Award-winning biography covering the life of Swedish statesman Axel Oxenstierna No Swede has exercised as much power for as long of a period of time as Axel Oxenstierna, and few have used their power as effectively. Oxenstierna became chancellor of Sweden in 1612 and held the position until his death in 1654. Axel Oxenstierna was Sweden's first European statesman, and he also created the modern Swedish state. Gunnar Wetterberg's extensive biography in two Swedish volumes, Kanslern: Axel Oxenstierna i sin tid I-II, has been reworked by the author to provide an abridged portrait of the man, with an emphasis on his state-building and international achievements. This condensed version has now been translated into English for the first time. Despite the major impact that Oxenstierna had on both Swedish and European history, there has not been an extensive biography about him in another language until now. Axel Oxenstierna: The Mastermind behind Sweden's Victory in the Thirty Years' War is not just an attempt to cover the most exciting period of Swedish history - it also provides a detailed depiction of Oxenstierna as a skilled practitioner of statesmanship and politics.".