North War |
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Eastern, Central Europe |
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Victory of the anti-Swedish coalition |
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Territorial changes: |
Nystadt Peace |
Opponents |
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Ottoman Empire (1710-1713) |
Zaporozhian Army (in 1700-1708 and 1709-1721) |
Crimean Khanate (in 1710-1713) |
Moldavia (in 1710-1713) |
Rzeczpospolita (in 1705-1709) |
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Zaporozhian Army (in 1708-1709) |
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Prussia Hanover |
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Commanders |
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Peter I the Great |
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A. D. Menshikov |
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Devlet II Giray |
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Ivan Mazepa (in 1708-1709) |
Frederick IV |
Kost Gordienko |
Ivan Mazepa (in 1700-1708) |
Ivan Skoropadsky (in 1709-1721) |
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Strengths of the parties |
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Sweden - 77,000-135,000 Ottoman Empire - 100,000-200,000 |
Russia - 170,000 Denmark - 40,000 Poland and Saxony - 170,000 |
Military losses |
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Sweden - 175,000 |
Russia - 30,000 killed, 90,000 wounded and shell-shocked Denmark - 8,000 killed Poland and Saxony - 14,000-20,000 |
North War(1700-1721) - the war between the Russian kingdom and Sweden for dominance in the Baltic, also known as Great Northern War. Initially, Russia entered the war in a coalition with the Danish-Norwegian kingdom and Saxony - as part of the so-called Northern Union, but after the outbreak of hostilities the alliance fell apart and was restored in 1709. At different stages the war also took part: on the Russian side - England (from 1707 Great Britain), Hanover, Holland, Prussia, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth; Hannover is on the Swedish side. The war ended with the defeat of Sweden in 1721 with the signing of the Treaty of Nystadt.
Causes of the war
By 1700, Sweden was the dominant power on the Baltic Sea and one of the leading European powers. The country's territory included a significant part of the Baltic coast: the entire coast of the Gulf of Finland, the modern Baltic states, and part of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. Each of the countries of the Northern Alliance had its own motives for entering the war with Sweden.
For Russia, gaining access to the Baltic Sea was the most important foreign policy and economic task during this period. In 1617, according to the Stolbovo Peace Treaty, Russia was forced to cede to Sweden the territory from Ivangorod to Lake Ladoga and, thus, completely lost the Baltic coast. During the war of 1656-1658, part of the territory in the Baltic states was returned. Nyenskans, Noteburg and Dinaburg were captured; Riga is besieged. However, the resumption of the war with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth forced Russia to sign the Treaty of Kardis and return all conquered lands to Sweden.
Denmark was pushed into conflict with Sweden by long-standing rivalry for dominance in the Baltic Sea. In 1658, Charles X Gustav defeated the Danes during a campaign in Jutland and Zealand and seized part of the provinces in the south of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Denmark has refused to collect duties for ships passing through the Sound Strait. In addition, the two countries competed intensely for influence over Denmark's southern neighbor, the Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein.
Saxony's entry into the union was explained by the obligation of Augustus II to return Livonia to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth if he was elected king of Poland. This province fell into Swedish hands under the Treaty of Oliva in 1660.
The coalition was initially formalized by a 1699 treaty between Russia and Denmark, with Russia committing to enter the war only after peace had been concluded with the Ottoman Empire. In the fall of the same year, representatives of Augustus II joined the negotiations, concluding the Preobrazhensky Treaty with Russia.
Beginning of the war
The beginning of the war is characterized by a continuous series of Swedish victories. On February 12, 1700, Saxon troops besieged Riga, but were unsuccessful. In August of that year, the Danish king Frederick IV launched an invasion of the Duchy of Holstein-Gottorp in the south of the country. However, the troops of the 18-year-old Swedish king Charles XII unexpectedly landed near Copenhagen. Denmark was forced to conclude the Treaty of Travendal on August 7 (18) and renounce the alliance with Augustus II (the alliance with Peter was not yet known at that time, since Russia had not begun hostilities).
On August 18, Peter received news of the conclusion of the Constantinople Peace Treaty with the Turks and on August 19 (30), also not yet knowing about Denmark’s withdrawal from the war, he declared war on Sweden under the pretext of revenge for the insult shown to Tsar Peter in Riga. On August 22, he marched with troops from Moscow to Narva.
Meanwhile, Augustus II, having learned about Denmark's imminent exit from the war, lifted the siege of Riga and retreated to Courland. Charles XII transferred his troops by sea to Pernov (Pärnu), landing there on October 6 and headed towards Narva, besieged by Russian troops. On November 19 (30), 1700, the troops of Charles XII inflicted a heavy defeat on the Russians in the Battle of Narva. After this defeat, for several years in Europe, the opinion about the complete incapacity of the Russian army was established, and Charles received the nickname of the Swedish “Alexander the Great.”
The Swedish king decided not to continue active military operations against the Russian army, but to deliver the main blow to the troops of Augustus II. Historians disagree on whether this decision of the Swedish king was due to objective reasons (the inability to continue the offensive, leaving the Saxon army in the rear) or personal hostility towards Augustus and disdain for Peter’s troops.
Swedish troops invaded Polish territory and inflicted several major defeats on the Saxon army. In 1701 Warsaw was taken, in 1702 victories were won near Torun and Krakow, in 1703 - near Danzig and Poznan. And on January 14, 1704, the Sejm deposed Augustus II as king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and elected the Swedish protege Stanislav Leszczynski as the new king.
Meanwhile, there were no large-scale military operations on the Russian front. This gave Peter the opportunity to regain his strength after the defeat at Narva. Already in 1702, the Russians again switched to offensive operations.
During the campaign of 1702-1703, the entire course of the Neva, guarded by two fortresses, was in the hands of the Russians: at the source of the river - the Shlisselburg fortress (Oreshek fortress), and at the mouth - St. Petersburg, founded on May 27, 1703 (in the same place, at the confluence of the Okhta River in the Neva there was the Swedish fortress of Nyenschanz, taken by Peter I, which was later dismantled for the construction of St. Petersburg). In 1704, Russian troops captured Dorpat and Narva. The assault on the fortresses clearly demonstrated the increased skill and equipment of the Russian army.
The actions of Charles XII caused discontent in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Sandomierz Conference, which met in 1704, united supporters of Augustus II and announced the non-recognition of Stanislav Leszczynski as king.
On August 19 (30), 1704, the Narva Treaty was concluded between Russia and representatives of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth on an alliance against Sweden; according to this agreement, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth officially entered the war on the side of the Northern Union. Russia, together with Saxony, launched military operations on Polish territory.
