GHDI logo
German History in Documents and Images
return to system

Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden (1631)
Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden (1594-1632) ruled as Swedish king from 1611 until 1632; he was also the antagonist of Emperor Ferdinand II in the Thirty Years War. Gustav’s main political goal was to gain control of the Baltic region, and under his rule Sweden eventually became the dominant power in Northern Europe. He died in battle at Lützen in 1632 and was quickly remembered as a martyr for the Protestant cause. Oil painting by Heinrich Bollandt (1577-1651), 1631.