Editing Charles XI of Sweden (section)

===Assimilation of the newest territories===
[[File:Swedish Empire.svg|right|thumb|Development of the [[Swedish Empire]] in Early Modern Europe (1560–1815)]]
{{further|Uniformity policy}}

Charles believed it was very important to [[Swedification|assimilate]] the new Swedish territories of [[Scania]], [[Blekinge]], [[Halland]], in southern Sweden; [[Bohuslän]] in western Sweden and [[Jämtland]], in northern Sweden, and the island of [[Gotland]]. Some assimilation policies included: the ban of all books written in Danish or Norwegian; the use of [[Swedish language]] in the conduct of sermons; and all new priests and teachers having to come from Sweden.<ref name="ÅbergProv">Åberg (1958), pp. 135–146</ref><ref name="RystadProv">Rystad (2003) pp. 307–344</ref>

The king had seen bitter resentment from the Scanian peasants during the Scanian War and was particularly tough on that province. The guerrilla ''[[Snapphane]]'' movement, in northern Scania, had attacked his soldiers and stolen his money. They also had strong support from the local villages. Charles remained suspicious of the Scanian inhabitants throughout his life. He did not allow soldiers from Scania in his Scanian regiment: the 1,200 soldiers that were to be stationed there had to be recruited from more northern provinces. He also advocated rough treatment of the inhabitants and the first [[Swedish Governors-General|Governor-General]] of Scania, his trusted aide [[Johan Göransson Gyllenstierna|Johan Gyllenstierna]] (governor-general 1679–1680), was notably brutal in his treatment of the locals. The rule of [[Rutger von Ascheberg]] (governor-general 1680–1693), proved more lenient.<ref name="ÅbergProv"/><ref name="RystadProv"/>

The assimilation was not as strongly implemented in the German [[Dominions of Sweden|dominions]] of [[Swedish Pomerania]], [[Bremen-Verden]], and the Baltic dominions ([[Duchy of Estonia (1561–1721)|Estonia]] and [[Duchy of Livonia (1629–1721)|Livonia]]). In Germany, Charles found himself being opposed by the Estates there. He was also bound by the law of the German emperor and the peace treaty. In the Baltic, the power structure was completely different, with a German-descended nobility that used [[serfdom|serfs]], something that Charles abhorred and wanted to abolish but was unable to. Finally, [[County of Kexholm|Kexholm]] and [[Duchy of Ingria|Ingria]] were sparsely populated and not of great interest.<ref name="ÅbergProv"/><ref name="RystadProv"/>