In 1705, a victory was won over Leszczynski's troops near Warsaw. At the end of 1705, the main Russian forces under the command of Field Marshal Georg Ogilvy stopped for the winter in Grodno. Unexpectedly, in January 1706, Charles XII sent large forces in this direction. The allies expected to fight after the arrival of Saxon reinforcements. But on February 2 (13), 1706, the Swedes inflicted a crushing defeat on the Saxon army at the Battle of Fraustadt, defeating three times the enemy forces. Left without hope of reinforcements, the Russian army was forced to retreat in the direction of Kyiv. Due to the spring thaw, the Swedish army was stuck in the Pinsk swamps and the king abandoned the pursuit of Ogilvy's army.
Instead, he threw his forces into the destruction of cities and fortresses where Polish and Cossack garrisons were located. In Lyakhovichi, the Swedes locked up a detachment of Pereyaslavl Colonel Ivan Mirovich. In April 1706, by order "Zaporozhian troops of both sides of the Dnieper hetman and the glorious rank of the holy Apostle Andrew Cavalier" Ivan Mazepa sent the regiment of Semyon Neplyuev to the Lyakhovichi to rescue Mirovich, which was supposed to unite with the Mirgorod regiment of the Zaporozhye Army, Colonel Daniil Apostol.
As a result of the battle at Kletsk, the Cossack cavalry, succumbing to panic, trampled Neplyuev’s infantry. As a result, the Swedes were able to defeat the Russian-Cossack troops. On May 1, Lyakhovichi surrendered to the Swedes.
But Charles again did not follow Peter’s troops, but, having devastated Polesie, in July 1706 deployed his army against the Saxons. This time the Swedes invaded the territory of Saxony itself. On September 24 (October 5), 1706, Augustus II secretly concluded a peace agreement with Sweden. According to the agreement, he renounced the Polish throne in favor of Stanislav Leszczynski, broke the alliance with Russia and pledged to pay an indemnity for the maintenance of the Swedish army.
However, not daring to announce betrayal in the presence of the Russian army under the command of Menshikov, Augustus II was forced with his troops to participate in the Battle of Kalisz on October 18 (29), 1706. The battle ended with the complete victory of the Russian army and the capture of the Swedish commander. This battle was the largest involving the Russian army since the beginning of the war. But despite the brilliant victory, Russia was left alone in the war with Sweden.
Invasion of Russia
During 1707, the Swedish army was in Saxony. During this time, Charles XII managed to make up for losses and significantly strengthen his troops. At the beginning of 1708, the Swedes moved towards Smolensk. It is generally accepted that they initially planned the main attack in the direction of Moscow. The position of the Russians was complicated by the fact that Peter I did not know the enemy’s plans and the direction of his movement.
On July 3 (14), 1708, Karl won the Battle of Golovchin over Russian troops under the command of General Repnin. This battle was the last major success of the Swedish army.
Further advance of the Swedish army slowed down. Through the efforts of Peter I, the Swedes had to move through devastated terrain, experiencing an acute shortage of provisions. By the autumn of 1708, Charles XII was forced to turn south towards Ukraine.
On September 28 (October 9), 1708, in the battle near the village of Lesnoy, the troops of Peter I defeated Levenhaupt’s corps, moving from Riga to join Charles’s main army. This was not just a victory over selected Swedish troops - for the first time a victory was won over superior enemy forces. Tsar Peter called her the mother of the Poltava Victoria. Pyotr Alekseevich personally commanded one of the two columns of the “flying” corps of the Russian army - the corvolant. Under his command were the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments, a battalion of the Astrakhan regiment and three dragoon regiments. The other column (left) was commanded by General A.D. Menshikov. The enemy corps was overtaken near the village of Lesnoy. The Swedish military leader had to take on the battle, which began with a Russian attack. Peter I, with the arrival of fresh dragoon cavalry, cut off the enemy’s road to Propoisk and intensified the pressure on the Swedes. In the evening, the battle stopped due to the onset of dusk and the onset of a blizzard, which blinded the eyes. Levenhaupt had to destroy the remains of his huge convoy (most of it became Russian booty), and his corps, pursued by the Russian cavalry, managed to reach the royal camp.
The total losses of the Swedes amounted to 8.5 thousand killed and wounded, 45 officers and 700 soldiers were captured. The trophies of the Russian army were 17 guns, 44 banners and about 3 thousand carts with provisions and ammunition. General Levenhaupt was able to bring only about 6 thousand demoralized soldiers to the king.
In October 1708, it became known that Hetman Ivan Mazepa had switched to the side of Sweden, who was in correspondence with Charles XII and promised him, if he arrived in Ukraine, 50 thousand Cossack troops, food and a comfortable winter quarters. On October 28, 1708, Mazepa, at the head of a detachment of Cossacks, arrived at Charles’s headquarters.
Of the many thousands of Ukrainian Cossacks, Mazepa managed to bring only about 5 thousand people. But they soon began to flee from the camp of the Swedish army. King Charles XII did not dare to use such unreliable allies, of which there were about 2 thousand, in the battle of Poltava.
In November 1708, at the All-Ukrainian Rada in the city of Glukhov, a new hetman was elected - Starodub colonel I. S. Skoropadsky.
Although the Swedish army had suffered greatly during the cold winter of 1708–1709 (the coldest in Europe for 500 years), Charles XII was eager for a pitched battle. It happened on June 27 (July 8), 1709 near Poltava, which was besieged by the Swedes.
The Russian army had a numerical advantage in manpower and artillery. After personal reconnaissance of the area, Peter I ordered the construction of a line of six redoubts across the field, at a distance of a rifle shot from each other. Then the construction of four more began perpendicular to their front (two earthen redoubts were not completed by the start of the battle). Now, in any case, the Swedish army had to move under enemy fire during the attack. The redoubts constituted the advanced position of the Russian army, which was a new word in the history of military art and a complete surprise for the Swedes.
The redoubts housed two battalions of soldiers and grenadiers. Behind the redoubts stood 17 regiments of dragoon cavalry under the command of A.D. Menshikov. Behind them were the infantry and field artillery. At 3 o'clock in the morning there was a clash between the Russian and Swedish cavalry, and two hours later the latter was overturned. The advancing Swedish troops ran into transverse redoubts, which they did not know about, and suffered heavy losses. The Swedish infantry tried to break through the line of redoubts, but managed to capture only two of them.
The 20,000-strong Swedish army (about 10,000 more people, including the Mazeppians - Serdyuks and Cossacks - remained in the siege camp to guard it), advanced with 4 columns of infantry and 6 columns of cavalry. The plan conceived by Peter I was a success - two Swedish right-flank columns of generals Ross and Schlippenbach, when breaking through the line of redoubts, were cut off from the main forces and were destroyed by the Russians in the Poltava Forest.
