiment: the 1,200 soldiers that were to be stationed in Scania had to be recruited from more northern provinces. He also advocated rough treatment of the inhabitants, and the first Governor-General of Scania, his trusted aide Johan Gyllenstierna
Johan Göransson Gyllenstierna
Johan Göransson Gyllenstierna was a Swedish statesman.-Biography:He completed his studies at Uppsala University and then visited most of the European states, which laid the foundation for his deep insight into international politics which afterwards distinguished him...
(governor-general 1679–1680) was notably brutal in his treatment of the locals. The rule of Rutger von Ascheberg
Rutger von Ascheberg
Count Rutger von Ascheberg was a soldier, officer and civil servant in Swedish service, being appointed Lieutenant General in 1670, General in 1674, Field Marshal in 1678, Governor General of the Scanian provinces, in 1680, and Royal Councilor in 1681.-Biography:Ascheberg was born on the estate...
(governor-general 1680–1693), proved more lenient.
The assimilation was not as strongly implemented on the German dominions of (Swedish Pomerania
Swedish Pomerania
Swedish Pomerania was a Dominion under the Swedish Crown from 1630 to 1815, situated on what is now the Baltic coast of Germany and Poland. Following the Polish War and the Thirty Years' War, Sweden held extensive control over the lands on the southern Baltic coast, including Pomerania and parts...
, Bremen-Verden
Bremen-Verden
Bremen-Verden, formally the Duchies of Bremen and Verden , were two territories and immediate fiefs of the Holy Roman Empire, which emerged and gained Imperial immediacy in 1180...
, and the Baltic dominions (Estonia and Livonia). In Germany, Charles found himself being opposed by the estates there, and he was also bound by the law of the German emperor and the peace treaty. In the Baltic, the power structure was completely different, with a German-descended nobility that used serfs
Serfdom
Serfdom is the status of peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to Manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe and lasted to the mid-19th century...
, something that Charles abhorred and wanted to abolish but was unable to. Finally, Kexholm and Ingria were sparsely populated and not of great interest.
Church
Charles was a devoted LutheranLutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
. In February 1686, a church law was put forth on his initiative. The church order declared that the king was ruler of the Church in the same way that he ruled the country and God ruled the world. Attending sermons on Sunday was made obligatory and ordinary people found walking around on the streets, during that time, risked being arrested. Three years later, he declared it obligatory for all commoners to learn to read a catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
—written by archbishop Olov Svebilius
Olov Svebilius
Olov Svebilius was Archbishop of Uppsala, Sweden, 1681-1700. He was born in Ljungby, close to Kalmar in Sweden, January 1, 1624 and died the 29 June 1700....
and then-bishop Haqvin Spegel—so that they would understand the "magnificence of God".
Charles then encouraged the production of a hymnal
Hymnal
Hymnal or hymnary or hymnbook is a collection of hymns, i.e. religious songs, usually in the form of a book. The earliest hand-written hymnals are known since Middle Ages in the context of European Christianity...
(Psalmbok) to be printed and distributed to the churches (completed 1693), and a new print of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
that was completed in 1703 and named after his successor: Charles XII Bible
Charles XII Bible
The Charles XII Bible was a Bible translation into Swedish, instigated by King Charles XI in 1686 to produce an updated and modernised version of the old translation from 1541, which was known as the Gustav Vasa Bible. Charles XI died before the work was finished, and the new Bible translation was...
.
Family matters
Ulrike Eleonora of Denmark
Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark was the Queen consort of Sweden as the spouse of King Charles XI of Sweden.The name Ulrike is a Danish version of the name; in Swedish she is called Ulrika Eleonora den äldre, which in English means Ulrica Eleanor the Elder), to distinguish her from her daughter, the...
(1656–1693), daughter of King Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
(1609–1670). He had previously been engaged to his cousin, Juliana of Hesse-Eschwege
Juliana of Hesse-Eschwege
Juliana of Hesse-Eschwege was a German noble. In her teens she was brought up at the Swedish royal court as the future queen of King Charles XI of Sweden, her cousin. However, on two separate occasions before the wedding Juliana became pregnant, and the engagement was eventually broken off...
, but the engagement was broken and he married Ulrike after the war, as a part of the peace treaty.
Ulrike Eleonora was beautiful and kind, but she always had to stand back to Charles' mother. The Queen Dowager was always mentioned before her in audiences and church blessings, but Ulrika was soft and did not take up the fight. She was completely different from the king: he enjoyed hunting and riding, while she enjoyed reading and art. Her softness was a stark contrast to her husband's roughness. Her Danish background made her situation more difficult; while Charles was away to inspect his troops or pursuing his pastimes, she was often lonely and sad.
