, had risen to a high rank among the
powers of Europe. In addition to its original dominion, it possessed the
whole of Finland, the finest part of Pomerania, on the southern shores of
the Baltic, and also Livonia, Carelia, Ingria, Wismar, Viborg, the
Duchies of Bremen and Verden, and other realms, all of long possession
and secured by conquest and treaty. But it had dangerous enemies with
whom to deal, especially Peter the Great of Russia, then bent on bringing
his barbarian dominions into line with the great powers of the continent.

Such was the inheritance of the fifteen-year-old king, who quickly showed
the material of which he was composed. One day in the first year of his
reign, after reviewing a number of regiments, he was seen by his special
favorite, Charles Piper, in a spell of abstraction.

"May I ask your Majesty," said Piper, "of what you are thinking so
deeply?"

"I am thinking," replied the boy monarch, "that I am capable of
commanding those brave fellows; and I don't choose that either they or I
shall receive orders from a woman."

He referred in this irreverent and boastful speech to his grandmother,
the regent.

He was crowned on the 24th of December following his father's death, the
ceremony being performed by the archbishop of Upsala. But when the
prelate, having anointed the prince in the customary manner, held the
crown in his hand ready to put it upon the new king's head, Charles took
it from his hand and crowned himself, his eyes fixed sternly upon the
dismayed churchman. This act of self-willed insubordination was applauded
by the people, who also received him with loud acclamations when he rode
into Stockholm on a horse shod with silver and with a sceptre in his hand
and a crown on his head. The oath of fidelity to his people, usual on
such occasions, was not taken, and in fact Charles had no thought of
being faithful to anything but his own ambitious designs and his
obstinate self-will.

He soon showed his unfitness for the duties of quiet government. The
money collected by his father was quickly squandered by him, and with the
eagerness of an untutored boy he plunged into every kind of daring
amusement that presented itself, risking his life in break-neck rides,
mock fights, bear hunts, and other dangerous sports and exercises. He
also gave much attention to military manoeuvres, his time being spent
in all sorts of violent activities, with little thought to the duties of
government, th