At 6 o'clock in the morning, Tsar Peter I lined up the Russian army in front of the camp in two lines: infantry in the center, dragoon cavalry on the flanks. Field artillery was in the first line. 9 infantry battalions remained in the camp as a reserve. Before the decisive battle, the Russian sovereign addressed his soldiers with the words:
The Swedish army also adopted a linear battle formation and launched an attack at 9 a.m. In a fierce hand-to-hand fight, the Swedes managed to push back the Russian center, but at that moment Peter I personally led the second battalion of the Novgorod regiment into a counterattack and restored the situation. During this battle, one Swedish bullet pierced his hat, another got stuck in the saddle, and the third, hitting his chest, was flattened on his pectoral cross.
Menshikov's cavalry was the first to engage in battle with the advancing royal army on the line of redoubts. When Charles XII decided to bypass the redoubts from the north along the edge of the Budishchensky forest, he was met here again by Menshikov, who managed to transfer his cavalry here. In a fierce battle, Russian dragoons “slashed with broadswords and, having driven into the enemy line, took 14 standards and banners.”
After this, Peter I, who commanded the Russian army in the battle, ordered Menshikov to take 5 cavalry regiments and 5 infantry battalions and attack the Swedish troops, who were separated from their main forces on the battlefield. He brilliantly coped with the task: General Schlippenbach's cavalry ceased to exist, and he himself was captured.
The Russian dragoon cavalry began to go around the flanks of the royal army, and the Swedish infantry, seeing this, wavered. Then Peter I ordered a signal for a general attack. Under the onslaught of the Russians, who were advancing with bayonets, the Swedish troops fled. Charles XII tried in vain to stop his soldiers; no one listened to him. The runners were pursued all the way to the Budishchensky forest. By 11 o'clock the Battle of Poltava ended with the complete defeat of the Swedish army. The Battle of Poltava was of great importance for the establishment of Russia as a strong power. The country has forever secured access to the Baltic Sea. The European powers, which had hitherto despised Russia, now had to reckon with her and treat her as an equal.
After the defeat near Poltava, the Swedish army fled to Perevolochna, a place at the confluence of the Vorskla and the Dnieper. But it turned out to be impossible to transport the army across the Dnieper. Then Charles XII entrusted the remnants of his army to Levengaupt and, together with Mazepa, fled to Ochakov.
On June 30 (July 11), 1709, the demoralized Swedish army was surrounded by troops under the command of Menshikov and capitulated. Charles XII took refuge in the Ottoman Empire, where he tried to convince Sultan Ahmed III to start a war against Russia.
In the history of the Northern War, General Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov has the honor of accepting the surrender of the Royal Swedish Army defeated near Poltava. On the banks of the Dnieper near Perevolochna, 16,947 demoralized enemy soldiers and officers, led by General Levengaupt, surrendered to the Russian 9,000-strong detachment. The trophies of the winners were 28 guns, 127 banners and standards, and the entire royal treasury.
For his participation in the Battle of Poltava, Emperor Peter I awarded Menshikov, one of the heroes of the defeat of the Royal Swedish Army, with the rank of Field Marshal. Before this, only one B.P. Sheremetev had such a rank in the Russian army.
The Poltava victory was achieved with “little blood.” The losses of the Russian army on the battlefield amounted to only 1,345 people killed and 3,290 wounded, while the Swedes lost 9,234 people killed and 18,794 prisoners (including those captured at Perevolochna). The Royal Swedish Army, tested in campaigns across Northern Europe, ceased to exist.
Military operations in 1710-1718
After the victory at Poltava, Peter managed to restore the Northern Alliance. On October 9, 1709, a new alliance treaty with Saxony was signed in Toruń. And on October 11, a new alliance treaty was concluded with Denmark, according to which it undertook to declare war on Sweden, and Russia - to begin military operations in the Baltic states and Finland.
During the military campaign of 1710, the Russian army managed to take seven Baltic fortresses (Vyborg, Elbing, Riga, Dünamünde, Pernov, Kexholm, Revel) with little loss of life. Russia completely occupied Estonia and Livonia.
At the end of 1710, Peter received a message about the preparation of the Turkish army for war with Russia. At the beginning of 1711, he declared war on the Ottoman Empire and began the Prut campaign. The campaign ended in complete failure. Peter, by his own admission, barely escaped capture and the defeat of his army. Russia ceded Azov to Turkey, destroyed Taganrog and ships on the Black Sea. However, the Ottoman Empire did not enter the war on the side of Sweden.
In 1712, the actions of the partners in the Northern Alliance were aimed at conquering Pomerania, a Swedish possession on the southern coast of the Baltic in northern Germany. But due to disagreements between the allies, significant successes were not achieved. According to Peter I, “ the campaign was in vain».
On December 10, 1712, the Swedes under the command of Field Marshal Stenbock inflicted a major defeat on the Danish-Saxon troops at the Battle of Gadebusch. The Russian army under the command of Menshikov did not have time to come to the aid of the allies.
In 1712-1713, the creation of a fleet in the Baltic, which began immediately after the founding of St. Petersburg, noticeably intensified. Peter I not only actively builds, but also instructs his agents in London and Amsterdam (Saltykov and Prince Kurakin) to buy warships. In 1712 alone, 10 ships were acquired.
On September 18, 1713, Stetin capitulated. Menshikov concludes a peace treaty with Prussia. In exchange for neutrality and monetary compensation, Prussia receives Stetin, Pomerania is divided between Prussia and Holstein (an ally of Saxony).
In the same year, 1713, the Russians began the Finnish campaign, in which the Russian fleet began to play a major role for the first time. On May 10, after shelling from the sea, Helsingfors surrendered. Then Breg was taken without a fight. On August 28, a landing force under the command of Apraksin occupied the capital of Finland - Abo. And on July 26-27 (August 6-7), 1714, in the Battle of Gangut, the Russian fleet won its first major victory at sea. On land, Russian troops under the command of Prince M.M. Golitsyn defeated the Swedes near the river. Pyalkane (1713), and then under the village. Lappola (1714).
Expelled from the Ottoman Empire, Charles XII returned to Sweden in 1714 and focused on the war in Pomerania. Stralsund becomes the center of military operations.
On May 1, 1715, in response to the demand for the return of Stetin and other territories, Prussia declared war on Sweden. The Danish fleet wins the battle at Ferman and then at Bulka. Admiral General Wahmeister is captured, and the Danes capture 6 Swedish ships. After this, Prussia and Hanover, having captured the Swedish possessions of Bremen and Verden, conclude an alliance treaty with Denmark. On December 23, Stralsund capitulates.
In 1716, the famous campaign of the united fleets of England, Denmark, Holland and Russia took place under the command of Peter I, the purpose of which was to stop Swedish privateering in the Baltic Sea.
In the same year, 1716, Charles XII invaded Norway. On March 25, Christiania was taken, but the assault on the border fortresses of Fredrikshald and Fredriksten failed. When Charles XII was killed in 1718, the Swedes were forced to retreat. Clashes between the Danes and Swedes on the border with Norway continued until 1720.
