The Swedish Monarchy and the Copper Trade

In 1611, the seventeen-year-old Gustav Adolf ascended the throne of Sweden. Before the new king could sit on his throne, however, he faced a disastrous war against Denmark, another conflict in Russia, and a rebellious nobility at home. Plus, Sweden itself had an arctic climate and a short growing season. Clearly Gustav II Adolf faced great difficulties even to survive. Yet by the end of the next decade, Gustav II Adolf’s Sweden was a leading military power in continental Europe. In 1630 the king invaded the Holy Roman Empire and joined the Thirty Years War to defend the Protestant cause. How was this possible? Sweden had one major asset, the Stora Kopparberg, the largest copper mine in Europe. The king exploited the mine and used the revenue to finance his political and military ambitions. This is the story of Gustav II Adolf’s efforts to improve efficiencies at the mine and control the marketing of its bounty.