Building an Empire: How Gustavus Adolphus Carried Sweden to the Forefront of European Politics

Abstract

This paper seeks to examine the political, religious and diplomatic impact of Gustavus Adolphus during his reign as King of Sweden (1611-1632). My research begins with an overview of the House of Vasa, which was established by Gustavus' grandfather, Gustav I, in 1523. After the overview in Vasa history, I then shift my focus to Gustavus' life as a young ruler. In particular, there is a focus on his military and diplomatic strategies. The third section studies Sweden's intervention in the Thirty Years' War, from Gustavus' early attempts to build an alliance among German Protestants to his death at the Battle of Lutzen in 1632. In the final chapter, there is an analysis of the overall impact of Gustavus Adolphus not only within Sweden, but also Europe as a whole.