Final period of the war (1718-1721)
In May 1718, the Åland Congress opened, designed to work out the terms of a peace treaty between Russia and Sweden. However, the Swedes delayed the negotiations in every possible way. This was facilitated by the position of other European powers: Denmark, fearing the conclusion of a separate peace between Sweden and Russia, and England, whose king George I was also the ruler of Hanover.
On November 30, 1718, Charles XII was killed during the siege of Fredrikshald. His sister, Ulrika Eleonora, ascended the Swedish throne. England's position at the Swedish court strengthened.
In July 1719, the Russian fleet under the command of Apraksin carried out landings in the Stockholm area and raids on the suburbs of the Swedish capital.
On November 9, 1719, Sweden signed a treaty of alliance with England and Hanover. Bremen and Ferden were ceded to the latter. Norris's English squadron entered the Baltic Sea with the order to destroy the Russian fleet.
Throughout 1720, the Swedes signed peace treaties with their opponents in Stockholm:
- On January 7, 1720, peace was concluded with Saxony and Poland.
- On February 1, 1720, Sweden made peace with Prussia and finally ceded its possessions in Pomerania.
- On July 14, 1720, the Swedes made peace with Denmark, which received small territories in Schleswig-Holstein, monetary indemnity and resumed collecting duties from Swedish ships for passage through the Sound Strait.
However, in 1720, the raid on the Swedish coast was repeated in the Mangden area, and on July 27, 1720, a victory was won over the Swedish fleet in the battle of Grengam.
On May 8, 1721, new peace negotiations with Russia began in Nystadt. And on August 30, the Nystad Peace Treaty was signed.
Results of the war
The Great Northern War completely changed the balance of power in the Baltic.
Russia emerged as a great power, dominating Eastern Europe. As a result of the war, Ingria (Izhora), Karelia, Estland, Livonia (Livonia) and the southern part of Finland (up to Vyborg) were annexed, and St. Petersburg was founded. Russian influence was firmly established in Courland.
The key task of the reign of Peter I was solved - providing access to the sea and establishing maritime trade with Europe. By the end of the war, Russia had a modern, first-class army and a powerful fleet in the Baltic.
The losses from this war were very high.
Sweden lost its power and became a minor power. Not only the territories ceded to Russia were lost, but also all of Sweden's possessions on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea.
Memory of the war
- Samson (fountain, Peterhof)
- Sampsonievsky Cathedral in St. Petersburg
- In Riga, on the island of Lucavsala there is a monument to Russian soldiers who died heroically during the Northern War. Installed in 1891.
- On August 4, 2007, a holiday dedicated to the victories of the Russian fleet in the Northern War of 1700-1721 was held in Peterhof. It was called "The Day of Gangut and Grengam."
- In the museum in the village. Bogorodsky exhibits chess, the Northern War,
- A lion erected in Narva in memory of Swedish soldiers from the Northern War
- Monument of Glory in honor of the victory over the Swedes in the Battle of Poltava in 1709.
The sculptural group “Peace and Victory” (Summer Garden St. Petersburg), installed in front of the southern facade of the Summer Palace, symbolizes Russia’s victory over Sweden in the Northern War and is an allegorical image of the Peace of Nystadt.
After the Battle of Krasny Kut on February 22, 1709, when Charles XII almost died or was captured (but before the Battle of Poltava), the Swedish king for the first time agreed to discuss the possibility of peace with Peter the Great. The negotiations did not end in anything, since Karl not only did not want to give up St. Petersburg, but also demanded an indemnity. After the completion of the negotiations, the Swedish representative conveyed Karl’s personal request to the Russians: “his troops cannot provide themselves with provisions, many soldiers are sick, and the Allied Poles are asking prohibitively high prices for supplies, and therefore he would be grateful if the Russians found an opportunity to sell to Swedish foragers grain, wine and necessary medicines, as well as as much gunpowder and lead as possible, but at a reasonable, moderate price.” (!) The Russian Tsar, naturally, did not arm the enemy, but fed and gave him something to drink: he immediately sent the Swedes three free convoys of grain, a convoy of wine and “three carts of various pharmacies, ... in the name of human condolences to the sick and the Lord’s alms.”
The Northern War, which broke out in the 18th century between Russia and Sweden, became a significant event for the Russian state. Why Peter 1 started the war with the Swedes and how it ended - more on this later.
Russian state under Peter 1
To understand the causes of the Northern War, you need to know what Russia was like at the beginning of the conflict. The 18th century was a time of tremendous changes in economics, culture, politics and social relations. Peter the Great is known as a reformer king. He inherited a huge country with an underdeveloped economy and an outdated army. The Russian state lagged far behind European countries in development. In addition, it was weakened by long wars with the Ottoman Empire, which were fought for dominance in the Black Sea.
When considering the question of why Peter 1 started the war with the Swedes, you need to understand that there were the most compelling reasons for this. The Northern War was fought for access to the Baltic coast, which was vital for Russia. Without trade relations with Western countries, it could not develop its economy. The only port at that time through which Russian goods were supplied to the West was Arkhangelsk. The sea route through was difficult, dangerous and irregular. In addition, Peter 1 understood the need for the urgent development of his fleet in the Baltic and Black Sea. Without this it was impossible to create a strong state.
That is why the war with the Swedes under Peter 1 was inevitable. Previous rulers of Russia saw the main enemy in the Ottoman Empire, which constantly launched attacks on Russian border territories. Only such a far-sighted politician as Peter the Great understood that it was now more important for the country to have the opportunity to trade with Europe through and the fight for the Black Sea coast could wait for now.
Charles XII
During this period, the northern country was ruled by the same young and extraordinary monarch as Peter 1. Charles XII was considered a military genius, and his army was considered invincible. Under him, the country was considered the strongest in the Baltic region. By the way, his name is Charles in Russia, and in Sweden the king was known as Charles XII.
He began to rule, like Peter, at a young age. He was 15 years old when his father died and Charles inherited the throne. Possessing a hot temper, the king did not tolerate any advice and decided everything himself. At the age of 18 he made his first military expedition. Having announced at court that he was leaving for fun in one of his castles, in fact the young ruler with a small army set off by sea to Denmark. With a quick march, finding himself under the walls of Copenhagen, Charles forced Denmark to leave the alliance with Russia, Poland and Saxony. After this, the king spent almost 18 years outside his native country, participating in various military campaigns. Their goal was to make Sweden the strongest state in Northern Europe.
