| During the
Thirty Years' War, the Swedish army was one of the strongest in the
whole of Europe. Perfectly organized regular troops performed brilliant
military actions. Upon gaining rich financial support from France, they
successfully invaded German territory. The most noted name of that
period is that of the great military reformer, Gustaf Adolf. He
reorganized cavalry and infantry. Cavalry now paid less attention to
shooting and more to horse riding. Infantry regiments were diminished in
number in order to make them more mobile. As a result, the Swedish army
defeated the Denmark and the kingdom of Norway. The Swedish army invaded
Poland, which was exhausted by its long struggle against Russia, and
took the capital Warsaw. In 1699, a coalition against Sweden was created
by Russia, Saxony, Denmark and Poland. This led to Sweden's during the
Northern War. |
