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7 ._GUSTAVUS TROLLE AND CHRISTIAN II. 177
wars not its own ; secondly, how to give unity to the
nation within. The state of constant insecurity and
of frequent civil war had become intolerable by the
end of the fifteenth century. What was needed was
a strong native king, who would drive out the foreigner
and consolidate the government. Then came the deposi
tion of Gustavus Trolle by the Riksdag at Stockholm in
November, 1517, and the destruction of the Castle of
Staket. This, as we have seen, was not intended to be an
absolute breach with Rome. The hope was that the pope
would, in the end, confirm it and appoint a new archbishop
of a more peaceable and patriotic temper, or at least assent
to his legate Arcimboldi s plan.
But when Christian, in 1520 smarting from his own
previous defeats, and mindful of his grandfather s defeat
at Brunkeberg was successful in his second invasion, in
which Sten Sture fell, and left Sweden without a leader, he
determined to have his revenge and to make future re
bellion impossible. He had succeeded in such a policy in
Norway, why should he not succeed in Sweden ? He had
with him, not only military, but spiritual power. He
brought papers from the pope pronouncing an excommuni
cation on the administrator and his adherents, on account
of their treatment of Trolle, and including an interdict of
divine services and sacraments covering the whole of
Sweden to be used if it were necessary. He was brother-
in-law of the Emperor Charles V., and had all the prestige
of the Roman Empire, as far as it remained, to back him.
Why should he not then succeed?
By his own fair speeches and lavish promises, and by
the help of those whom he had persuaded to serve him, he
won entrance into Stockholm, and that mainly by the good
offices of Hemming Gad. He was there crowned with
great pomp by Gustavus Trolle and the other bishops on
Sunday, the 4th November. For three days he entertained
his guests, Swedish, German and Danish, with equal
courtesy and pleasantness. Everything was to be forgiven
and forgotten, especially all the proceedings against the
12
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