From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gustav II Adolf
(19 December 1594 – 16 November 1632) was the King of
Sweden
from 1611 to 1632. He is known in English as
Gustavus Adolphus
.
He is often said to have made Sweden a great power. (
Swedish
:
Stormaktstiden
). He is also said to be one of the best military leaders of all time. Gustav led Sweden to be a military power during the
Thirty Years' War
and spent most of his reign fighting.
Bust of King Gustav Adolph on campus at
Gustavus Adolphus College
in Minnesota
Gustavus Adolphus was born in
Stockholm
. His parents were
Charles IX of Sweden
and his second wife,
Christina of Holstein-Gottorp
. When his father died in October 1611, while Gustavus was only 16 years old, he became King of Sweden.
Gustavus married
Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg
, daughter of John Sigismund,
Elector
of Brandenburg. Their daughter
Christina
later became Queen of Sweden.
In June 1630 he landed in Germany, starting the Swedish fight in the Thirty Year's War on the Anti-Imperial Protestant side, which was losing at the time. With Sweden's help the situation flipped so that the Protestants were winning.
Gustavus died in the
Battle of Lutzen
in 1632 while leading a cavalry attack.
Gustavus Adolphus Day is on 6 November. Every year it is celebrated in
Sweden
,
Estonia
and
Finland
. On this day only, a special
pastry
is sold that has a
chocolate
or
marzipan
medallion of the king.
