- July 10
- King Gustav Adolf and Bogislaw XIV of Pomerania sign a treaty of alliance. [1.173] [3.137]
- August 16
- Wolgast surrenders to Swedish forces. [302.133]
- September 9
- King Gustav Adolf reaches Stralsund, en route to Mecklenburg. [302.138]
- September
- The army under King Gustav Adolf's command now numbers about 39,000 men. [48.175]
- October 6
- King Gustav Adolf withdraws from near Rostock to Ribnitz. [302.139]
- (month unknown)
- Population of Närke province: about 23,000. [1.219]
- Population of Sweden proper: 1.12 million. [1.246]
1631
- January 13
- Sweden and France sign the Treaty of Bärwalde, for Sweden to lead an army in Europe for six years. France will pay 400,000 riksdaler per year for Sweden to maintain an army of 36,000 men to fight for German liberties and the freedom of Baltic trade. [1.173] [3.136] [47.93] [48.175] [243.xxxiii,124,144] [267.63] [302.151]
- January 15
- King Gustav Adolf guarantees the neutrality of the Elector of Bavaria and the Catholic League. [3.137]
- February 13
- Demmin surrenders to the Swedish force. [302.158]
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- March 13
- Imperial army leader Tilly captures New Brandenburg, defended by 2000 Swedish forces. Only 60 survive. [302.159]
- (month unknown)
- King Gustav Adolf's army captures Gratz. [48.178]
- King Gustav Adolf's army invades Mecklenburg. [48.178]
- April 3
- Swedish forces storm and quickly capture Frankfort. 3000 of the garrison are killed, in reprisal for New Brandenburg. [48.178] [243.xxxiii,125] [302.160]
- April 16
- Landsberg capitulates to the Swedish army after a ten-day blockade. [302.161]
- May 5
- King Gustav Adolf makes a treaty to gain possession of Spandau. [302.163]
- May 10
- Imperial forces storm the town of Magdeburg following a resisted siege. A large part (20,000) of the population is killed, and a large fire destroys much of the town. The incident is much publicized, leading to support for anti-Imperial forces. [1.174] [243.125] [302.167]
- June 9
- King Gustav Adolf withdraws troops from Spandau, leaving the fortress undefended, as the Elector of Brandenberg would not let him stay. [302.170]
- June 11
- King Gustav Adolf reaches a pact with George William, Elector of Brandenburg. The Swedish army retains possession of Spandau for the duration of the war, can pass freely through Küstrin, receives payment of 30,000 riksdaler per month, and has the right of levying contributions within Electoral territories. [1.174] [243.xxxiii] [302.171]
- July 23
- Tilly with 22,000 men make a light attack on the Swedish army's camp at Werben. [302.175]
- August
- Imperial army leader Tilly asks permission for his army to cross through Saxony to meet the Swedish army. He is refused. [243.125]
- August 23
- The Swedish army marches from Werben to Wittenberg, to fully meet Tilly's army. [302.177]
- August 25
- Tilly crosses the frontier into Saxony. [243.125]
- September 1
- King Gustav Adolf reaches an alliance with Johann Georg I, Elector of Saxony, for Saxon forces to join with the Swedes in the war. [1.174] [35.41] [243.xxxiii,126] [302.177]
- September
- The army of Saxony joins with Swedish forces at Düben and march on Leipzig. [1.174] [302.182]
- September 7
- The Swedish and Saxon armies of about 45,000 meet the Imperial army of about 36,000 at Breitenfeld, near Leipzig. An Imperial charge on the Swedish right flank is a disaster for the attacker. A charge on left flank, which the Saxons occupied, causes most of Saxon forces to run away. Tilly then advances his whole center toward the weak left flank. But the Swedes send cavalry from the right flank and attack ferociously. Tilly is wounded with 3 shots. 7-10,000 of Imperial troops are killed, plus thousands more are killed in retreat by peasants. Swedes lose about 2100 men. The Imperial army loses two-thirds of its troops, and all of its artillery. This battle is called the first battle of the modern age, and King Gustav Adolf is hailed as the father of modern warfare. [1.175] [35.39] [48.179] [243.126] [267.63] [302.184]
