Changes

Russia, Saxony-Poland, and Denmark-Norway pooled their power in 1700 and attacked the Swedish-Finnish empire. Although the young Swedish King [[Charles XII]] won spectacular victories in the early years of the Great Northern War, most notably in the Battle of Narva (1700), his plan to attack Moscow and force Russia into peace proved too ambitious.  

Russia, Saxony-Poland, and Denmark-Norway pooled their power in 1700 and attacked the Swedish-Finnish empire. Although the young Swedish King [[Charles XII]] won spectacular victories in the early years of the Great Northern War, most notably in the Battle of Narva (1700), his plan to attack Moscow and force Russia into peace proved too ambitious.  

Following the disastrous defeat inflicted on his army by the Russians at Poltava on 27 June 1709, Charles XII and the remnants of his army fled into Ottoman territory. The initial admiration with which his hosts greeted him turned soon into embarrassment and despair. Indeed, the king of Sweden had no intention of leaving the [[Ottoman Empire]] unless it joined him in a new war against Tsar [[Peter I]] of Russia. In order to force the recalcitrant Ottoman government to follow his policies, he established, from his camp, a powerful political network in Constantinople, which was joined even by the mother of the sultan. Charles's persistence worked, as Peter's army was checked by Ottoman troops. However, Turkish failure to pursue the victory enraged Charles and from that moment his relations with the Ottoman administration soured. During the same period the behavior of his troops worsened and turned disastrous. Lack of discipline and contempt for the locals soon created an unbearable situation in Moldavia. The Swedish soldiers behaved badly, destroying, stealing, raping, and killing. Charles XII he fell in battle in 1718. In the subsequent peace treaties, the allied powers, joined by Prussia and England-Hanover, ended Sweden's reign as a great power.  

Following the disastrous defeat inflicted on his army by the Russians at Poltava on 27 June 1709, Charles XII and the remnants of his army fled into Ottoman territory. The initial admiration with which his hosts greeted him turned soon into embarrassment and despair. Indeed, the king of Sweden had no intention of leaving the [[Ottoman Empire]] unless it joined him in a new war against Tsar [[Peter I]] of Russia. In order to force the recalcitrant Ottoman government to follow his policies, he established, from his camp, a powerful political network in Constantinople, which was joined even by the mother of the sultan. Charles's persistence worked, as Peter's army was checked by Ottoman troops. However, Turkish failure to pursue the victory enraged Charles and from that moment his relations with the Ottoman administration soured. During the same period the behavior of his troops worsened and turned disastrous. Lack of discipline and contempt for the locals soon created an unbearable situation in Moldavia. The Swedish soldiers behaved badly, destroying, stealing, raping, and killing. Charles XII fell in battle in 1718. In the subsequent peace treaties, the allied powers, joined by Prussia and England-Hanover, ended Sweden's reign as a great power.  

Charles XII (reigned 1697-1718) has stirred great controversy. Although most early-19th-century historians tended to follow Voltaire's lead in bestowing extravagant praise on the warrior-king, others have criticized him as a fanatic, a bully, and a bloodthirsty warmonger. A more balanced view suggests a capable military ruler whose oft-reviled peculiarities seemed to have served him well.  

Charles XII (reigned 1697-1718) has stirred great controversy. Although most early-19th-century historians tended to follow Voltaire's lead in bestowing extravagant praise on the warrior-king, others have criticized him as a fanatic, a bully, and a bloodthirsty warmonger. A more balanced view suggests a capable military ruler whose oft-reviled peculiarities seemed to have served him well.