Gustavus Adolphus

Gustavus Adolphus, also known as Gustav Adolf II, was the king of Sweden from 1611 to 1632. Adolphus is best known for ushering in the era of the Swedish Empire and for his innovative military tactics that won him a number of battles in the Thirty Years War and the Polish-Swedish War, earning him the nicknames "The Lion of the North" and later, "The Father of Modern Warfare". Adolphus' innovations included effective used of combined arms tactics, cavalry attacking out from behind a solid pike and musket infantry line supported by light, mobile cannon. Soldiers were given at least basic training with all the weapons of the army- pikemen could aim and fire a musket effectively and musketeers could handle a pike. Cavalry and infantrymen were trained to man artillery, which allowed them to turn captured guns against the enemy. Even artillery crews and infantry were trained in fighting on horseback. With his well-trained army and innovative tactics, Adolphus won several major battles including Brietenfeld and Rain. Adolphus died when he was shot by an enemy musketeer at the Battle of Lutzen in 1632.