Sweden refcued from the barbarity of the Danes. The accu on of the Olden. burg Fa or Woden, being driven by Pompey out of Afia, conquered Smeden, and fetled the Crown upon his Pofterity. A. D. 829 the Swedes imbraced the Chriftian Faith. In the Reign of Olaus Skot konung the two Kingdoms of the Swedes and Goths funk their mutual enmity into a perfect union; and to this day the King of Sweden is ftyl'd King of the Swedes and Goths. The Family of the Tolekungers, that aim'd fo long at the Crown, and created fo much trouble in Sweden, began to make the greatest figure in the Reign of Erick Lifper, and at laft were humbled by a fatal blow in the Reign of Magnus who died, A. D. 1288. §. 20. The inteftine commotions of Sweden, and the pretenfions and cruelty of the Kings of Denmark, involv'd that Country in a long feries of trouble, which occafioned frequent Interregnums. But at laft the Danish Yoak was hook off by the Valour and Refolution of Gustavus Erickson, who was Proclaimed King A. D. 1528, and in the year 1544 the Succeffion was declared Hereditary to him and his Pofterity. Pursuant to which Declaration the Crown of Sweden continues in that Line to this day. A Lift of the Kings of Sweden from Gustavus I. §. 21. Denmark is a very ancient Kingdom, the mily to the Cons of Antiquity of which runs a great way before the Birth Denmark of Chrift. Just before our Saviours Birth 'twas Go and No.-verned by Fretko III. who extended his Conqueft o ver the Neighbouring Nations. A. D. 846. Eric I. introduced the Chriftian Religion. In the year 1396 an Agreement was made by the three States of Smeden, Denmark and Norway, that thefe Northern Kingdoms fhould be all rul'd by one King; but the Union did not last long, for A. D. 1449 the Danes and Norwegians chofe for their King, Chriftian Earl of Oldenburg, whofe Family has continued ever fince in poffeffion of these two Crowns. The Kings of Denmark and Norway have had feveral various Adventures with the Swedes; and after the conclufion of a Peace in the Reign of Frederick II. were declared abfolute Sovereigns, and entitled to a hereditary Crown. The following Table gives the feries of the Kings of Denmark from Chriftian the firft of the Oldenburg Family. §. 22. The Hiftory of Mufcovy being wrap'd up in The feries ignorance and obfcurity, we only know that in the year of the Prin 989 Woldomir their Prince imbraced the Chriftian Re- ces of Mu ligion; and the fucceeding Princes had feveral Adven- covy. tures with the Tartars, Swedes and Poles. John was the first Prince that reduc'd the petty Principalities of Ruffia into one Body, A. D. 1470. and freed 'en from their dependency on the Tartars, to whom they had been fubject above 200 years, f Ee 3 $. 23. The The Origin S. 23. The Netherlands having fallen to the Houfe of the Com- of Auftria were united in the Perfon of Charles V. monwealth who governed 'em in Peace and Profperity. But in the of Hol- Reign of his Son Philip II. they were distracted with inteftine commotions, which gave rife to the potent Common-wealth of Holland, that was first form'd in the Union of Utrecht, A. D. 1579. Jand. The Occafi United §. 24. The Revolt of the Seven United Provinces on of the (which now make up the Republick of Holland) is Revolt of imputed to the following caufes. 1. The haughty huthe Seven mour of Philip II. his fondness of the Spanish Cultoms, and his conftant Refidence in Spain. 2. The Craft Provincts. and Ambition of William 1. Prince of Orange, who fomented their Divifions. 3. The Poverty and turbu lent Spirit of the Nobility, who had run themselves in debt, by endeavouring to outdo the Spaniards in a fplendid appearance at Court. 4. The refentment of the Clergy, occafioned by Philip's applying the Revenues of feveral Abbies to the maintenance of new created Bishops. 5. The Bigotry of Philip in introducing the Inquifition in a Country that was obliged to favour feveral Religions, upon the account of their Trade; and befides was inhabited by an open hearted and free fpoken People. of Switzer land. The Origin §. 25. Switzerland being anciently a part of the of the Com- German Empire, three fmall Countries retaining to it, monwealth (namely Vry, Switz and Underwalden) were intitled to great priviledges, faid to be granted 'em by the Emperor Lewis the Pious; in vindication of which they entered into an Affociation, and fell upon the Emperors infolent Judges or Vicars, A. D. 1308. and after a Victory obtained over Leopold Arch-Duke of Au ftria,the Son of the Emperour, Albert I.confirm'd their Confederacy by folemn Oaths, A. D. 1320. from whence we date the Origin of this Republick. How it §. 26. The first intention of this Confederacy was came to be not to feparate themselves from the German Empire, indepen- but only to maintain their ancient Priviledges: yet dent of the by degrees they departed from the Imperial homage, Empire. and being ftrengthened by the gradual acceffion of the other Cantons of Switzerland, the whole Confederacy was declared a Republick, independant of the Ro man Empire, in the Peace of Weftphalia concluded, A. D. 1648. S. 26. The Princes in 5. 27. Poland being abdicated by its ancient Inhabi- The date of tants, fell in the year of Chrift 550, into the hands the first of a ftragling fort of People, under the conduct (as poland. 'tis faid) of one Lechus, who laid the foundation of a new State in that Country under the Title of a Duke. After the Race of this Lechus was extinct, the Administration of Affairs was put into the hands of twelve Governours, called Vayvods; who after the good Services they had done in civilifing this barbarous People, and guarding 'em with good Laws and wholfome Conftitutions, had the misfortune to be divided among themfelves: and thereupon the Pales chofe one Cracus for their Prince, A. D. 700. S. 28. The Race of Cracus being foon after extinct, The fift the Poles chofe their Princes, by Stratagems, Horfe- Kings of races, c. and at laft after a troublefome Interreg Poland. nuin, elected one Piaftus, a Peafant, whofe Pofterity reigned for a long while in Poland, and from whom fuch of the Natives as have fince obtained the Royal Dignity are called Piafti. The fourth after Pioftus, namely Micciflaus 1. introduced the Chriftian Faith, A. D. 965. In the year 999 Boleflaus Chrobus Prince of Poland was dignified with the Title of King by the Emperor Otho Ill. and the Kingdom was declared independent of the Empire. years re S. 29. Vladislaus 1. being the fourth after that Bo- The Title leflaus was fo over aw'd by the Pope that he drop'd the f King Title of King A. D. 1082. And his Pofterity fuc-discontinu ceeding to the Regency, continued to difclaim the ed in PoRoyal Title, till the year 1291, in which Premiflans land, and after 200 Lord of great Poland, refumed the Title of King. Af ter which the Poles difpofed of their Crown fometimes fum'd. in the Royal Line of their late Kings, and fometimes upon Foreigners, particularly the K. of Hungary, D. of Lithuania, D. of Anjou, P. of Sweden. To con clude, Fohn Sobieski the Polish General was declared K. of Poland, A. D. 1674, and fucceeded by Frederick D. of Saxony, A. D. 1697 who ftill continues his doubtful and troublesome Reign. |