In the mid-17th century, Sweden enjoyed the status of major European power, feared and admired by its contemporaries. Sweden's achievement was undoubtedly substantial, because It had triumphantly reversed the pattern of the previous half-century in which, for all its limited military success against Muscovy, it had experienced a long run of battles against the Poles, and finally against the Habsburgs and the Catholic League. By 1632, Sweden astonished contemporaries; historians ever since have sought to explain how its military success could be achieved on such a precarious economic base. Nevertheless, by 1655, during the devastating war against a host of enemies, Sweden held its own on many fronts. Military historians praised the Swedes for their reputation as aggressive and brave soldiers, but the factors which helped Sweden to maintain its predominance was the effective organization of the army, which represented a completely original model in the European scenario, no less successful than the ones of France and the Dutch Republic. AUTHOR: Bruno Mugnai was born in Florence in 1962 and still lives there with Silvia, Chiara and Eugenio. Active for years as a divulger of history and illustrator, he has published several titles for publishers such as the Historical Office of the Italian Army and Helion & Company in the UK, concerning to the periods and geographical areas of his interest, as the Ancient Italian States, central and eastern Europe in 16th, 17th and 18th century and South America after the conquest. As an illustrator he is collaborating with important Italian and foreign specialists and with the Stibbert Museum of Florence. Bruno is a Rugby Football Union enthusiast, who is still trusting in the Italian Grand Slam in the Six Nations Tournament. 70 b/w photos, 8 colour illustrations, 56 colour photos, 32pp colour plates. 2 b/w maps, 24 figures