- October 11
- King Gustav Adolf concludes a treaty with Nuremberg, which agrees to raise 3000 men for the army. [302.211]
- October 14
- King Gustav Adolf concludes an alliance with Duke George of Lüneburg, of the House of Brunswick. [302.211]
- October 21
- Margrave Christian, prince of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, allies with King Gustav Adolf against the Emperor. [243.127]
- November 18
- Frankfort surrenders to King Gustav Adolf's army. [302.211]
- December 12
- The Spanish garrison of Mainz surrenders to the Swedish army. [243.xxxii] [302.215]
1632
- January 9
- King Gustav Adolf proposes terms of neutrality of the Catholic League to French diplomats: reduction of the army of the League to 12,000 men, with quarters only on League territories, withdrawl of assistance to Emperor Ferdinand, and restoration of Protestant territories of Lower Saxony. The King would restore the territories of the Electors of Trier and Cologne, and in the Palatinate. The French sign acceptance. (Soon all but Maxilian of the Lower Palatinate sign; Maximilian makes an alliance with the Emperor.) [302.228]
- January 12
- Wismar capitulates to Swedish general Tott. [302.216]
- February 29
- King Gustav Adolf and the Dukes of Mecklenburg sign a treaty of alliance. [3.143] [48.180]
- March 11
- Tilly raises a siege of Schweinfurt on the approach of King Gustav Adolf and general Horn, but soon leaves toward the Bavarian frontier. [302.242]
- March 21
- King Gustav Adolf's army of 40,000 enters Nuremburg to a welcome reception, with a gift of four cannons. The army continues its march southward in the evening. [1.176] [302.242]
- (month unknown)
- King Gustav Adolf's army captures Donauwörth, restoring Protestantism. [302.243]
- King Gustav Adolf's army reaches the river Lech. Across the river is Tilly's army of 30,000. The army makes its main camp at Nordheim. [302.243]
- April 4
- (evening) King Gustav Adolf's forces cross the river Lech at Rain. [1.176] [243.129] [302.245]
- April 5
- The Swedish and Imperial armies exchange cannon fire for six hours, killing 2000 of the Swedish force, and 3000 of the Imperial force. Tilly is fatally wounded. Maximilian and the army escape during the night to Ingolstadt. [302.247]
- April 14
- King Gustav Adolf's army quickly drives out the garrison of Augsburg, and is welcomed into the town. [302.247]
- April 18
- King Gustav Adolf arrives at Ingolstadt, a new fortress with excellent defences, a strong garrison under Tilly's nephew, and the Bavarian army nearby. [302.248]
- May 4
- King Gustav Adolf abandons the siege of Ingolstadt, due to losses and the withdrawal of Maximilian to Regensburg. [302.248]
- May 7
- King Gustav Adolf's forces enter Munich. [1.176] [243.129] [302.249]
- June 9
- King Gustav Adolf reaches Nuremberg. [302.255]
- (month unknown)
- A university is founded in Dorpat. [1.188,198]
- August 12
- All troops of King Gustav Adolf, Axel Oxenstiern, general Banèr, and Duke Bernard join together. [302.265]
- August 21
- King Gustav Adolf crosses Rednitz river, and begin forming another camp. [302.266]
- August 24
- King Gustav Adolf's army begins a general assault on Alte Veste, the northern side of the Imperial camp. The twelve-hour battle is not successful, with the loss of over 4000 troops dead, general Torstenson taken prisoner, and Banèr wounded. [302.266]
- September 8
- King Gustav Adolf leaves Axel Oxenstiern and General Kniphausen with garrison of 4000 at Nuremberg. [302.268]
- September 17
- King Gustav Adolf and 26,000 men leave Halle, to advance on Franconia before winter. [302.204]
- October 3
- King Gustav Adolf and army arrive at Würzburg. [302.207]
- October 5
- Würzburg is captured by the Swedish army. The garrison of 1500 is killed. Great riches are taken; the cathedral library is sent to Uppsala. [302.207]
