of Denmark and Norway, in his father's life time. He expected to have been chosen king of Sweden, but was disappointed by the intrigues of the administrator of that kingdom, and it was not till 1497 that he was crowned king. At the coronation feast, one of the king's German officers hinting that it would be a politic act to cut off the heads of those who had been leaders in the opposition to him, John replied with a manly indignation, that he would rather see all his evil counsellors on a gibbet than incur the shame and infamy of so savage a deed. "God forbid," said the virtuous monarch, "that I should ever deny to any free people the right of choosing their own governors." For some time he acted conformably to this sentiment, and exhibited a mind intent upon the public good, which produced a general satisfaction with his government. John, however, did not always act upon the principle of equity, which the maxim above quoted should have inculcated. The people of Dithmarsh accordingly vindicated, at the point of the sword, their independence; and their success was the forerunner of an open revolt to Sweden, where discontents had been gradually accumulating, and where he had conferred offices and grants on his favourites, to the prejudice of the natives. The former regent headed the malcontents, and renounced his allegiance to John. The queen, Christina, who was left at Stockholm, was obliged to capitulate; and a revolution was effected in 1502. After this many changes in the government took place, several of which led John to hope for a restoration to the crown; and a treaty for that purpose was concluded a short time before his death, which happened in February 1513, in consequence of a fall from his horse. He possessed many estimable qualities, and would have been a really good king, but that he suffered himself to be swayed too much by his favourites.

CHRISTIAN, or CHRISTIERN II., king of Denmark, a prince whose perfidy and cruelty have stamped him with the epithet of the Nero of the North, was born in 1481, and succeeded his father John in 1513. In order to strengthen his interest in obtaining the crown of Sweden, he formed an alliance with the house of Austria, by marrying Isabella, sister to the emperor Charles V. One of the first instances he gave of his tyrannical disposition was with respect to Torbern Oxy, a young nobleman, whom he suspected of an intrigue with his mistress Columbule. Oxy being tried, and acquitted by the senate, the king compelled an assembly of peasants to find him guilty, and had him executed. In 1517 Lutheranism began to find its way into Denmark, and it was favoured by Christian, who had been disgusted with the avarice of the pope's legate, and cast a longing eye upon the church lands. The clergy, however, took occasion from the discontents already prevailing against him, to raise a dangerous spirit of resistance, and the

pope fulminated a bull against all the promoters of reformation, including the king's particular friends. By the mediation of the house of Austria, a reconciliation was at length effected with the holy see; and Christian even obtained a commission to treat as rebels the administrator of Sweden and his adherents, who were equally noxious to the pope and clergy. His domestic government became more and more oppressive, chiefly through the extortions contrived by Sigebrette, the mother of Columbule, to whom Christian gave all his confidence. At length, in 1519, he was enabled to renew the war before commenced with Sweden; and his general, Crumper, gave a complete defeat in West Gothland to the administrator, who died of wounds received in the battle, and penetrated into the heart of the kingdom. The traitorous archbishop of Upsal then openly declared for Christian; and in 1520, after reducing Stockholm, he was solemnly recognized king of Sweden. Passing over to Sweden, he convoked the assembly and the states, and was publicly crowned at Stockholm. After this ceremonial, he invited the body of Swedish nobility, to a splendid entertainment in the citadel, and received them with the utmost affability. But while the whole nation was employed in festivity, he caused his soldiers to arrest the administrator's widow, the senate, and the principal nobility, and after accusing them of various state crimes, he instituted a prosecution of them by Danish commissioners. A summary condemnation was pronounced, and they were led to instant execution. Above three score noblemen and senators of the first rank, lay and ecclesiastical, were in one day hanged on gibbets as felons and traitors; and the horrid scene was concluded, by letting loose the soldiery to butcher the surrounding spectators and the burghers of the city. So great was Christian's savage barbarity, that causing the administrator's body to be dug up, he is said to have torn it with his teeth and nails like a wild beast. spared the life of his widow only on condition of perpetual imprisonment; and he condemned to the same fate the widows of his other victims. His progress on his return to Denmark was marked with blood, and he seemed resolved to leave behind him no memorials but those of his cruelty. At length the noble Gustavus Ericson, burst like a torrent upon the Danish troops who held Sweden in subjection, and restored the independance of his own country. Christian indulged his revenge by the murder of the mother and sister of Gustavus, and by an order to his commanders to put to the sword all the Swedes within the reach of their jurisdictions; which barbarity Gustavus retaliated by the extermination of all the Danes who fell into his hands.

