The Swedish Empire
![Lilla_riksvapnet_-_Riksarkivet_Sverige[1].png](https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/321070/Lilla_riksvapnet_-_Riksarkivet_Sverige[1].png "Lilla_riksvapnet_-_Riksarkivet_Sverige[1].png")
Three Crowns, national emblem of Sweden
From 1611 to 1721 Sweden was a European Great Power. In this era of 110 years the nation was becoming a dominant in the quest for the control of Baltic Sea and Sweden was a formidable in military power as well. The Swedish Empire emerged its power in the 17th century gaining much more of foreign influence after winning wars against Denmark, Holy Roman Empire, Russia and the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania. The succesful Thirty Years' War under the tenure of Gustav Adolf II(Lion of the North) and the well-conducted following decades determined political and militarian advantage for the Swedes and enabled the existence of the Swedish Empire throughout the 17th century. But all this hard earned glorious status of the Empire would come to an end just for a few bad decisions made by Charles XII. Because of those, the Swedish 'Stormaktstiden', The Great Power Era would end permanently.
![Dankaerts-Historis-9256.tif[1].jpg](https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/321072/Dankaerts-Historis-9256.tif[1].jpg "Dankaerts-Historis-9256.tif[1].jpg")
Gustav Adolf II, the founder of the Swedish Empire
The situation in the early stages of Charles XII reign
![Karl_XII_1706[1].jpg](https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/321084/Karl_XII_1706[1].jpg "Karl_XII_1706[1].jpg")
Charles XII of Sweden in 1706
Charles XII was at the age of 15 when he assumed the power. The Empire held a territory more than twice the size of its modern borders. The weakness of Sweden was the fact that the nation was unaligned and had many enemies. In 1700, a triple alliance was formed against Sweden by the nations of Denmark, Poland-Lithuania and Russia. Launching a threefold attack this triple alliance aimed to draw advantage as Sweden was unaligned and ruled by a young and inexperienced king. This attack is better known as the Great Northern War.
![Swedish_Pomerania[1].png](https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/321090/Swedish_Pomerania[1].png "Swedish_Pomerania[1].png")
Swedish Empire at its height (orange area is Swedish Pomerania)
First campaigns of the Great Northern War
In contrast to the conjecture, Charles XII proved to be an exceptionally skilled military leader and tactician. Denmark had launched a campaign against Swedish Holstein-Gottorp and simultaneously the Commonwealth troops advanced in Swedish Livonia. Charles decided to deal with the Danish first. This time supported by a British-Dutch fleet, the Swedish fleet carried out a bombardment on the city of Copenhagen. The surprise and the pressure from the British and the Dutch forced the Danish out from the triple alliance and the war. Now Charles was able to deploy his army to the Swedish Baltic, where the Commonwealth had laid a siege on the city of Riga.
Besides of this, the Russian army, led by Peter the Great invaded Swedish Ingria and laid a siege to Narva.
![Bombardementet_af_København_1700[1].jpg](https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/321098/Bombardementet_af_København_1700[1].jpg "Bombardementet_af_København_1700[1].jpg")
The bombardment of Copenhagen forced Denmark to withdraw from the war
Battle of Narva and the momentous decisions
![220px-Battle_of_Narva_1700[1].jpg](https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/321120/220px-Battle_of_Narva_1700[1].jpg "220px-Battle_of_Narva_1700[1].jpg")
In Narva battlefields
Narva battle was fought still in the early stages of the Great Northern War, exactly in November 1700. It would take 21 years until the war was over, but the decisions Charles XII made here would determine the fate of the Swedish Empire.
The Narva garrison was no more than 1 800 men. The siege force of the Tsardom of Russia was 37 000 men. The Swedish relief force, led by Charles arrived on time and its strenght was 10 500 men. Still the odds were favoring the Russians more than 3:1.
Charles positioned 8 000 of his troops against the Russian nearly 40 000 troops. Firmly counting on the superiority in forces, the Russians presumed that the Swedish would not attack against well fortified forces - but this was where they were wrong. On the battleday blizzard raged and wind blew the snowstorm straight into the eyes of the Russians. Here Charles saw his opportunity and advanced with his troops in the covers made by weather. When within reach, the Swedes attacked in two columns and quikly broke through the Russian lines, cutting them in three and rounded them up. The Russians went on retreat, but panicked and the only exit from the battlefield was on the bridge - the bridge collapsed under the retreating Russians. This stampede caused massive casualties for the Russians - more than 9 000 men. Remaining Russian troops surrendered, they were defeated totally.
Now it was the moment for the unfortunate decisions of Charles. Was he blinded by the flush of this enormous victory, or something else, but Charles made two crucial mistakes in a row. After the crushing defeat Peter the Great was compelled to sue peace, but Charles rejected. This peace offer would certainly have favored the Swedes, rejecting the offer was the first mistake. The battle of Narva had left the Russians very weak - if Sweden had invaded Russia immediately after the battle, Peter would have been almost powerless to stop them and the Swedes would probably marched to Moscow. But neither did Charles this and it was the second mistake. Instead the Swedes turned south and fought against Poland-Lithuania 5-6 long years. After all, the campaign against the Commonwealth was indeed victorious for Charles, the Swedes knocked out the Commonwealth and forced them to withdraw from the war temporarily, like the Danes earlier. But this didn't affect the outcome of the Great Northern War.
