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The Kalmar Union's final disintegration in the early 16th century brought on a long-lived rivalry between Norway and Denmark on one side and Sweden and Finland on the other. The Catholic bishops had supported Danish King Christian II, but he was overthrown by Gustavus Vasa (1490-1560) and Sweden (with Finland) was now independent again. Gustavus used the [[Protestant Reformation]] to curb the power of the church and became King Gustavus I in 1523. In 1527 he persuaded the Riksdag of Västerås, (comprising the nobles, clergy, burghers, and freehold peasants), to confiscate the church lands. Gustavus patronized the Lutheran reformers and appointed his men as bishops. Gustavus suppressed aristocratic opposition to his ecclesiastical policies and centralization efforts.
The Kalmar Union's final disintegration in the early 16th century brought on a long-lived rivalry between Norway and Denmark on one side and Sweden and Finland on the other. The Catholic bishops had supported Danish King Christian II, but he was overthrown by Gustavus Vasa (1490-1560) and Sweden (with Finland) was now independent again. Gustavus used the [[Protestant Reformation]] to curb the power of the church and became King Gustavus I in 1523. In 1527 he persuaded the Riksdag of Västerås, (comprising the nobles, clergy, burghers, and freehold peasants), to confiscate the church lands. Gustavus patronized the Lutheran reformers and appointed his men as bishops. Gustavus suppressed aristocratic opposition to his ecclesiastical policies and centralization efforts.
Tax reform took place in 1538 and 1558, whereby multiple complex taxes on independent farmers were simplified and standardized throughout the district; tax assessments per farm were adjusted to reflect ability to pay. Crown tax revenues increased but more important the new system was much fairer and more acceptable. Sweden's economic strength grew rapidly and by 1544 Gustavus was strong enough to proclaim the Swedish crown hereditary in his house of Vasa. It ruled Sweden (1523-1654) and Poland (1587-1668).<ref> Michael Roberts, ''The Early Vasas: A History of Sweden 1523-1611'' (1968)</ref>
Tax reform took place in 1538 and 1558, whereby multiple complex taxes on independent farmers were simplified and standardized throughout the district; tax assessments per farm were adjusted to reflect ability to pay. Crown tax revenues increased but more important the new system was much fairer and more acceptable. Sweden's economic strength grew rapidly and by 1544 Gustavus was strong enough to proclaim the Swedish crown hereditary in his house of Vasa. It ruled Sweden (1523-1654) and Poland (1587-1668).<ref> Michael Roberts, ''The Early Vasas: A History of Sweden 1523-1611'' (1968); Jan Glete, ''War and the State in Early Modern Europe: Spain, the Dutch Republic, and Sweden as Fiscal-Military States, 1500-1660'' (2002) [http://books.google.com/books?id=hI5agv3IDGIC&dq=questia+Glete,+''War+and+the+State&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=OkIWbv60os&sig=F66lMnhInY-bydmQNc1V_mtSJeM&hl=en&ei=DAUCSv7tCJOCtgOFso3xBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1 online edition]</ref>
==Early Modern==
==Early Modern==
==Bibliography==
==Bibliography==
===Surveys===
===Surveys===
* Andersson, Ingvar. ''A History of Sweden'' (1956) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/a-history-of-sweden-by-ingvar-andersson-carolyn-hannay.jsp online edition]
* Derry, Thomas Kingston. ''A History of Scandinavia: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland.'' (1979). 447 pp.
* Derry, Thomas Kingston. ''A History of Scandinavia: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland.'' (1979). 447 pp.
* Kent, Neil. ''A Concise History of Sweden'' (2008), 314pp [http://www.amazon.com/Concise-History-Sweden-Cambridge-Histories/dp/0521012279/ref=sr_oe_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241590510&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Kent, Neil. ''A Concise History of Sweden'' (2008), 314pp [http://www.amazon.com/Concise-History-Sweden-Cambridge-Histories/dp/0521012279/ref=sr_oe_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241590510&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]