He

Christian's tyrannical proceedings in Denmark rendered him almost as much the object of popular odium there, as in

Sweden. The Jutlanders were driven to open revolt, and solemnly deposed him, and though he was still master of Copenhagen, the islands, and the kingdom of Norway, yet not knowing whom to trust, he abdicated his throne, and took refuge in Germany. He proceeded to Flanders, where he unceasingly, but in vain, urged his brother-in-law the emperor to assist him to recover his dominions. In 1531 he succeeded in prevailing upon Margaret of Austria to fit out a fleet for that purpose. By its means he was landed in Norway, where, and in Sweden, he was joined by many malcontents, especially catholics. He laid siege to Aggerbus, where he received intelligence of the total destruction of the Flemish fleet before Babus. In an attempt to force a retreat through Sweden, he was invested in a small town, and obliged to deliver himself up a prisoner. His uncle and successor, Frederic, confined him closely in the castle of Sunderburg as long as he lived. After the death of that king, in 1533, the regency of Lubeck demanded Christian's liberation, and in fact projected his restoration, towards which they made considerable progress; but their designs were at length defeated by the arms of Christian III. In his retreat, Christian II., with a tranquillity that his past crimes seem little to have merited, reached his seventy eighth year, dying in 1559. Of his children by Isabella two daughters only lived to mature age; one, electress Palatine; the other, duchess, first of Milan, then of Lorraine.

FREDERIC I., king of Denmark, son of Christian I., was born in 1473. His father made him duke of Sleswick, Holstein, Slormar, and Dithmarsh; but half of his territories were wrested from him by his brother king John. He maintained a prudent caution during the turbulent reign of his nephew Christian II.; and upon the deposition of that bloody tyrant, in 1523, Frederic was declared king in his stead, first by the Jutlanders, and then by the rest of the kingdom. He reduced Copenhagen in 1524, and was then publicly proclaimed: He was instigated to lay claim to the Swedish crown, but finding Gustavus Vasa so well settled on the throne that nothing but a war could dispossess him, he wisely made a treaty of mutual friendship with that sovereign. The isle of Gothland, seized by the admiral Norby, was afterwards an object of contention between the two crowns; but Frederic, by his vigour and policy, finally annexed it to his own dominions. Religious differences were now brought to a crisis in Denmark; on account of the progress of the Reformation; and in 1527 Frederic openly declared in favour of Lutheranism, and gave the ascendancy to that persuasion. The deposed Christian in 1531, making an attempt to recover his crown, was obliged to surrender himself prisoner, and was committed to close custody by his uncle. Frederic died in 1533, aged sixty. His conduct obtained for him the

title of the Pacific; and the historians of his country justly praise that prudence and moderation of his government which rendered his reign prosperous and happy. He left children by both his wives, one of whom was the daughter of the elector of Brandenburg, the other of the duke of Pomerania.

