Born in 1497; died in 1552. Called the Luther of Sweden. Was a man of determined character, great eloquence, and common sense. He wrote in a strong, pure style, and with a critical judgment. His Svenska krönika is the first history of Sweden written in modern Swedish. It was completed in 1534, but runs only to the year 1521. It awoke the hostility of Gustavus because of its leniency to the old bishops and clergy.
Rensel, Clement. Berättelse hörande till Konung Gustafs I.'s historia. [In Handlingar rörande Skandinaviens historia. Stockh., 1816-1865. 41 vols. 8o. vol. ii. pp. 13-54.]
A native of Livonia, came to Sweden in 1521 to enlist under the banner of Gustavus. He writes like a blunt soldier who revels in the story of a battle. His Berättelse seems to have been written for the king. It is chiefly a chronicle of Swedish wars, running from 1518 to 1536. The original MS. is in the University Library at Upsala, and seems to have run later than the year 1536, a portion at the end of the MS. being lost.
Diarium Vazstenense ab anno 1344 ad annum 1545. [In Scriptores rerum Suecicarum, vol. i. sect. 1, pp. 99-229.]
A long chronology of Church affairs, chiefly relating to the monastery at Vadstena. Written by unknown hands, and completed in the sixteenth century.
Märkvärdige händelser i Sverige ifrån 1220 till 1552. [In Scriptores rerum Suecicarum, vol. i. sect. 1, pp. 90-91.]
A very short chronology of general events in Sweden, by an unknown author, written in the sixteenth century.
Magni, Johannes. De omnibus Gothorum Sueonumque regibus qui unquam ab initio nationis extitere, eorumque memorabilibus bellis late uarieque per orbem gestis, opera Olai Magni Gothi fratris eiusdem autoris ac etiam archiepiscopi Upsalensis in lucem edita. Romae, 1554. 4o.
The author, the last Roman Catholic archbishop of Sweden, was born in 1488 and died in 1544. The work is edited by his brother, Olaus Magni. It runs to the year 1520. The writer lacks critical judgment, and his work abounds in errors. He writes as one who, though wronged, is unwilling to complain; yet he hints that later generations may not think so highly of Gustavus as those living at the time.
Magni, Olaus. Historia de gentibus Septentrionalibus, earumque diuersis statibus, conditionibus, moribus, ritibus, superstitionibus, disciplinis, exercitiis, regimine, uictu, bellis, fructuris, instrumentis, ac mineris metallicis, et rebus mirabilibus, necnon uniuersis pene animalibus in Septentrione degentibus, eorumque natura. Romae, 1555. 6o.