Peter 1 and the Swedes: causes of military conflict
Russia and Sweden were opponents long before the birth of the reformer Tsar. The Baltic coast, which had significant geopolitical significance, has always been of great interest to many countries. Poland, Sweden and Russia have been trying to increase their influence in the Baltic region for many centuries. Starting from the 12th century, the Swedes repeatedly attacked northern Russia, trying to capture Ladoga, the coast of the Gulf of Finland and Karelia. By the beginning of the 18th century, the Baltic countries were completely subordinate to Sweden. Augustus II, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, Frederick IV, Ruler of Denmark and Peter the Great formed a coalition against Sweden. Their hopes of victory were based on the youth of Charles XII. In case of victory, Russia would receive long-awaited access to the Baltic coast and the opportunity to have a fleet. This was the main reason why Peter 1 started the war with the Swedes. As for the rest of the alliance against Sweden, they sought to weaken the northern enemy and strengthen their presence in the Baltic region.
Great: The Northern War with Sweden proved the military leadership talent of the Russian Tsar
An alliance between three countries (Russia, Denmark and Poland) was concluded in 1699. Augustus II was the first to speak out against Sweden. In 1700, the siege of Riga began. That same year, the Danish army launched an invasion of Holstein, which was an ally of Sweden. Then Charles XII made a bold march into Denmark and forced it to withdraw from the war. Then he sent troops to Riga, and not daring to enter into battle, withdrew his troops.
Russia was the last to enter the war with Sweden. Why did Peter 1 not start the war with the Swedes at the same time as his allies? The fact is that the Russian state at that time was at war with the Ottoman Empire, and the country could not participate in two military conflicts at once.
The very next day after the conclusion of a peace treaty with Turkey, Russia entered into a war with Sweden. Peter 1 began a campaign to Narva, the nearest Swedish fortress. The battle was lost, despite the fact that Charles XII's troops were far outnumbered by the poorly trained and insufficiently armed Russian army.
The defeat at Narva led to a rapid transformation of the Russian armed forces. In just a year, Peter the Great was able to completely transform the army, equipped with new weapons and artillery. Since 1701, Russia begins to win victories over the Swedes: Poltava at sea. In 1721, Sweden signed a peace treaty with Russia.
Results of the Northern War
After the conclusion of the Treaty of Nystadt, Russia firmly established itself in the Baltic region and Courland.
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Name |
Winner |
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First Swedish Crusade |
Novgorod Republic |
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Trek to the capital Sigtuna |
Novgorod Republic |
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Second Swedish Crusade |
Novgorod Republic |
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Third Swedish Crusade |
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Swedish-Novgorod War |
Novgorod Republic |
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Fourth Swedish Crusade |
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Minor border armed conflicts |
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Russo-Swedish War |
Grand Duchy of Moscow |
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Russo-Swedish War |
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Russo-Swedish War |
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Russo-Swedish War |
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Russo-Swedish War |
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Great Northern War |
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Russo-Swedish War |
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Russo-Swedish War |
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Finnish War |
Beginning of wars with Sweden
Wars with Novgorod
The beginning of the wars between Sweden and Russia dates back to the middle of the 13th century. At that time, the coast of the Gulf of Finland was disputed, which both the Novgorodians and the Swedes sought to take possession of.
A flotilla of ships with Novgorod, Izhora and Karelian warriors secretly passed through the Swedish skerries to Sigtuna.
The Swedish capital was stormed and burned.
These gates of the cathedral are a military trophy of the Novgorodians who walked by sea in 1187 to Sigtuna.
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Peace treaties were concluded several times between the warring parties, but they were not observed for long.
In the 20s XIV century Prince Yuri Danilovich clears the northern borders with a series of campaigns, establishes a city on the Neva on Orekhovoy Island and concludes a profitable peace with the Swedish king Magnus.
In times of troubles, the Swedes, under the command Delagardie, occupied Ladoga; The Novgorodians called a Swedish prince to the throne and surrendered Novgorod to the Swedes.
By the time of Mikhail Feodorovich’s accession, Ingermanland and part of the Novgorod lands were in the hands of the Swedes.
The Northern Alliance also included the Kingdom of Denmark and Norway, led by King Christian V, and Russia, led by Peter I.
In 1700, after a series of quick Swedish victories, the Northern Alliance collapsed, Denmark withdrew from the war in 1700, and Saxony in 1706.
After this, until 1709, when the Northern Alliance was restored, the Russian state fought with the Swedes mainly on its own.
At different stages the war also took part: on the Russian side - Hanover, Holland, Prussia; on the side of Sweden - England (since 1707 - Great Britain), the Ottoman Empire, Holstein. The Ukrainian Cossacks, including the Zaporozhye Cossacks, were divided and partly supported the Swedes and Turks, but mostly the Russian troops. During the campaign, Russian troops managed to capture Noteburg , as a result of which St. Petersburg was founded in 1703.
In 1704, Russian troops captured Dorpat and Narva.
The war put an end to the Swedish great power, and established Russia as a new power in Europe.
Russian-Swedish war under Elizaveta Petrovna
Began during the reign of the princess Anna Leopoldovna(—). The Swedish king, incited by the French government, decided to return to his power the provinces lost during the Northern War, but, not ready for war, gave Russia time to make peace with the Ottoman Porte.
Russian-Swedish War under Empress Catherine II
The successes of the 2nd Turkish War alarmed the Versailles cabinet; England, dissatisfied with the establishment of armed neutrality, also wanted to stop the success of Russian weapons. Both powers began to incite neighboring sovereigns against Russia, but only the Swedish king Gustav III succumbed to their incitement. Counting on the fact that most of the Russian forces were diverted to the south, he hoped not to encounter serious resistance in Finland. The armament of the Russian squadron assigned to operate in the Mediterranean served as a pretext for war. On June 21, 1788, a detachment of Swedish troops crossed the border, broke into the outskirts of Neyslot and began bombarding the fortress.
Simultaneously with the outbreak of hostilities, the king presented the following demands to the empress:
1. punishment of our ambassador Count Razumovsky, for his imaginary machinations, tending to violate the peace between Russia and Sweden;
2. cession to Sweden of all parts of Finland acquired under the Nystadt and Abos treaties;
3. accepting Swedish mediation to conclude peace with the Porte;
4. disarmament of our fleet and the return of ships that sailed into the Baltic Sea.
Only about 14 thousand Russian troops managed to be collected on the Swedish border (some of them were newly recruited); They were confronted by a 36,000-strong enemy army, under the personal leadership of the king. Despite this inequality of forces, the Swedes did not achieve decisive success anywhere; their detachment, besieging Neyshlot, was forced to retreat, and at the beginning of August 1788 the king himself, with all his troops, withdrew from Russian borders. On July 6, a clash between the Russian fleet and the Swedish fleet, commanded by the Duke of Südermanland, took place near Hochland; the latter was forced to take refuge in the port of Sveaborg, and lost one ship. Admiral Greig sent his cruisers towards the west, which interrupted all communication between the Swedish fleet and Karlskrona.
There were no major battles on the dry route this year, but the Russian army, strengthened to 20 thousand, was no longer limited to defensive actions. During the summer, she managed to occupy a fairly significant part of Swedish Finland, and in August, Prince of Nassau-Siegen made a successful landing near Friedrichsgam.
