This article discussed the background of the Swedish invasion, the military campaign, and the defeat of Charles and his army at Poltava. Charles XII's loss essentially ensured the end of The Swedish Empire. Today we associate Sweden with liberal values and peaceful society. As a child, he was a keen observer of the political and military matters of his kingdom, while preparing to rule the kingdom someday. The Swedes decided to retreat to their winter camp in Western Ukraine in November 1708. At this point, Charles was urged to march on St Petersburg, but the young monarch wanted to seize Moscow and put a puppet on the throne. However, due to the conditions of the 1617 peace treaty, Russia lost its access to the Baltic Sea. Charles was the only surviving son of Charles XI and his German wife Ulrika Eleonora the Elder. To link up with the Cossacks, he moved away from the Russian heartland and headed into Ukraine. Charles XII, aka Carolus Rex -- boy, the difference growing up and sobering up can make. However, in the Early Modern Period, the Kingdom of Sweden was one of Europe's powerhouses and the greatest power in Northern Europe. However, the Russian army was quick to react, and they launched a surprise attack on the Cossacks at their capital Batruin in Ukraine. Then there was the strategy of the Russians. Charles then secured major victory over a much larger Russian army in 1700 at the Battle of Narva, when Peter the Great narrowly escaped with his life. without doing that, would Napoleon be in even … Charles XII invasion of Russia was a Swedish invasion of Russia, 1707 - 1709, in the Great Northern War and began as the Russian army was broken after the battle of Narva between Swedes and Russians, The Swedes prepared a march into Russia with good chances to conquer them. Commander-in-chief - Wikipedia Napoleon studied Russian geography and the history of Charles XII's invasion of 1708–1709 and understood the need to bring forward as many supplies as possible. [9] Charles lost many men to the extreme cold and frostbite. Young Charles XII was the driving force of the Great Northern War. Tsar Peter the Great and his inner circle developed a strategy that avoided confrontation. While the Swedes were campaigning in Germany and Poland after 1706, Peter ordered his forces into Ingaria and found a new port to become the City of St Petersburg. Then he placed too much trust in the Cossacks, and his trust in them was misplaced. This was a disaster, and it sealed the fate of the Swedish invasion and the Swedish Empire. The invasion of Russia by Charles XII of Sweden was a campaign undertaken during the Great Northern War between Sweden and the allied states of Russia, Poland, and Denmark. In total, the Swedish army was composed of 50,000 men, mostly Swedes and Finns. By the 1660s the Kingdom of Sweden directly controlled the modern states of Finland and the Baltic States. Home › Military History › Why did Charles XII of Sweden fail to conquer Russia in 1708? This was to leave Charles isolated during the Steppes at the onset of winter. Sweden in 1700 was the greatest Northern European power and this provoked the jealousy of its neighbors. How did Vatican II change the Catholic Church? They all had grievances with the Swedes and resented what they saw as their domination in the Baltic Sea. The reinforcements were attacked by Peter’s army and suffered many casualties and lost many precious cannons. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. “It never seems to work out invading Russia.” READ MORE: These Despots Had Different National Identities at Birth Trying to live off the land was futile as the Steppes had no real population centers, and those who lived there were usually destitute. Charles XII marched into Russia with just 40,000 men, a small force compared to the 500,000 of Napoleon's Grande Armee of 1812, or the 3 million … It had only weakened him and his army. It has not been involved in a war since the Napoleonic era. Less well-known is invasion of Russia by the Swedes under their most famous king, Charles XII. This effectively weakened the invading army. These were to prove fatal mistakes. Why did the Battle of the Somme fail to achieve its objectives? While the Swedes were campaigning in Germany and Poland after 1706 Peter ordered his forces into Ingaria and found a new port that was to become the City of St Petersburg. It demonstrates that the failure of the Swedish army’s invasion was due to the geography of Russia, bad luck and the dogged stubbornness of the Russian people. According to Voltaire, he wanted to annihilate Peter the Great. Swedish armies briefly conquered Novgorod in 1611, but in 1617 were forced to give it back. This war's culmination was the Swedish monarch’s invasion of Russia and his subsequent defeat by Tsar Peter the Great at Poltava (1709). Later, Charles campaigned in Poland and imposed his choice of the king on the country. Charles XII took power at the age of 15 in 1697, 7 months after his father, King Charles XI had died. What happens when Napoleon arrives in 1812 since according to wikipedia Napoleon studied Russian geography and the history of Charles XII's invasion of 1708–1709 and understood the need to bring forward as many supplies as possible. However, he made several serious miscalculations. Charles XII, king of Sweden (1697–1718), an absolute monarch who defended his country for 18 years during the Great Northern War