JOHN RANTZAU, a general in the Danish service, was born in 1492, and at the age of 13 he entered the army. In 1515, he began to travel into foreign countries, visiting in succession, England, Spain, Germany, Italy, Greece, Syria, Palestine, and other parts of the east. In 1517, he was knighted at Jerusalem; and upon his return to Denmark, was appointed to accompany duke Christian, afterwards Christian II., on his tour to Brandenburg, and other towns of Germany. When Frederic I. accepted the crown of Denmark, he was promoted to be a general, in 1553, and entrusted with the command of the troops in Holstein. He became greatly distinguished in his military character, and on various diplomatic concerns, and died in 1563. He was the author of several works, the principal of which is "A brief Account of the Wars carried on, in 1559, by Frederic II., king of Denmark, and Adolphus duke of Holstein, against the people of Ditmarsh," Argent. 1569, 4to.

SWEDEN.

CHARLES CANUTSON, king of Sweden, the eighth of that name, was descended from the family of Bonde, which had formerly sat on the throne. He was grand marshal of Sweden in the reign of Eric, who united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. The oppressions of the Danes, caused a revolt in Sweden, in 1434, headed by Engelbert, a spirited and patriotic nobleman, This rose to such a formidable height, that Charles Canutson was induced to concur in it; and his birth and station immediately set him at the head of the malcontents. Engelbert, however, whose merits had greatly attached the peasants to him, maintained a rivalry with Charles; and his assassination, which soon followed, is attributed to the base artifices of the latter. Charles then assumed the office of regent; and Eric having been formally deposed, he exercised the rights of sovereignty. Amidst the stormy factions that ensued, he is charged with acting tyrannically, and arbitrarily, removing those whom he considered as obstacles to his arriving at the throne. In particular, he caused Eric Pache, a successor to the popularity of Engelbert, to be executed without the form of a trial. For the present, however, he was disappointed, by the election of Christopher duke of

Bavaria, to the crown of the three nations. Christopher died in 1448, on which event, the influence of Charles caused the union of the three crowns to be dissolved, and himself elected to that of Sweden. He afterwards attacked the deposed Eric, in the isle of Gothland, but was vigorously resisted; and, in the end, the island was surrendered to the Danes. Charles, however, obtained a recompense, in being elected to the throne of Norway. A war afterwards ensued between Christian, king of Denmark, and Charles, which was attended with various success. Peace was re-established; but Christian continued to foment disturbances in Sweden, which, on a quarrel between Charles, and the potent archbishop of Upsal, broke out in 1458, into open rebellion. Christian was invited to Stockholm, of which Charles had been dispossessed; and the three crowns were again united in the person of the Danish king. The government of this monarch, however, soon became unpopular in Sweden. The peasants revolted, led by Thatil, bishop of Zincoping. Christian was obliged to retire to Denmark, whence he returned with a powerful army. He was defeated, however, by the brave peasants, who fought for their country's independence; and Charles Canutson was recalled, after an exile of six years. Still he had the powerful archbishop of Upsal, and the clergy for his enemies, and their authority was so great, that Charles was soon besieged in Stockholm. He sallied out with his adherents, and a furious battle ensued, in which he was defeated, and in consequence was compelled solemnly to renounce all pretensions to the crown. He retired into Finland, where a small district was assigned for his maintenance, the insufficiency of which involved him in debt; and so low was his credit, that the archbishop refused him a loan of 500 crowns. His retreat did not give peace to his country; on the contrary, a fiercer civil war than ever broke out, in which Eric Axelson, the administrator, headed one party, and the archbishop of Upsal the other. The wearied nation, at length insisted on the restoration of Charles; and he was accordingly recalled and put in possession of Stockholm, in 1467. In 1470 perceiving his eventful life drawing to a close, he delivered his capital to his nephew and faithful friend, Steno Sture, and died in peace. The historians of his country, praise his justice and political talents; and he has likewise obtained credit for philosophical and mathematical knowledge, unusual in his age and country. STENO, administrator of Sweden, in 1512. He aspired to absolute monarchy after two years, whereupon the kingdom was divided into two parties, the one of those resolved to depose him, the other would wait his amendment; the former invited the Danes to their assistance, and Christian II., king of Denmark, laid siege to Stockholm. Steno marched directly to