On May 2, 1790, the Swedish fleet, under the command of the Duke of Südermanland, attacked Chichagov, who was stationed in the Revel roadstead, but, having lost two ships, retreated beyond the islands of Nargen and Wulf. The king himself led 155 rowing ships to Friedrichsgam, where part of the flotilla of the Prince of Nassau-Siegen wintered. On May 4, a naval battle took place here, and the Russians were pushed back to Vyborg. The squadron of Vice Admiral Kruse, heading to join Chichagov, met on May 23, at the longitude of the island of Seskar, with the fleet of the Duke of Südermanland. After a two-day battle, the Swedes were forced to lock themselves in Vyborg Bay, where the Swedish rowing flotilla was located, and on May 26 they were surrounded by the united squadrons of Chichagov and Kruse. After standing for about a month Vyborg Bay and lacking everything, the Swedes decided to break through the Russian fleet. On June 21 and 22, after a bloody battle, they managed to make their way to the open sea, but at the same time lost 6 ships and 4 frigates.
The pursuit lasted two days, and the Prince of Nassau-Siegen, who recklessly burst into Svenska Sound Bay, came under battery fire and was defeated, losing 55 ships and up to 600 people captured. This victory did not bring any benefit to Sweden, especially since the Swedes did not achieve any successes on the dry route against the Russian army led by Count Saltykov. There was a murmur in Stockholm, and Gustav III finally decided to ask for peace.
On August 3, 1790, the so-called Verel Treaty was signed, according to which both sides returned all places occupied by the troops of one or another power in the enemy’s possessions.
Russo-Swedish War under Alexander I
The Russo-Swedish War of 1808-1809 was a continental blockade of Great Britain - a system of economic and political sanctions organized by Napoleon. The Kingdom of Denmark also intended to join the blockade. In response, in August 1807, Great Britain launched an attack on the kingdom's capital, Copenhagen, and captured the entire Danish navy. Gustav IV rejected these proposals and headed for rapprochement with England, which continued to fight Napoleon, who was hostile to him. There was a rupture between Russia and Great Britain - the embassies were mutually recalled, and a low-intensity war began. On November 16, 1807, the Russian government again turned to the Swedish king with a proposal for assistance, but for about two months it did not receive any response. Finally, Gustav IV said that the execution of the treaties of 1780 and 1800 could not begin while the French occupied the harbors of the Baltic Sea. Then it became known that the Swedish king was preparing to help England in the war with Denmark, trying to recapture Norway from it. All these circumstances gave Emperor Alexander I a reason to conquer Finland, in order to ensure the safety of the capital from the close proximity of a hostile power to Russia.
Where everyone hoped for a peaceful resolution of misunderstandings: the king himself did not trust the news of the concentration of Russian troops in pursuit of Klingspor, but the general; Almost at the same time, the fortified cape was occupied, Gustav IV Adolf was deposed, and royal power passed into the hands of his uncle, the Duke of Südermanland, and the aristocracy surrounding him.
When the Riksdag assembled in Stockholm proclaimed the Duke of Südermanland king Charles XIII, the new government was inclined to the proposal of General Count Wrede to push the Russians out of Ostrobothnia; military operations resumed, but the Swedes' successes were limited to the capture of several transports; their attempts to incite a people's war against Russia failed.
After a successful affair for the Russians, a truce was again concluded at Gernefors, partly caused by the need for the Russians to provide themselves with food.
Since the Swedes stubbornly refused to cede the Åland Islands to Russia, Barclay allowed the new chief of the northern detachment, Count Kamensky, to act at his own discretion.
The Swedes sent two detachments against the latter: one, Sandelsa, was supposed to lead an attack from the front, the other, an airborne one, would land near the village of Ratan and attack Count Kamensky from the rear. Due to the count's bold and skillful orders, this enterprise ended in failure; but then, due to the almost complete depletion of military and food supplies, Kamensky retreated to Pitea, where he found transport with bread and again moved forward to Umea. Already on the first march, Sandels came to him with the authority to conclude a truce, which he could not refuse due to the insecurity of supplying his troops with everything necessary.
September 5, 1809
Thus to All of Finland was ceded to Russia, which marked the end of centuries-long wars between the Russian state and Sweden.
North War(Russian-Swedish) 1700-1721 - a protracted conflict between Sweden and the Northern Alliance (a coalition of the Russian Empire, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Denmark and Saxony) for the possession of the Baltic lands. It ended with the defeat of Sweden and a significant strengthening of the position of the Russian kingdom, which gained access to the Baltic Sea, returned previously owned lands and was proclaimed the Russian Empire, and Peter I accepted the title of Emperor of All Russia
Territories of states at the start of the Northern War
Reasons and background
- During the Great Embassy, Peter I found allies to wage war with Sweden (Northern Alliance) - Denmark and Saxony sought to weaken Sweden.
- In 1697, Sweden was led by the young Charles XII - the fifteen-year-old king seemed an easy prey for competing states
- Sweden captured Ingria and Karelia during the Time of Troubles.
- For the Russian kingdom, the Baltic Sea was the most important economic channel for the development of maritime trade with Europe.
- Peter I cited a personal insult during his visit to Riga, where the commandant of the fortress did not allow the king to inspect the fortifications, as the formal reason for declaring war.
Goals and objectives
- Gaining access to the Baltic Sea to develop foreign maritime trade with Europe
- Return of Ingria and Karelia, seizure of part of the Baltic states
- Weakening Swedish dominance
- Raising Russia's international status
Briefly about the essence and content of the Russian-Swedish war
1700-1721
Stage 1 - the beginning of the Northern War
Sweden acted successfully at the beginning of the war - the siege of Riga by the Saxon army failed, the landing of the Swedish troops near Copenhagen forced Denmark to withdraw from the Northern Alliance, and the poorly organized, weakly armed and lacking Russian troops (commanded by Saxon officers and generals) failed to resist the Swedes near Narva on November 30, 1700 - the young army of Peter I was defeated.
This defeat convinced all of Europe for several years that the Russian army was incapable of conducting successful military operations, and Charles XII began to be called the Swedish “Alexander the Great.” One of the main conclusions of Peter I as a result of the failure at Narva was to limit the number of foreign officers in combat units. They could make up no more than a third of the total number of officers in the unit.
Northern War 1700-1721 - general table
1701 While the Swedes were busy fighting in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Saxony, Peter I decides to again advance in a northern direction.
By the beginning of 1703 Russian troops occupied the entire course of the Neva. Peter renamed the captured settlement of Noteburg (built by the Swedes on the site of the previously existing Oreshek fortress) Shlisselburg (key city), and at the mouth of the Neva on May 16 (27), 1703, a new city and future capital was founded - St. Petersburg.