and promoted significant domestic reforms. Winter was approaching, and in the cold many, soldiers succumbed to frostbite. The failed invasion of the Russian Empire by Charles XII has been largely forgotten but had he succeeded, Europe's fate could have been different. The Poles and Danes attacked the Swedes in Northern Germany, and the Russians attacked them in the Baltics and thus began the Great Northern War. Charles XII of Sweden was the king of Sweden from 1697 to 1718. Less well-known is the invasion of Russia by the Swedes under their most famous king, Charles XII. Around 1700, the kings of Denmark–Norway, Saxony (ruled by elector August II of Poland, who was also the king of Poland-Lithuania) and Russia united in an alliance against Sweden, largely through the efforts of Johann Reinhold Patkul, a Livonian nobleman gone traitor through the "great reduction" of Charles XI … This alliance did not strengthen Charles as he had hoped. [10] The sheer scale of Russia meant that Charles army was in a state of near physical collapse when it encountered the enemy at Poltava, and even if it had won here, it seems likely that it would have disintegrated as Napoleon’s Grand Armee had in the winter of 1813. The Importance of the Indus Valley Civilization. Why. However, in the Early Modern Period the Kingdom of Sweden was one of the powerhouses of Europe and the greatest power in Northern Europe. This gave the Russians an outlet to the sea, from which they could threaten Sweden in the Baltic. Peter the Great and his generals adopted a cautious strategy. Charles XII was widely seen as a military genius, and Voltaire, who wrote his biography, called him the most remarkable man of his time. The Polish-Swedish War of 1701-1706, also known as Karl XII's invasion of Poland or the Polish front of the Great Northern War, was a conflict in eastern Europe overshadowed by the ongoing Great Northern War fought between the Swedish Empire against the Russian Empire, Denmark-Norway, Saxony and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. They decided to avoid a set battle with Charles, whose army though inferior, was much superior in terms of experience and training. [2] Its fleet also dominated the Baltic. He ordered the troops he had left with the Polish king to join him, no sooner than they had left that his Polish ally faced a general revolt. The British and the American navies on the Great Lakes were eliminated. At the last minute, Charles assembled a large army but was obliged to leave some of his troops with the Polish King, who was his puppet. Charles was the only surviving son of Charles XI and Ulrika Eleonora the Elder. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The Mysterious Illness of Jim Bowie: How Did He Contribute to His Own Decline? The Swedish monarch strategy was too ambitious, and he was not aware of Russia's sheer extent. It seemed that the young Swedish monarch would lose his empire, but the young man was to prove himself to be a military genius. Voltaire did not doubt that the entire invasion of Russia was a mistake. Sweden in 1700 was the greatest Northern European power and this provoked the jealousy of its neighbors. Charles XII managed to escape with a small number of followers into Ottoman territory, and he later returned to Sweden. Charles XII - Charles XII - Years in Turkey, 1709–14: Turkey’s desire to reconquer Azov from Peter the Great augured well for its cooperation with Charles XII, but—in spite of four Turkish declarations of war against Russia—as the army expected from Sweden never arrived, the Swedish king was unable to pursue his plans vigorously. But after the experience of Syria and Ukraine, Russian generals are adjusting their military doctrine to defeat a wider array of possible attacks, which, although less dangerous than all-out invasion, are more likely to The young monarch belonged to the Royal German House of Palatinate. [3] By that year, all the enemies of Charles XII had been vanquished, and only Peter the Great remained at war. Perhaps the most brilliant strategy in the war was the Russians' unexpected attack on the Cossacks. of Charles XII's invasion. By this time, he was popularly known as ‘The Alexander of the West,’ a comparison with Alexander the Great. His son became king of Sweden at the age of fifteen. Ivan Mazepa, Hetman of the Ukrainian Cossacks, managed to secure a vast area independent of the Russians. They used geography and climate to great effect. [1] Under the House of Vassa, the kingdom had expanded greatly. The Russians then cut off the Swede's supply lines. Charles XII was one of the most talented military leaders of the Early Modern era. The bulk of the Swedish army retreated to Perevolochna, where they were soon encircled and forced to surrender. Charles launched a surprise attack on Copenhagen and knocked the Danes out of the war. Charles XII, also Carl (Swedish: Karl XII; 17 June 1682 – 30 November 1718), Latinized to Carolus Rex, was the King of Sweden from 1697 to 1718. This led to the Great Northern War. He made a cardinal error by marching on Moscow, and he should have attacked and conquered St Petersburg instead. Furthermore, the Cossacks had failed to meet him as had originally been planned, and they had been tardy in their deployment. This page was last edited on 21 November 2020, at 08:24. The Swedish monarch was quoted as saying ‘"I have resolved never to start an unjust war but never