2019-11-06 Wed

Gustavus Adolphus Day is celebrated in Sweden and some other countries on 6 November in memory of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, who was killed on that date in the year 1632 at the Battle of Lutzen in the Thirty Years' War.

According to the Gregorian calendar, the king died on 16 November, but the Julian calendar ("old style") was still used in Protestant Sweden at the time and that date – 6 November – is still used now. The day was formerly celebrated with torchlight processions and patriotic speeches.

Gustavus Adolphus Day has been celebrated since the early 19th century and became especially popular after the 200th anniversary celebration of the king's death in 1832. In Sweden, the day is especially observed in Gothenburg, which was founded by the king, but also in cities with old educational traditions, such as Uppsala, where he donated considerable funding to the university, and in cities where the military traditionally has been based.

On the 300th Anniversary of the death of Gustavus Adolphus, Sweden Post issued a set of four stamps. The stamps were issued with the denominations of 10, 15, 25 and 90 Swedish Ores. They depict a battle scene where the king is on the horse. The name of the country is at the bottom and the denomination value at the right corner of the stamp.

Image Courtesy: https://colnect.com

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