In 1704 Russian troops continued to seize territories - almost the entire territory of Ingria came under the control of the Russian kingdom. By the summer of 1704, the commander of the troops, Boris Sheremetyev, invaded Livonia and besieged the fortress of Dorpat, which was taken a few months later with the personal participation of Peter I.
Summer of 1704 General Ogilvi with the second group of the Russian army invaded Estland and again besieged Narva - by the end of the summer this fortress was also captured. Success in the assault on well-fortified Swedish fortresses demonstrated the increased skill and equipment of the Russian army, as well as the correctness of the decisions made regarding the reorganization of personnel and the reduction in the number of artillery calibers.
Swedish invasion of Russia
Having defeated the army of Peter the Great near Narva in 1700, Charles XII turned all his forces against another member of the Northern Alliance - Augustus II. Within four years, the Swedes ousted the Saxon troops from Poland, as a result of which in 1704 some of the deputies of the Sejm of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth deprived Augustus II of the title of king, and his place was taken by a Swedish protege.
In the war with Sweden, the Russian kingdom was left without allies.
In the spring of 1707 The first rumors appeared that Charles XII was preparing his main army, which was stationed in capitulated Saxony, for a campaign against Russia.
September 1, 1707 The Swedes army set out from Saxony towards Poland. During the 11 months of respite in Saxony, Charles XII managed to significantly strengthen his troops, making up for the losses suffered in past battles.
In June 1708 The Swedes crossed the border and moved towards Smolensk.
July 3 (14), 1708 Karl defeated the Russian troops of General A.I. Repnin at the Battle of Golovchin. Three days later, the Swedish king occupied Mogilev and controlled the crossings across the Dnieper.
To delay the advance of the Swedes, Peter I used the “scorched earth” tactic - dozens of Belarusian villages were destroyed, and, forced to move through the devastated area, the Swedes experienced an acute shortage of food. Illness, lack of food and supplies, the need for rest after a long journey - all this persuaded Charles XII to accept Hetman Mazepa’s proposal and send troops to Ukraine.
September 28 (October 9), 1708 In the battle near the village of Lesnoy, the troops of Peter I defeated the corps of Levenhaupt, moving from Riga to unite with the main army of Charles XII. This victory seriously raised the morale of the Russian army - within the framework of the Northern War, for the first time, superior enemy forces and his selected army units were defeated. Tsar Peter called her “the mother of the Poltava battle.”
In October 1708 news arrived about the betrayal of Hetman Ivan Mazepa and his defection to the side of Sweden. Mazepa corresponded with Charles XII and offered him, if he arrived in Ukraine, 50 thousand Cossacks, provisions and a comfortable winter quarters.
Unable to replenish supplies, the Swedish army by the spring of 1709 began to experience a shortage of hand grenades, cannonballs, lead and gunpowder. Mazepa informed the Swedes that military supplies prepared in case of battles with the Crimea or Turkey were collected in large quantities in the Poltava fortress.
The Battle of Poltava - a turning point in the Northern War
The victories at Kalisz and Lesnaya allowed the Russian army to create and consolidate a numerical advantage over the troops of Charles XII. In the army of Peter I there were about 40-50 thousand people and 100 guns, and the Swedes had 20-30 thousand people and 34 guns with an acute shortage of gunpowder. A competent choice of the battlefield enhanced the tactical advantage (the forest prevented wide coverage of Russian positions from the flank, if the Swedes made such an attempt). The Swedes were forced to storm pre-prepared Russian fortifications, leaving the less mobile main forces of Peter the Great's army for safe combat deployment.
Having been defeated near Poltava, the Swedish army fled to Perevolochnaya - the place at the confluence of the Vorskla and the Dnieper. But faced with the impossibility of transporting the army across the Dnieper, Charles XII entrusted the remnants of his troops to Levengaupt, and he and Mazepa fled to Ochakov.
October 9, 1709 In Toruń, a new alliance treaty was concluded with Saxony; on October 11, a new peace treaty was signed with Denmark, according to which it pledged to act against Sweden, and Russia pledged to launch military operations in the Baltic states and Finland. The victory at Poltava allowed Peter I to restore the Northern Alliance.
Charles XII hid in the Ottoman Empire, where he tried to persuade Sultan Ahmed III to declare war against Russia (Turkey sought to return the territories captured by Peter I as a result of the Azov campaigns)
Türkiye enters the war
At the end of 1710 Peter received news of the Turks preparing for war and decided to seize the initiative - at the beginning of 1711, he declared war on the Ottoman Empire and began the Prut Campaign. The campaign ended in complete failure: together with all his troops, Peter I was surrounded and was forced to return Azov and Zaporozhye to Turkey, destroy the Taganrog fortifications and ships, and, as a result, lose access to the Sea of Azov. Only on these conditions did the Ottoman Empire allow Russian troops to leave the encirclement without entering the war on the side of Sweden.
Numerous resources spent on the Prut campaign complicated the situation on the Swedish front - the economy of the Russian kingdom was not designed for such a load.
Fighting in Finland and Norway
In 1713 Russian troops entered Finland, and the Russian fleet for the first time began to play a significant role in hostilities. On May 10, after shelling from the sea, Helsingfors was taken, after which Breg surrendered without a fight. On August 6 - August 7, 1714, the first major victory of the Russian fleet in the Baltic Sea took place in the Battle of Gangut, and on August 28, a landing force under the command of F. M. Apraksin captured Abo, the capital of Finland. On land, Russian troops under the leadership of Prince M. M. Golitsyn defeated the Swedes near the river. Pälkane (1713), and later under Lappola (1714).
In 1716 Charles XII began fighting in Norway. On March 25, his troops took Christiania, but failed when storming the border forts of Fredrikshald and Fredriksten. In 1718, during another assault, Karl was killed - the Swedish troops were forced to retreat. Clashes between Denmark and Sweden on the border with Norway occurred until 1720.
The final stage of the Northern War 1718-1721
In May 1718 To develop the conditions for concluding peace between Russia and Sweden, the Åland Congress began its work. However, the Swedes drag out negotiations in the hope of winning a victory that could soften the conditions of the coming peace.
In July 1719 year, Admiral Apraksin, commander of the Russian fleet, landed troops near Stockholm and raids on the surrounding territories of the Swedish capital.
In 1720 Brigadier Mengden repeated the raid on the Swedish coast, and on July 27 (August 7) he rowed the Russian fleet against the Swedish sailing flotilla in the battle of Grengam.
Under the cover of the English squadron, the Swedes tried to go to sea to intercept Russian landing craft. Having set off in pursuit of the feignedly retreating Russian ships into a narrow strait, the Swedes were suddenly attacked by more maneuverable rowing ships and, trying to turn around, one after another, ran aground and were boarded. Having seen how 4 Swedish frigates, which had a total of 104 guns, were captured by the Russians, the British were convinced of the weakness of their sailing fleet against the Russian rowing fleet and did not come to the aid of the Swedes.
