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t42 REGNARD’s JOURNEY TO ‘LAPLAND.
The kingdoms of Denmark and Norway are fubjeét to the fame fovereign. ‘They
are bounded by Sweden on the eaft, England on the weft, the Frozen Ocean on the’
north, and Germany on the fouth. They are connected with the latter by means of
the Dutchy of Holftein, which is near the ifthmus. This place, at prefent denomi-
nated Jutland, and which is fituated between the Ocean and the Baltic Sea, was
known to the ancients by the name of Cimbric Cherfonefus.
Denmark is a rich and fruitful country, containing a number of iflands, the moft
refpectable of which are, Zealand, Falfter, Langeland, Laland and Funen, the latterjof
which is famous for that laft victory which faved the kingdom from total deftruction,
when the Danes, fupported by the Dutch, put all the power of Guftavus Charles at
defiance in this ifland, while he had befieged Copenhagen two years. The King of
Denmark is ftill mafter of Iceland, which is fuppofed to be the Ultima Thulé of the
ancients. ‘This ifland, although it is covered with fnow, neverthelefs contains burning
mountains, whence iflue fire and flames, to which the Iceland poets compare the brealts
of their miftrefles. It alfo contains {moking lakes which turn every thing thrown
in them to ftone, and many other wonders, which render this ifland famous. Norway
extends along the fea fhore the whole way to the houfe of Wardhus, which is, beyond
the North Cape, in approaching from the fide of the White Sea, upon which Archangel,
afea-port of Mufcovy is fituated. This extent of territory was ceded by the treaty of
peace concluded betwixt Frederick the Third and Guftavus Charles, late Kings of
Sweden and Denmark. Greenland begongs to Denmark alfo ; but itis only habitable
three months in the year, which are employed in the whale-fifhery.
Sweden has been feveral times joined to thefe two kingdoms, by alliances entered
into between the Princes or Princefles of the two countries. But Sweden was totally
feparated from them by Guftavus the Firft, head of the family of Vafa, who caufed
himfelf to be crowned King of that kingdom in the year 1528, and introduced the
Lutheran religion at the fame time that Chriftian the Third eftablifhed it m Denmark. -
The latter had always been an elective monarchy, as well as Sweden; but Frederick
the Third, after having been engaged in feveral wars with his neighbours, and having
faved the {tate by his vigilance and courage, procured the government to be declared
fucceflive and hereditary.
Frederick, third of the name, fon of Chriftian the Fourth, who reigned more than
fixty years, and of Anne Catharine, fifter of John Sigi{mond, Ele¢tor of Brandenburg,
was father of the prefent King Chriftian the Fifth. He was archbifhop of Bremen,
before he fucceeded to the kingdom, in confequence of the death of his father, and that
of his elder brother, who was a year older ; and he married in the year 1643, Sophia
Amelia, daughter of George Duke of Brunfwick and Luneburg, and Anne Eleonora,
daughter of Louis, Landgrave of Heffe, chief of the houfe of Darmftadt. ‘The laft re-
union of thefe kingdoms happened in 1397, by the marriage of Haquin, fon of
Magnus the fifth King of Sweden and Infelburg, and heir to Norway, with Margaret,
eldeft daughter of Waldemar the fourth, King of Denmark.
The laft feparation, as I have already mentioned, took place in the year 1528, in
confequence of the tyrannical conduct of Chriftian the Second to the Swedes. He
obliged the inhabitants of Stockholm to give him hoftages ; and even ‘after he had
received them, continued his cruelties. Guftavus Vafa one of the hoftages, efcaped in
Sweden, put himfelf at the head of the opprefled Swedes, who elected him King, and
threw off the Danifh yoke.
We learned in Denmark the nature of a Virfchat. The ambaflador took the
trouble to give us the information himfelf. He told us, that this amufement |
generally
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