The Rise and Fall of Sweden AAR

The Birth of Independant Sweden-AD 1493

The beginning of Sweden as we know it began in 1493. The days of the Kalmar Union had been numbered for several years, revolutionary groups in Sweden had commited terrorist acts including assassinations, revolts, and sabotage.

The Uniongrad government was a weak government full of old Danish and Swedish nobles who simply wanted the feeling of power. The Swedish revolutionary government known as the National Regency had grown in power and 90% of Sweden declared it the official Swedish government.

The revolution began on Janurary 14th, 1493. A group of Swedish revolutionaries with the help of government guards loyal to the revolutionaries entered the government building and killed the entire Uniongrad. Meanwhile a 25,000 man army began it's march into Denmark. The war for Swedish independence had begun.

October 21st, 1493

The war had been raging for many months with no clear victor. The Danish army had layed siege to northern Sweden but the large Swedish army had captured one Danish province and was rampaging through Denmark.

In Denmark the Danish king was being pushed into accepting a independent Sweden. The Danish king had been stern on his wish to keep Sweden in the Kalmar Union but finally after the death of 10,000 Danes the Danish king accepted peace and an independent Sweden.

Celebration in Sweden could be heard across the Baltic......

The Reign of the National Regency:AD 1493-1523

The National Regency quickly came to power in Sweden after the revolution. The National Regency was a group of Swedish nobles who were elected in by the Swedish people.

The NR[National Regency] established the Army of Sweden and used it to help establish an economy. Tax Collectors were appointed for each province during the reign of the National Regency. The stability of Sweden increased[+3] and Sweden was put on the path of greatness.

Mecklenburg War-AD 1514-16

The 21 years of peace and stability of Sweden were ended in 1514. The National Regency now had more militaristic nobles holding power, they believed that the only way Sweden could become a major power was to expand in the Baltic.

The Baltic in 1514 was at relative peace, Mecklenburg had been fighting wars with some North German States but they were stalemates. Sweden by this time had Brandenburg and Hannover as allies, Hannover had a nice economy and military but the real power in North Germany was Brandenburg.

Brandenburg had risen to become a rich and powerful german state second only to Austria. They were well prepared for war and they were very close to Sweden with a royal marrage.

The war was caused by Sweden's desire for wealth and power in the Baltic as well as on the European stage. Mecklenburg was perfect for this, they were small and had weak allies. They also controled the CoT in North Western Germany which would give Sweden wealth and power in the trade markets.

Finally the 20,000 man Swedish army raised for the war were transported across the Baltic. War was declared and the troops landed on the shores of Mecklenburg.

Battle of the Coast

The Swedish general and his troops had landed on the shores of Mecklenburg only to meet a well armed and trained army[Mecklenburg had tech 11 while I had tech 9]. The Swedish forces charged into the Mecklenburg army and a bloddy melee insued. For 3 days the battle raged until finally the Swedes rose to be the victor, the Swedes lost half their army however.

Replacements were drafted and were transported across the Baltic but until then the Swedish army besieged Mecklenburg.

The Struggle

For a year the Mecklenburg allies fought the Swedes and often pushed them out of Mecklenburg but the Swedes always came back. Brandenburg had sent troops to fight Mecklenburg's allies as the Swedes besieged Mecklenburg.

The war went on like this for 2 years more until finally Mecklenburg agreed to be annexed. Sweden increased her wealth and became a major player Northern Germany and the Baltic.

The Final Years

The Mecklenburg war cost the lives of 9,000 Swedes and thousands more had been cripled and scared for life. Over 15,000 Swedes were drafted during the war, these men came back home to a unknown future.

The National Regency also had to contend with several major revolts through out Sweden. The entire Swedish army was in Mecklenburg trying to maintain order. Thus the National Regency were forced to draft peasants to fight the revolts, most the peasants surported the rebels.

In the capital the Vasa's had grown into a powerful family, it's prodigy was Gustav Vasa who if he had not inheirited his families fortune he would still be very wealthy. He had amassed a large fortune due to the mass unemployment of the war veterans. He had through his friend gained 5 iron mines in the north, they were filled with war veterans.

From 1518 to 1523, Gustav Vasa, ran for National Regent the leader of the National Regency. With his massive fortune he campaigned relentlessly through out Sweden. Finally in 1523 the National Regency agreed to setp down in they appointed Gustav Vasa the national favorite of Sweden as the King of Sweden.

The Vasa's had come to power, the reign of Gustav Vasa would be a great one.

The Reign of Gustav Vasa:AD 1523-1560

The reign of Gustav Vasa can be argued to be one of the best in European history. In 1523, Sweden, was one of the poorest nations in Europe, it's army poorly armed and trained, the diplomatic situation was desperate.

Gustav Vasa created an elite guard known as the Vasa Imperial Guard. Numbering at 5,000, these men were equiped with good weapons and trained for 6 months, they also had the first artillery in the history of the Swedish army.