to end a legitimate one except by defeating my enemies. Charles was confronted by a huge Russian army that was numerically superior to his own. Charles was now reliant on the support of the massive Cossack rebellion led by Mazepa in Ukraine. This able king died while still a relatively young man. [8] The invasion force of Charles was now in the vast Steppes of Ukraine with little support and an overextended supply line. “Scorched-Earth tactics” wasn’t much of a tactics at the time: it was a necessity dictated by the need to keep a huge marching army warm at night and to provide at least one meal a day every day for everybody. He was the second child and the first son of Charles XI of Sweden and Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark. Charles XI of Sweden had managed to defend the extensive Empire and had greatly expanded its influence. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! How did World War II Lead to the Cold War? In the following summer of 1709, in a skirmish with some Russians, Charles was wounded and fell into a coma. The invasion of Russia by Charles XII of Sweden was a campaign undertaken during the Great Northern War between Sweden and the allied states of Russia, Poland, and Denmark. With a kid on the throne, its enemies figured 1700 was the ideal year to attack. The Swedish king secured a great victory with only minimal losses. The failed invasion of Russia by Hitler and Napoleon are well known. Many units were needed to defend Sweden and its extensive Empire. It was Russia’s finest force at the time, and an immediate invasion by Sweden might well have succeeded. The Swedes came across the army of Peter the Great at the fort of Poltava in June 1709. However, it must also be noted that bad luck was also a factor, such as the sudden collapse of the Cossack rebellion in Ukraine and Charles XII being unable to lead his men into battle at Poltava. Like subsequent invaders, they struggled in the vast landscape with its harsh climate. This led to the Great Northern War. The Swedish king was able to lead his men once again, but it was too late. Learn how your comment data is processed. Less well-known is invasion of Russia by the Swedes under their most famous king, Charles XII. Charles was the only surviving son of Charles XI and his German wife Ulrika Eleonora the Elder. His son became king of Sweden at the age of fifteen. Charles XII invasion of Russia, 1708-1709, https://dailyhistory.org/index.php?title=Why_did_Charles_XII_of_Sweden_fail_to_conquer_Russia_in_1708%3F&oldid=21396. Charles XII had broken Russia’s only major force, seized much of its supplies, and was well-positioned to invade the motherland before Peter could raise a new force. This meant that he did not meet up with the Swedes, but the Russians were able to surround him and his men and end the Cossacks rebellion[11]. Charles had entered an alliance with them in the hopes of securing a massive army. The army that Charles faced at Poltava was superior to the one he faced at Narva. Charles XI of Sweden had managed to defend the extensive Empire and had greatly expanded its influence. It had emerged as one of the real winners from the Thirty Years War. They adopted a cautious approach, knowing that the elements would help them defeat the Swedes. This tries to provide an account of Napoleon’s, Charles XII’s, and Hitler’s invasions of Russia. As noted by the encyclopedia Britannica, King Charles XII ascended to the throne of Sweden in 1697 at the age of 15. Part of the Monument to Charles XII in Stockholm, with Charles pointing towards Russia In 1700, Denmark-Norway, Saxony, and Russia united in an alliance against Sweden, using the perceived opportunity as Sweden was ruled by the young and inexperienced King. Instead, they adopted delaying tactics, knowing that the Swedes would suffer in the Steppes during the winter. The leadership of the army passed to Rehnskiöld. The young monarch belonged to the Royal German House of Palatinate. But there was Riga and the Saxons to consider, and Charles let the moment pass. In 1700, a triple alliance of Denmark's kingdoms, Poland and Russia, launched a three-pronged attack on the Swedes. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Supply depots were also established at Danzig, Breslau and Magdeburg before the campaign. The sheer scale of Russia and its endless Steppes proved too much for the Swedes. [1] Under the House of Vassa the kingdom had expanded greatly. Until they made the classic mistake of invading Russia. Charles planned an invasion of the Russian heartland, allying himself with Ivan Mazepa, Hetman of the Ukrainian Cossacks. Charles XII spent his childhood amidst luxury. While some Swedes tried to lay siege to Saint Petersburg in 1708 (but the town resisted), Charles XII of Sweden led an army to invade the territories around Smolensk, but ultimately co… He ignored his generals, who wanted him to conquer St Petersburg. The failed invasion of Russia by Hitler and Napoleon are well known. They did so before the Cossacks could rendezvous with the Swedish army. It also had extensive possessions in Northern Germany, Poland, and Russia. In the interim, a caretaker government ran things until Charles XII took the throne. Despite being inferior in numbers, they besieged Poltava. [12] They also concentrated on attacks on Charles XII supply line and reinforcements. 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