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CHARLES GUSTAVUS KARLSTEEN, Arfid: Sweden, 1658, Bronze, 69 mm Charles (Karl) X Gustavus (1622-1660) was king of Sweden from 1654-1660. He was the son of John Casimir, count palatine of Zweibrucken, and Catherine, sister of Gustavus Adolphus. In his early years he gained a broad education, studying in London, Marseille, the Netherlands and Germany. He ascended the throne in his early thirties when his cousin Christina abdicated. Charles was one of Sweden's greatest war kings. As military commander, he is considered to be one of the most skillful and successful in Swedish history. His efforts to dominate the Baltics resulted in the First Northern War where he achieved victories in Poland, gaining Warsaw and Krakow. This brought Russia, Brandenburg, the Netherlands, and Denmark into the war. Charles responded by invading Denmark, occupying Jutland, and by the Treaty of Roskilde signed February 27,1658, Denmark ceded its lands in southern Sweden to Charles. This medal commemorates this latter phase of the war in which Charles crossed over the islands and snow covered ice of the Baltic Sea to Denmark. Charles X Gustavus was succeeded by his son, Charles XI. LINK to the First Northern War (from World History at KMLA) |
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