¦ DanishSwedish conflicts New trading routes across the Atlantic had educed the power of the Hanseatic League, and Fr«H™x bitious successor to Christian, шГн " u 3s a chance for expansion. also seeking to expand, Га1, L?"" 'he Seven Years' War was IsTt '«""'"es from 1563 to tionanT!i widespread devasta Oafish economy into crisis "gh his was shortlived: price rises in the and the wealth to grow, ' ™eas,ng affluence of the time was marked by the building of the elaborate castle of Kronborg in Helsing0r. By the time Christian IV came to the throne in 1596, Denmark was a solvent and powerful nation. His reign was to be characterised by bold new town layouts and great architectural works. Copenhagen became acknowledged as a major European capital, gaining both a large increase in population and much of today's skyline, including Rosenborg, Barsen and RundetSrnet. To stem the rise of Swedish power after the Seven Years' War, Christian IV took Denmark into the abortive Thirty Years' War in 1625, in which Danish defeat was total, and the king was widely condemned for his lack of foresight. The war led to increased taxes, inflation became rampant, and a number of merchants displayed their anger by petitioning the king over tax exemptions and other privileges enjoyed by nobles. In 1657 Sweden occupied Jutland, and soon after marched across the frozen sea to Funen with the intention of continuing to Zealand. Hostilities ceased with the signing of the Treaty of Roskilde, under which Denmark finally lost all Swedish provinces. Sweden, however, was still suspicious of possible Danish involvement in Germany, and broke the terms of the treaty, commencing an advance through Zealand towards Copenhagen. The Dutch, to whom the Swedes had been allied, regarded this as a precursor to total Swedish control of commercial traffic through the Sound and sent a fleet to protect Copenhagen. This, plus a number of local uprisings within Denmark and attacks by Polish and Brandenburg forces on Sweden, halted the Swedes' advance and forced them to seek peace. The Treaty of Copenhagen, signed in 1660, acknowledged Swedish defeat but allowed the country to retain the Sound provinces acquired under the Treaty of Roskilde, so preventing either country from monopolising Sound trade. ¦ Absolute monarchy Н I STO HYIAL In Denmark, the financial power of the nobles was fading as towns became established and the new merchant class grew. The advent of firearms caused the king to become less dependent on the footsoldiers provided by the nobles, and there was a general unease about the privileges such as exemption from tax that the nobles continued to enjoy. Equally, few monarchs were content with their powers being limited by hindfasstning.? During the Swedish siege of Copenhagen, the king had promised special concessions to the city and its people, in the hope of encouraging them to withstand the assault. Among these were a right to determine their own rate of tax.