![220px-Victory_at_Narva[1].jpg](https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/321123/220px-Victory_at_Narva[1].jpg "220px-Victory_at_Narva[1].jpg")
Russian forces surrender to Charles
The victorious Carolean Army is crushed in Poltava
The Swedish Carolean Army under command of Charles XII invaded Russia in 1708. The Swedish forces had advanced from a victory to another and the army hadn't been defeated for 10 years. The Russians had recovered from the Narva defeat and formulated scroched earth strategy baiting the Swedes into a trap. And they succeeded in this.
In summer 1709 at Poltava, the Carolean Army was short of supplies and it was weakened due to the hard winter. The strenght of the army had shrunk into a half of its original forces - now only 20 000 of men. On the othrer side, the Russians had 80 000 of troops and this time well-drilled also.
The desperate Swedish assault against the Russian lines was a disaster for Charles. Neither did any good the cavalry maneuvers in the flanks. The battle was absolute defeat for Sweden, the worst in its military history, the nation never recovered from this battle during the war - it was the downfall of the Swedish Empire.
![300px-Marten's_Poltava[1].jpg](https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/321135/300px-Marten's_Poltava[1].jpg "300px-Marten's_Poltava[1].jpg")
Battle of Poltava in 1709
The conclude of The Great Northern War
After the disastrous defeat Charles fled to the Ottoman Empire. He spent several years in there and managed to provoke a war between the Ottomans and the Russians. Charles expenses during this long visit was covered by the Ottoman state budget, however, finally the Ottomans got tired of Charles' scheming and he was expelled from the country. Charles made his journey back home on horse across the Europe in only two weeks.
Meanwhile the anti-Swedish Coalition had formed up again and correspondingly the strenght of the Swedes had fallen. Sweden's enemies launched attacks from west and from south and at the same time the Russians advanced troughout Finland to attack the Stockholm district. For the first time Sweden found itself in a defensive war. Charles planned to counter-attack and invaded Norway, hoping this could force Denmark to withdraw from the war.
In 1718, during the Norway campaign, while inspecting the trenches close to the perimeter of the Fredriksten fortress, Charles was struck in the head by a projectile and killed. Still it took three more years to end The Great Northern War. The Coalition against Sweden had overwhelming strenght, which constantly grew. Sweden was without allies and had high war exhaustion. The country was forced to sign peace in Nystad, Finland.
The loyal soldiers bringing home the body of Charles XII
The aftermath
Probably because of the decisions made by Charles XII after the battle of Narva caused the defeat of Sweden in The Great Northern War and the loss of the status as a Great Power. Sweden lost Estonia, Livonia, Ingria, Karelia and Kexholm, Bremen-Verden and Pomerania. If the defeat would have been avoided, the following major wars would have been in the Napoleonic era at the latest. The decline in power meant that from nowon Sweden was considered as a minor European nation. The last war Sweden has waged is the Finnish War in 1808-1809. After that the country has remained outside the conflicts, offering humanitarian aid for those who in need.
Three Crowns, national emblem of Sweden
From 1611 to 1721 Sweden was a European Great Power. In this era of 110 years the nation was becoming a dominant in the quest for the control of Baltic Sea and Sweden was a formidable in military power as well. The Swedish Empire emerged its power in the 17th century gaining much more of foreign influence after winning wars against Denmark, Holy Roman Empire, Russia and the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania. The succesful Thirty Years' War under the tenure of Gustav Adolf II(Lion of the North) and the well-conducted following decades determined political and militarian advantage for the Swedes and enabled the existence of the Swedish Empire throughout the 17th century. But all this hard earned glorious status of the Empire would come to an end just for a few bad decisions made by Charles XII. Because of those, the Swedish 'Stormaktstiden', The Great Power Era would end permanently.
Gustav Adolf II, the founder of the Swedish Empire
The situation in the early stages of Charles XII reign
Charles XII of Sweden in 1706
Charles XII was at the age of 15 when he assumed the power. The Empire held a territory more than twice the size of its modern borders. The weakness of Sweden was the fact that the nation was unaligned and had many enemies. In 1700, a triple alliance was formed against Sweden by the nations of Denmark, Poland-Lithuania and Russia. Launching a threefold attack this triple alliance aimed to draw advantage as Sweden was unaligned and ruled by a young and inexperienced king. This attack is better known as the Great Northern War.
Swedish Empire at its height (orange area is Swedish Pomerania)
First campaigns of the Great Northern War
In contrast to the conjecture, Charles XII proved to be an exceptionally skilled military leader and tactician. Denmark had launched a campaign against Swedish Holstein-Gottorp and simultaneously the Commonwealth troops advanced in Swedish Livonia. Charles decided to deal with the Danish first. This time supported by a British-Dutch fleet, the Swedish fleet carried out a bombardment on the city of Copenhagen. The surprise and the pressure from the British and the Dutch forced the Danish out from the triple alliance and the war. Now Charles was able to deploy his army to the Swedish Baltic, where the Commonwealth had laid a siege on the city of Riga.