She gave birth to seven children, of which only three outlived Charles:
- Charles XIICharles XII of SwedenCharles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718...
(1682–1718), his only son and future king, - Hedwig Sophia (1681–1708), duchess of Holstein-GottorpHolstein-GottorpHolstein-Gottorp or Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp is the historiographical name, as well as contemporary shorthand name, for the parts of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein that were ruled by the dukes of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp. Other parts of the duchies were ruled by the kings of Denmark. The...
and grandmother of TsarTsarTsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Peter IIIPeter III of RussiaPeter III was Emperor of Russia for six months in 1762. He was very pro-Prussian, which made him an unpopular leader. He was supposedly assassinated as a result of a conspiracy led by his wife, who succeeded him to the throne as Catherine II.-Early life and character:Peter was born in Kiel, in...
, and - Ulrika EleonoraUlrika Eleonora of SwedenUlrika Eleonora or Ulrica Eleanor , also known as Ulrika Eleonora the Younger, was Queen regnant of Sweden from 5 December 1718 to 29 February 1720, and then Queen consort until her death....
("the younger", 1688–1741), who ultimately succeeded her brother on the Swedish throne.
Ulrika (the older) was sickly, and the many child births eventually broke her. When she became seriously ill, in 1693, Charles finally dedicated his time and care to her. Her death in July that year shook him deeply and he never fully recovered. Her infant son Ulric (1684–1685) was given Ulriksdal Palace
Ulriksdal Palace
Ulriksdal Palace is a royal palace situated on the banks of the Edsviken in the National City Park in Solna, 6 km north of Stockholm. It was originally called Jakobsdal after its owner Jacob De la Gardie, who had it built by architect Hans Jacob Kristler in 1643-1645 as a country retreat...
, which was renamed for him (Ulric's Dale).
Death
Charles XI had complained about stomach pains since 1694. In the summer of 1696, he asked his doctors for an opinion on the pain that had gotten continuously worse, but they had no cure for it. He continued his schedule as normal but, in February 1697, the pain became too strong and he had to return to Stockholm, where the doctors discovered he a big hard lump in his stomach. There was little they could do. He died on 5 April 1697, in his forty-first year. An autopsy showed cancer had spread through the entire abdominal cavityAbdominal cavity
The abdominal cavity is the body cavity of the human body that holds the bulk of the viscera. It is located below the thoracic cavity, and above the pelvic cavity. Its dome-shaped roof is the thoracic diaphragm , and its oblique floor is the pelvic inlet...
.
Legacy
Charles XI has sometimes been described in Sweden as the greatest of all the Swedish kings, unduly eclipsed by his father and his son. In the first half of the 20th century, the view of him had changed, and he was regarded as dependent, uncertain, and easily influenced by others. In the most recent book, Rystads biography from 2003, the king is again mainly characterized as a strong-willed shaper of Sweden through economical reforms and an achievement of financial and military stability and strength.Charles XI is commemorated on the 500-kronor
Swedish krona
The krona has been the currency of Sweden since 1873. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it, but especially in the past, it sometimes preceded the value...
bill. His portrait is taken from one of Ehrenstrahl's paintings, possibly the one displayed on this page. The reason why the king is on the bill is because the Bank of Sweden was founded in 1668, during Charles' reign.
The fortified town of Carlsburg
Carlsburg, Weser
Carlsburg was a 17th century fortified town in Swedish Bremen-Verden at the confluence of the Weser and Geeste rivers, at the site of modern Bremerhaven, Germany. Planned to compete with Bremen, the settlement did not prosper....
near Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, at the site of modern Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
, was named after Charles XI.
Ancestors
Further reading
- Åberg, A., "The Swedish army from Lützen to Narva", in Michael RobertsMichael Roberts (historian)Michael Roberts was an English historian specializing in the early modern period and particularly known for his studies of Swedish history.Roberts was born in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire and educated at Brighton College...
(ed.), Sweden's Age of Greatness, 1632–1718 (1973).
See also
- Swedish EmpireSwedish EmpireThe Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
- CarlstenCarlstenCarlsten is a stone fortress located at Marstrand, on the western coast of Sweden. The fortress was built on the orders of King Carl X of Sweden following the Treaty of Roskilde, 1658 to protect the newly acquired province of Bohuslän from hostile attacks....
- CaroleansCaroleansCaroleans were the soldiers of the Swedish kings Charles XI and Charles XII.-The Carolean army:To compensate for the lack of manpower and resources Sweden strived for innovative ways to make an effective army...