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23S A History of Sweden
of famine came the Asiatic plague. The victims of
these calamities are estimated at 100,000.
But in spite of all, the people showed a wonderful
willingness to sacrifice. In the spring of 1718, for in-
stance, a provincial governor reported to the govern-
ment that the people of the province had sold their
grain to pay the taxes till they had nothing to subsist
on nor anything to sow. Similar reports came in from
practically all the provinces.
But in spite of willingness there was a limit to the
ability to pay. The national income sank from year to
year. Charles, however, had to find means for carrying
on the war; for he was determined not to yield to any
power an inch of territory without compensation. "The
Lord will always give success when one bravely does
what he ought to to," he said.
Baron Gortz’s Token Money. The man who now
came forward to show Charles what to do was Baron
Gortz of Holstein. Never at a loss, never afraid to use
the most violent means, Baron Gortz was just the man
for minister to Charles XII, who would never listen to
such a word as "impossible." The means Baron Gortz
employed to secure funds was in the first place token
money. It consisted of copper coins which were to pass
for silver money. When better times came, the govern-
ment would redeem them in silver coin.
These tokens were at first received willingly and the
king was enabled to buy at a small co$t the supplies
and equipment for a new army. But when millions
upon millions of these tokens, flooded the land, it be-
came evident to most people that the government could
never redeem them in silver. Merchants began to ask
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