_Acta hist. Reg.
Christ. II._, pp. 3-4; and _Christ. II.'s arkiv_, vol. i. pp. 153-157.

[50] Olaus Petri, _Svenska kroen._, pp. 326-327; Svaning, _Christ. II._,
pp. 363-366; and Laurent. Petri, _Then Svenska chroen._, p. 147.

[51] Olaus Petri, _Svenska kroen._, pp. 327-328; Svaning, _Christ. II._,
pp. 366-369; and Laurent. Petri, _Then Svenska chroen._, pp. 147-148.

[52] _Svenska medeltid. rim-kroen._, vol. iii. pp. 218-219 and 233-234;
Eliesen, _Chron. Skib._ p. 569; Olaus Petri, _Svenska kroen._, pp.
328-334; Johannes Magni, _De omn. Goth._, p. 781; Olaus Magni, _Hist. de
gent. Sept._, p. 612; Svaning, _Christ. II._, pp. 369-384; Laurent.
Petri, _Then Svenska chroen._, pp. 148-150; and _Handl. roer. Skand.
hist._, vol. ii. pp. 1-12.

[53] Svart, _Gust. I.'s kroen._, pp. 10-12.

[54] Svart, _Gust. I.'s kroen._, pp. 12-15.

[55] Svart, _Gust. I.'s kroen._, pp. 15-17.

CHAPTER IV.

WAR OF INDEPENDENCE; ELECTION OF GUSTAVUS TO THE THRONE. 1521-1523.

Causes of the War.--Character of the Dalesmen.--Growth of the Patriot
Army.--Didrik Slagheck.--Battle of Koeping.--Capture of Vesteras; of
Upsala.--Skirmish with Trolle.--Skirmishes near Stockholm.--Siege of
Stegeborg.--Norby.--Rensel.--Brask.--Progress of the War.--Coinage
of Gustavus.--Christiern's Troubles in Denmark.--Siege of
Stockholm.--Fall of Kalmar.--Diet of Strengnaes.--Fall of
Stockholm.--Retrospect of the War.

There are periods in the history of most nations when all that has been
hallowed by time and custom seems of a sudden to lose its sanctity and
bow down before the commanding influence of some new force. These
periods are of rare occurrence and generally of short duration. They
remind one of those thunderstorms which burst upon us at the close of a
sultry August day, unheralded but by the stifling heat of a burning sky,
and in a few moments leaving the atmosphere behind them pure and clear
and cool. Sudden and unheralded as they appear, they are yet the direct
result of a long series of forces, whose ultimate issue might have been
accurately predicted did we but thoroughly understand the forces
themselves. So, too, it is with great political upheavals. The
revolution which drenched the whole of France with blood in 1789 is no
more difficult to explain than the thunderstorm which drenches the
parched earth with rain on a hot midsummer night. It was simply the
reaction after a century of oppression, extravagance and vi