May 8, 1721 New peace negotiations began between the Russian kingdom and Sweden in Nystadt, ending with the signing of the Nystadt Peace Treaty on September 10, 1721.
Clashes between states began in the middle of the 12th century, when the First Swedish Crusade was declared. But then the Novgorodians survived. From then until the beginning of the 19th century, Sweden and Russia fought countless times. There are about two dozen major confrontations alone.
Novgorod takes a hit
The first Swedish crusade had a very specific goal - to recapture Ladoga from Novgorod. This confrontation lasted from 1142 to 1164 and the Novgorodians emerged victorious.
A little over twenty years later, the combined Karelian-Novgorod troops managed to capture the capital of Sweden, Sigtuna. The Archbishop of Uppsala was killed and the city was sacked. Among the spoils of war were the famous bronze church gates, which later “settled” in Novgorod.
Towards the middle of the 13th century, the Swedes declared the Second Crusade.
In 1240, the famous battle between Earl Birger and Alexander Yaroslavich took place. The Novgorodians turned out to be stronger, and thanks to the victory the prince received the nickname Nevsky.
But the Swedes did not even think about calming down. Beginning in 1283, they actively tried to gain a foothold on the banks of the Neva. But they did not dare to get involved in open confrontation. The Swedes used “petty foul” tactics, regularly attacking Novgorod merchants. But the Scandinavians failed to derive any concrete benefit from this.
At the beginning of the 14th century, the struggle continued with varying success. Once even the Swedes managed to capture and burn Ladoga, but they were unable to consolidate or develop their success.
Swedes against the Russian Empire
The Scandinavians did not abandon their claims to the northern lands even after Novgorod became part of the Moscow principality. At the very end of the 15th century, under Ivan III, Russia itself attacked Sweden for the first time in a long time. Having secured the support of the Danish king, Russian troops set out to capture Vyborg.
The war went on with varying degrees of success. Either the Russian governors managed to plunder enemy settlements, or the Swedes did the same. Only the Danish king, who took the Swedish throne, benefited from the confrontation.
A truly large-scale and bloody war between the Russian kingdom and Sweden unfolded under Ivan the Terrible. The reason was traditional - border disputes. The Scandinavians were the first to attack and the Oreshek fortress came under attack. In retaliation, Russian troops laid siege to Vyborg. But both the first and second failed.
Then the Swedes invaded the Izhora and Korelia lands, organizing a pogrom there. During the capture of Korela, the Scandinavians completely slaughtered all Russian inhabitants (about two thousand). Then they exterminated another seven thousand in Gapsala and Narva.
The bloodshed was put to an end by Prince Khvorostinin, who managed to defeat the Scandinavians in battles in Votskaya Pyatina and near Oreshek.
True, the peace treaty between the states was disadvantageous for Russia: it lost Yam, Ivangorod and Koporye.
The Swedes tried to use the troubles that began in Russia for themselves as profitably as possible. And, as they say, they took Ladoga “on the sly.” Further more. The Novgorodians themselves invited the Swedish king to rule over them, so they surrendered the city without a fight. When Mikhail Fedorovich ascended the Russian throne, the Scandinavians already owned Ingria and most of the Novgorod lands.
The Russian troops failed to recapture Novgorod in a rush; the war boiled down, for the most part, to brawls on the borders. Because the commanders did not dare to go into open battle with the troops of Gustavus Adolphus. Soon the Swedes captured Gdov. But failure awaited them near Pskov. Only in 1617, the Stolbovo Treaty was concluded between the countries, according to which Russia called for Swedish rights to Ingermanland and Karelia.
In the middle of the 17th century, hostilities continued. But neither side managed to achieve significant results.
Wars under Peter the Great
Under Peter the Great, the largest war in history took place between Russia and Sweden - the Northern War, which lasted from 1700 to 1721.
Initially, the Scandinavians were opposed by an alliance of European states who wanted to snatch parts of the Baltic territories. The Northern Alliance, which emerged thanks to the initiative of the Elector of Saxony and the Polish King Augustus II, also included the Danes and Russia. But very quickly the alliance fell apart due to several Swedish victories.
Until 1709, Russia fought alone against a formidable enemy. After the capture of Noteburg, Peter founded St. Petersburg in 1703. A year later, Russian troops were able to take Dorpat and Narva.
Four years later, the Swedish king Charles XII went all-in and lost. First, his troops were defeated near Lesnaya. And then - in the decisive battle near Poltava.
The new king of Sweden, Fredrik I, had no choice; he asked for peace. The defeat in the Northern War hit the Scandinavian state hard, knocking it out of the rank of great powers forever.
Wars in the 18th and 19th centuries
The Swedes wanted to regain their status as a great power. To do this, they absolutely had to defeat the Russian Empire.
Under Elizaveta Petrovna, the Swedes declared war. It lasted only two years: from 1741 to 1743. The Scandinavian army was so weak that it could hardly even defend itself, let alone take any offensive actions.
The result of the war was the loss by Sweden of the Kymenegor province with Neishlot, Vilmanstrand and Friedrichsgam. And the border between the states began to pass along the Kyumen River.
Once again the Swedes tried their military luck under Catherine II, succumbing to the instigations of England. The Scandinavian king Gustav III hoped that he would not encounter serious resistance in Finland, since Russian troops were pulled south. But this war, which lasted from 1788 to 1790, did not produce any results. According to the Werel Peace Treaty, Russia and Sweden simply returned the occupied territories to each other.
It fell to Emperor Alexander I to put an end to the centuries-old confrontation between Russia and Sweden. The war lasted only a year (from 1808 to 1809), but was very eventful.
Alexander decided to put an end to his old enemy once and for all, so Russian troops set off to conquer Finland. The Swedes hoped to the last that bloodshed could be avoided, and the king did not believe in the presence of an enemy army on the border. But on February 9, Russian troops (armies commanded by Barclay, Bagration and Tuchkov) invaded the neighboring state without an official declaration of war.
Due to the weakness of the monarch and the impending disaster in Sweden, a coup d'état took place “just in time.” Gustav IV Adolf was deposed, and power passed into the hands of his uncle, the Duke of Südermanland. He received the name Charles XIII.
After these events, the Swedes perked up and decided to expel the enemy armies from Österbothnia. But all attempts were unsuccessful. At the same time, which is typical, the Swedes refused to agree to peace, giving the Aland Islands to Russia.
The hostilities continued, and the Scandinavians decided to take the final, decisive blow. But this idea also failed, the Swedes had to sign a peace treaty. According to it, they ceded all of Finland, the Åland Islands and the eastern part of Vestro-Bothnia to the Russian Empire.
At this point, the confrontation between states, which lasted almost seven centuries, was over. Russia emerged from it as the sole winner.