- October 8
- King Gustav Adolf leaves Bavaria. [302.272]
- October 10
- King Gustav Adolf arrives at Nordlingen. [302.272]
- October 12
- King Gustav Adolf and a small group of guards turn to Naumberg, picking up Kniphausen and Oxenstiern. [302.272]
- October 21
- King Gustav Adolf arrives in Saxony. [302.272]
- October 23
- Bernard joins King Gustav Adolf, making the army total 12,000 on foot, and 7500 on horse. [302.272]
- October 31
- King Gustav Adolf arrives at the Saale river, and Naumberg. [302.274]
- November 4
- King Gustav Adolf learns that Pappenheim with 8000 left Wallenstein, and then Wallenstein with about 20,000 began a slow withdrawal from Weissenfels toward Lützen. The King decides to attack now. [302.276]
- November 5
- (4:00 AM) King Gustav Adolf and army advance toward Weissenfels. [302.277]
- (10:00 AM) Weissenfels signals Wallenstein that the Swedish army is approaching. [302.277]
- By the end of the day, the Swedish army is not close enough to Wallenstein's position to launch a serious attack. [302.277]
- November 6
- Armies of King Gustav Adolf and Imperial general Albrecht von Wallenstein meet in battle at Lützen. King Gustav is shot three times in a cavalry engagement early in the battle, and dies. Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar takes over command, and wins the battle. One-third (about 4500) of the Swedish-Finnish army is killed. (Following the battle, the Imperial forces are withdrawn. Swedish Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna assumes leadership in Germany, while the Council assumes control in Sweden.) [1.179] [48.181] [139.25] [243.131] [267.64] [302.279] [311.9] [371.19]
- November 14
- Axel Oxenstierna sends a draft of the Form of Government proposal to Sweden. [3.18] [48.187]
1633
- January
- A meeting is held of Franconian, Swabian, and Rhenish Circles at Ulm, to discuss forming a defensive League allied with Sweden. [243.135]
- (month unknown)
- The Riksdag acclaims Kristina Elected Queen and Hereditary Princess of Sweden. [139.29]
- Axel Oxenstierna submits a lengthy memorandum to the regency council in Stockholm concerning foreign policy, suggesting a permanent Swedish presence be kept in Pomerania. [243.133]
- Axel Oxenstierna begins the complete withdrawal of all purely Swedish units from central Germany back to the Baltic coast. [243.156]
- April 7
- The French-Swedish treaty of 1631 is renewed. [243.xxxv,144]
- April 13
- Axel Oxenstierna concludes a treaty establishing the League of Heilbronn, joining the Swabian, Franconian, and Upper and Lower Rhenish, mostly in south-west Germany. [1.182] [3.148] [243.135]
- September 17
- Imperial army leader Wallenstein launches a massive attack on Count Thurn's Swedish force at Ateinau, forcing 8000 men to surrender within a week. [243.137]
1634
- April 12
- The Frankfurt Convention is held, a meeting of Heilbronn League. George William of Brandenburg insists Sweden renounce claims to Pomerania. Axel Oxenstierna refuses, so George William refuses to join the League. [243.xxxiv,140,157]
- June
- The Upper and Lower Saxon Circles decide to support Brandenburg, and refuse to join the Heilbronn League. [243.140]
- June 21
- The remains of King Gustav Adolf are laid to rest in Riddarholm church at Stockholm. [302.287]
- July 29
- The Form of Government is enacted, containing 65 sections detailing religion, succession, rule of the King, absence of the King, etc. [3.18] [47.97]
- (month unknown)
- A constitution divides the country into provinces (läns). [1.208]
- August 25
- Combined Spanish and Imperial troops breach walls of Nördlingen. [298.21]
- August 27
- The Battle of Nördlingen is fought. The Imperial armies number 33,000 troops, the Protestant forces with 25,000. At the end of the day, 12,000 Protestants are dead, another 4,000 captured, including Swedish army leader Gustaf Horn. [1.182] [3.148] [47.98] [48.199] [139.66] [243.140] [298.21]