The first 15 years saw Swedish stability improved[+2] and the economy thrive due to a massive increase in baltic trade. The money, stability, and the elite military would be hard pressed in the first Scandinavian War.

Scandinavian War

By 1540, Sweden, had changed for the better. It's economy and military had improved so much that Sweden was expected to become a great power in 10 to 20 years.

The Danish king, Christian II, was a ruthless man would had a burning desire to annex Sweden. The Danish military was one of the best in Europe, it had a large navy and it's army was well armed and trained.

The war began with a simple plan for Sweden. War Taxes would be collected and a loan from the new Bank of Sweden would be taken out. The entire Swedish army[excluding the army in Mecklenburg]would capture as many provinces and kill as many Danish soldiers as possible.

Gustav Vasa lead the army personally and began a bloddy rampage through Denmark. The Danish and Swedish armies fought desperate battles which lead to few victorys, many defeats, and some stalemates.

The naval war did not go well for Sweden, they could not gain the upper hand and were forced to stay in port for most of the war.

The war turned when Sweden captured a province in mainland Denmark. The Danish people tired of war and surprised of the major defeat wanted to end the war. Finally in 1543 the ended with 25,000 Swedes and 34,000 Danes dead, 13 ships on both sides lost.

The North German War:AD 1543-1552

The Mecklenburg War had seen allies betray each other and nations commit atrocites. The major rivalry in North Germany were between Saxony and Bohemia. Bohemia had England and Pommern as an ally, Saxony had Brandenburg and Denmark as allies.

Sweden and Denamark planned to stay out of the war, their economies were drained and their armies small and weak.

When Bohemia finally declared war in March she called on her allies which entered the war. Saxony called on her allies and after a string of political events, Denmark relutently entered the war. The year after, Saxony, using the Danish/Swedish rivalry,asked Sweden to join her. Gustav Vasa decided that if Denmark was to be destroyed then this was the perfect time so Sweden entered the war.

The fighting was bloddy and entire armies were crushed. Sweden used several good generals to capture provinces but the war took it's toll. Thousands were dieing and even the new use of mobile artillery could not prevent this.

Battle after battle armies parished and borders were redrawn. Austria entered the war in 1546, so did the Netherlands. Sweden had 2 bank loans and had war taxed the country to the depths of the peasants pockets[-2].

Finally in 1552, Sweden, left the war, it was a bloddy war which resulted in the lives of 46,000 Swedes and 17 ships. It is estimated that 6,700 ducats were spent on this war. For the remaining 8 years of Gustav Vasa's rule, Sweden, would stabilize and establish a powerful elite[yet small] military, a massive trade empire would be started and relations with Denmark and Russia would improve to the point of an alliance.

You have no idea how hard pressed I was in the early 16th century. I was constantly at war, it was so bad that when England sent her troops to Sweden she just march around unopposed.

On a good note, I will recover

The Rise of the Swedish Empire:AD 1560-1616

Sweden had payed off her bank loans and her lands were stable[+1]. A professional army of 20,000 men was created as well as a professional navy of 25 ships.

Denmark was now lead by Frederick II who was a man of peace. Sweden and Denmark relations improved and in 1564 they allied. A year later Russia would join the alliance.

The national income raised to new heights[46.6]. The national stability continue to grow[+3]. The trade empire continued to grow and the government was fully centeralized in 1687 as the nobles although not dismissed lost all power.

Europe was changing as well, times were changing as gunpowder became the common weapon of nations. The original sounds of Giovanni Gabrieli found it's way into the royal courts of Europe as the America's, Africa, and India were ruthlessly colonized.

The First Polish War: AD 1603-05

By 1603, Sweden, was one of the richest nations in the world wih its powerful industries and trade. Many believed it was time to abandon the name "kingdom" and adopt a new one "empire".

Poland had been untouched during the Rennssiance, it had adapted it's own long barrel guns. Poland was ruled by the wise king Wladslaw II Wasa who was related to the Swedish royal family, he did not expect Sweden to invade.

The war began with 17,000 Swedes flooding into Danzig. 50,000 Poles mobilized and marched to Danzig. Meanwhile 30,000 fresh recruits arrived in Danzig, the two armies were now evenly matched.

The Battles of Danzig

The Battles of Danzig signaled the end of pole arms and the coming of gunpowder and artillery. The Polish army although armed with guns still used pole arms and light cavalry. The Polish strategy was to overwhelm, Sweden, with numbers but this would not be so.

The battles saw the Poles lose thousands of men and as the massacres ended over 120,000 Poles were dead with only 40,000 Swedes lost. The Poles sued for peace offering Danzig, Sweden agreed.

Poland's armies would never be that large and threatening again.

The Beginning of Greatness

The years of peace and prosperity ended in 1616 when the first Swedish emperor was crowned. Gustavus Adolphus would plunge Sweden into greatness and glory.