Reviving Hope of the Bishops—Their Efforts—Their Intrigues—Restriction of religious Freedom—Their Purpose to elect the King’s fourth Son—Adjournment of the Election—Tausen sentenced to Death—Rising of the Townsmen—Rescue of Tausen—The Bishops threatened—Banishment of Tausen—Brigitta Gjoë—Persecution of Evangelicals—Polemics—Popular Writings—Attack of Lübeck on Denmark—Rapid Progress of the Invaders—A Diet in Jutland—Long Debates—Election of Christian III. in spite of the Bishops 194 CHAPTER V. CHRISTIAN III. PROCLAIMED KING—TRIUMPH OF THE REFORMATION IN DENMARK, NORWAY, AND ICELAND. (1533 to 1550.) Vigorous Prosecution of the War by the new King—The Enemy driven from the Provinces—Siege of Copenhagen—Extreme Sufferings of the besieged Town—Entry of Christian into his Capital—His Determination to crush the temporal Power of the Bishops—Arrest of the Bishops—General Council of the Nation—Bill of Indictment against the Bishops—Their Deprivation—Their Liberation—The King’s Invitation to Pomeranus—Reorganization of the Church by Pomeranus—New Constitution of the Church—The Reformation in Norway—In the main a Work of the Government—The Reformation in Iceland—The two Bishops of Iceland—Oddur’s Translation of the New Testament—An Evangelical Bishop—His Death—Popish Reaction—Triumph of the Gospel 211 CHAPTER VI. THE EARLIEST REFORMERS OF SWEDEN. (1516 to 1523.) Various Influences—The Brothers Olaf and Lawrence—Their early Studies—Their Application to Theology—Olaf at Wittenberg—His Intimacy with Luther—His Return to Sweden—The two Brothers and Bishop Mathias—Present at the Massacre of Stockholm—Mathias one of the Victims—Lawrence Anderson Successor of Mathias—He is favorable to the Reformation—Olaf and Lawrence at their Father’s Funeral—Their Refusal of the Services of the Monks—Violent Opposition—Their Death demanded by Bishop Brask 231 CHAPTER VII. THE REFORMERS SUPPORTED BY THE LIBERATOR OF SWEDEN. (1519 to 1524.) Gustavus Vasa Prisoner in Denmark—His Escape from Confinement—His Struggle for the Independence of Sweden—His Flight from Place to Place—News of the Massacre of Stockholm—Concealment in the Mountains—Farm Labor—Recognition of Him—Betrayal—Pursued like a wild Beast—His Attempt to rouse the People—Unsuccessful Efforts—A Rising at last—Speedy Triumph—Gustavus nominated King—His Leaning to Reform—His Welcome to the Reformers—Anderson Chancellor of the Kingdom—Olaf Preacher at Stockholm—Partisans and Adversaries—Conspiracies of the Bishops—Bishop Brask—Citation of Olaf and Lawrence before the Chapter—Their Attitude—Anathema 244 CHAPTER VIII. STRUGGLES. (1524 to 1527.)