- December
- Axel Oxenstierna withdraws from the Heilbronn League. [243.141]
1635
- April 18
- Axel Oxenstierna and French Cardinal Richelieu sign the Treaty of Compiègne in Paris, France. Sweden gains control of the Rhine area from Breisach to Strasbourg, and France accepts Sweden as an equal ally, and agrees to declare war on Spain. Both parties agree to assist Protestants in Germany by force, and not to obtain a separate peace. [139.67] [243.xxxvii,148]
- (month unknown)
- A high court is established in Jönköping. [48.186]
- The Truce of Altmark with Poland expires. [1.182] [3.148]
- July
- Swedish officers in Magdeburg refuse to fight until paid, and take Axel Oxenstierna prisoner. [3.148] [243.xxxvii,158]
- September 10
- Swedish Council concludes the Truce of Stuhmsdorf with Poland, surrendering Prussia to Poland for 26 years truce. [3.148] [47.98] [48.199] [243.xxxvii,158]
- September 17
- The Swedish Council decides that Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna (in Germany) should either obtain territory for peace, or money for peace, or get out of Germany with safety and reputation intact. [3.149]
- October
- Bernard, Elector of Saxony, and his army desert the alliance with Sweden, and join with the French. [1.182] [3.148]
- Saxony declares war with Sweden. [3.148]
1636
- January
- The 5000-man Swedish garrison at the Gustavsburg fortified camp outside Mainz surrenders. [243.143]
- March 20
- At Wismer, Axel Oxenstierna renews the alliance with France. (However, the treaty is later not ratified by the Swedish Council.) [3.149] [243.xxxvii,148]
- (month unknown)
- All towns north of Stockholm are forbidden to participate in foreign trade. [47.126]
- July
- Axel Oxenstierna returns to Sweden, and convinces the Council to not ratify the Treaty of Wismar with the French. [3.36,149] [139.52] [243.xxxvii,159]
- August 1
- The Regency and Council draft a resolution on trying to find peace in Germany and getting out, with payment for soldier expenses if possible, and with avoiding an alliance with France if possible. [3.151] [243.160]
- September 24
- At Wittstock in Brandenburg, Swedish general Johan Banér is victorious over the Emperor and the Elector of Saxony. [1.182] [3.149] [243.160,163]
1637
- January
- The Swedish army's siege of Leipzig fails, and withdraws to Torgau on the Elbe. [243.xxxvi,163]
- June
- The Swedish army withdraws from Torgau to Pomerania. [243.xxxix,163]
- (month unknown)
- The Kalmar Nyckel and Fogel Grip ships set sail for North America, with settlers and supplies. [48.192]
- A central office controlling iron manufacturing is established. [1.179] [47.125] [48.189]
1638
- January 28
- In Stockholm Castle, French ballet master Antoine de Beaulieu produces the first ballet ever staged in Sweden, "Le Ballet des Plaisirs de la Vie des Enfants sans soucy". [139.51]
- March 5
- The French-Swedish Treaty of Wismar is ratified by the Treaty of Hamburg. No separate peace is to be pursued for three years. [3.149] [243.xxxix,160] [267.66]
- March 29
- Two Swedish/Dutch ships, the Kalmar Nyckel and the Fogel Grip, arrive at the Delaware river in North America. (Ground is soon bought from the Indians, and Nova Svecia (New Sweden) is established.) [1.379] [47.128] [48.192] [128.17] [156.18] [238.257] [267.69]
- June 1
- The Council authorizes crown land sales of 200,000 riksdaler to pay for war expenses. In future, the King will have the option to buy it back. [3.96] [48.217]
- (month unknown)
- Axel Oxenstierna sends 14,000 new troops from Sweden to join Johan Banér's army. [243.160]
- A sculptors' guild is organized in Stockholm. [48.224]
- Banér's army drives Imperialists into Silesia again. [243.168]
1639
- April
- Banér's army defeats Saxons at Chemnitz. [243.168]
- June
- Swedish troops withdraw from Bohemia. [243.168]
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