, offered full sovereignty to the young monarch, the senate
acquiesced, and, after some hesitation, Charles at last declared that he
could not resist the urgent appeal of his subjects and would take over
the government of the realm "in God's name." The subsequent coronation
was marked by portentous novelties, the most significant of which was
the king's omission to take the usual coronation oath, which omission
was interpreted to mean that he considered himself under no obligation
to his subjects. The general opinion of the young king was, however,
still favourable. His conduct was evidently regulated by strict
principle and not by mere caprice. His refusal to countenance torture as
an instrument of judicial investigation, on the ground that "confessions
so extorted give no sure criteria for forming a judgment," showed him to
be more humane as well as more enlightened than the majority of his
council, which had defended the contrary opinion. His intense
application to affairs is noted by the English minister, John Robinson
(1650-1723), who informed his court that there was every prospect of a
happy reign in Sweden, provided his majesty were well served and did not
injure his health by too much work.

The coalition formed against Sweden by Johann Reinhold Patkul, which
resulted in the outbreak of the Great Northern War (1699), abruptly put
an end to Charles XII.'s political apprenticeship, and forced into his
hand the sword he was never again to relinquish. The young king resolved
to attack the nearest of his three enemies--Denmark--first. The timidity
of the Danish admiral Ulrik C. Gyldenlove, and the daring of Charles,
who forced his nervous and protesting admiral to attempt the passage of
the eastern channel of the Sound, the dangerous _flinterend_, hitherto
reputed to be unnavigable, enabled the Swedish king to effect a landing
at Humleback in Sjaelland (Zealand), a few miles north of Copenhagen
(Aug. 4, 1700). He now hoped to accomplish what his grandfather, fifty
years before, had vainly attempted--the destruction of the
Danish-Norwegian monarchy by capturing its capital. But for once
prudential considerations prevailed, and the short and bloodless war was
terminated by the peace of Travendal (Aug. 18), whereby Frederick IV.
conceded full sovereignty to Charles's ally and kinsman the duke of
Gottorp, besides paying him an indemnity of 200,000 rix-dollars and
solemnly engaging to commit no hostilities against Sweden