Besides of this, the Russian army, led by Peter the Great invaded Swedish Ingria and laid a siege to Narva.
The bombardment of Copenhagen forced Denmark to withdraw from the war
Battle of Narva and the momentous decisions
In Narva battlefields
Narva battle was fought still in the early stages of the Great Northern War, exactly in November 1700. It would take 21 years until the war was over, but the decisions Charles XII made here would determine the fate of the Swedish Empire.
The Narva garrison was no more than 1 800 men. The siege force of the Tsardom of Russia was 37 000 men. The Swedish relief force, led by Charles arrived on time and its strenght was 10 500 men. Still the odds were favoring the Russians more than 3:1.
Charles positioned 8 000 of his troops against the Russian nearly 40 000 troops. Firmly counting on the superiority in forces, the Russians presumed that the Swedish would not attack against well fortified forces - but this was where they were wrong. On the battleday blizzard raged and wind blew the snowstorm straight into the eyes of the Russians. Here Charles saw his opportunity and advanced with his troops in the covers made by weather. When within reach, the Swedes attacked in two columns and quikly broke through the Russian lines, cutting them in three and rounded them up. The Russians went on retreat, but panicked and the only exit from the battlefield was on the bridge - the bridge collapsed under the retreating Russians. This stampede caused massive casualties for the Russians - more than 9 000 men. Remaining Russian troops surrendered, they were defeated totally.
Now it was the moment for the unfortunate decisions of Charles. Was he blinded by the flush of this enormous victory, or something else, but Charles made two crucial mistakes in a row. After the crushing defeat Peter the Great was compelled to sue peace, but Charles rejected. This peace offer would certainly have favored the Swedes, rejecting the offer was the first mistake. The battle of Narva had left the Russians very weak - if Sweden had invaded Russia immediately after the battle, Peter would have been almost powerless to stop them and the Swedes would probably marched to Moscow. But neither did Charles this and it was the second mistake. Instead the Swedes turned south and fought against Poland-Lithuania 5-6 long years. After all, the campaign against the Commonwealth was indeed victorious for Charles, the Swedes knocked out the Commonwealth and forced them to withdraw from the war temporarily, like the Danes earlier. But this didn't affect the outcome of the Great Northern War.
Russian forces surrender to Charles
The victorious Carolean Army is crushed in Poltava
The Swedish Carolean Army under command of Charles XII invaded Russia in 1708. The Swedish forces had advanced from a victory to another and the army hadn't been defeated for 10 years. The Russians had recovered from the Narva defeat and formulated scroched earth strategy baiting the Swedes into a trap. And they succeeded in this.
In summer 1709 at Poltava, the Carolean Army was short of supplies and it was weakened due to the hard winter. The strenght of the army had shrunk into a half of its original forces - now only 20 000 of men. On the othrer side, the Russians had 80 000 of troops and this time well-drilled also.
The desperate Swedish assault against the Russian lines was a disaster for Charles. Neither did any good the cavalry maneuvers in the flanks. The battle was absolute defeat for Sweden, the worst in its military history, the nation never recovered from this battle during the war - it was the downfall of the Swedish Empire.
Battle of Poltava in 1709
The conclude of The Great Northern War
After the disastrous defeat Charles fled to the Ottoman Empire. He spent several years in there and managed to provoke a war between the Ottomans and the Russians. Charles expenses during this long visit was covered by the Ottoman state budget, however, finally the Ottomans got tired of Charles' scheming and he was expelled from the country. Charles made his journey back home on horse across the Europe in only two weeks.
Meanwhile the anti-Swedish Coalition had formed up again and correspondingly the strenght of the Swedes had fallen. Sweden's enemies launched attacks from west and from south and at the same time the Russians advanced troughout Finland to attack the Stockholm district. For the first time Sweden found itself in a defensive war. Charles planned to counter-attack and invaded Norway, hoping this could force Denmark to withdraw from the war.
In 1718, during the Norway campaign, while inspecting the trenches close to the perimeter of the Fredriksten fortress, Charles was struck in the head by a projectile and killed. Still it took three more years to end The Great Northern War. The Coalition against Sweden had overwhelming strenght, which constantly grew. Sweden was without allies and had high war exhaustion. The country was forced to sign peace in Nystad, Finland.
The loyal soldiers bringing home the body of Charles XII
The aftermath
Probably because of the decisions made by Charles XII after the battle of Narva caused the defeat of Sweden in The Great Northern War and the loss of the status as a Great Power. Sweden lost Estonia, Livonia, Ingria, Karelia and Kexholm, Bremen-Verden and Pomerania. If the defeat would have been avoided, the following major wars would have been in the Napoleonic era at the latest. The decline in power meant that from nowon Sweden was considered as a minor European nation. The last war Sweden has waged is the Finnish War in 1808-1809. After that the country has remained outside the conflicts, offering humanitarian aid for those who in need.
