The Battle of Poltava; russian: Полта́вская би́тва; uk, Полта́вська би́тва (8 July 1709) was the decisive and largest battle of the
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedi ...
. A Russian army under the command of Tsar
Peter I Peter I may refer to:
Religious hierarchs
* Saint Peter (c. 1 AD – c. 64–88 AD), a.k.a. Simon Peter, Simeon, or Simon, apostle of Jesus
* Pope Peter I of Alexandria (died 311), revered as a saint
* Peter I of Armenia (died 1058), Catholico ...
defeated a Swedish army, under the command of
Carl Gustaf Rehnskiöld Carl may refer to:
*Carl, Georgia, city in USA
*Carl, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
*Carl (name), includes info about the name, variations of the name, and a list of people with the name
*Carl², a TV series
* "Carl", an episode of tel ...
. The battle put an end to the status of the
Swedish Empire as a European great power, as well as its eastbound expansion, and marked the beginning of Russian hegemony in
Northern Europe
The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe Northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other g ...
.
During the course of six years in the initial stages of the war,
King Charles XII and the Swedish Empire had defeated almost all participants in the anti-Swedish coalition, which initially consisted of the
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth,
Denmark-Norway and the
Tsardom of Russia
The Tsardom of Russia or Tsardom of Rus' also externally referenced as the Tsardom of Muscovy, was the centralized Russian state from the assumption of the title of Tsar by Ivan IV in 1547 until the foundation of the Russian Empire by Peter I i ...
. The latter under Tsar Peter I's rule was the only one still undefeated. Charles XII therefore chose to
invade Russia in the autumn of 1707 and march towards
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
with a large Swedish army. However, the campaign was complicated by harsh weather conditions and by the Russians applying
scorched earth
A scorched-earth policy is a military strategy that aims to destroy anything that might be useful to the enemy. Any assets that could be used by the enemy may be targeted, which usually includes obvious weapons, transport vehicles, communi ...
tactics
[ and surprise attacks, which forced Charles XII to interrupt his march on Moscow and instead march south to establish winter quarters in ]Ruthenia
Ruthenia or , uk, Рутенія, translit=Rutenia or uk, Русь, translit=Rus, label=none, pl, Ruś, be, Рутэнія, Русь, russian: Рутения, Русь is an exonym, originally used in Medieval Latin as one of several terms ...
with the help of Ivan Mazepa, hetman
( uk, гетьман, translit=het'man) is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders.
Used by the Czechs in Bohemia since the 15th century. It was the title of the second-highest military co ...
of the Cossack Hetmanate Zaporizhian Host.
After the extremely harsh Great Frost
The Great Frost, as it was known in England, or ' ("The Great Winter"), as it was known in France, was an extraordinarily cold winter in Europe in 1708–1709,. and was the coldest European winter during the past 500 years.
Notability
William ...
of 1708–1709, the weakened Swedish army resumed operations in the spring of 1709 and began a siege of the fortress of Poltava
Poltava (, ; uk, Полтава ) is a city located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the capital city of the Poltava Oblast (province) and of the surrounding Poltava Raion (district) of the oblast. Poltava is administratively ...
, an important trading center and military depot on the Vorskla. Meanwhile, a numerically superior Russian army of 75,000–80,000 men commanded by Peter, advanced to Poltava in order to relieve the siege. The two armies clashed, and ended with the Swedes being defeated and fleeing the battlefield. Charles and Mazepa retreated with 1,500 men south to the river Dnieper
}
The Dnieper () or Dnipro (); , ; . is one of the major transboundary rivers of Europe, rising in the Valdai Hills near Smolensk, Russia, before flowing through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. It is the longest river of Ukraine and B ...
, which they crossed, thus managing to escape the Russians and established themselves in the Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
.[ The rest of the army was forced to surrender to the Russians at the village of ]Perevolochna
Perevolochna ( uk, Переволочна) is a former fortress and town in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Cossack Hetmanate, and later a village in Poltava Oblast. Before the establishment of Kamianske Water Reservoir in the 1960s, he ...
on 11 July 1709.
The Battle of Poltava, as well as the subsequent capitulation, ended in a decisive victory for Peter I and became the greatest military catastrophe in Swedish history. It marked a turning point in the continuation of the war in favour of the anti-Swedish coalition, which as a result of the battle was revived and with renewed vigor attacked the weakened Swedish Empire on several fronts. The battle thus marked the end of Sweden's time as the dominant power in Northern Europe
The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe Northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other g ...
, a position which after the war was taken over by the Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
. The battle is therefore of crucial importance in the history of Sweden as well as Russia and Ukraine.
Background
Charles XII had led Swedish forces to early victories in North Zealand
North Zealand, also North Sealand ( da, Nordsjælland), refers to the northern part of the Danish island of Zealand which is not clearly defined but generally covers the area north of Copenhagen. The Danish tourist authorities have recently in ...
(Summer 1700) and in the Battle of Narva in November 1700. However, it took six years for him to defeat Augustus II
Augustus II; german: August der Starke; lt, Augustas II; in Saxony also known as Frederick Augustus I – Friedrich August I (12 May 16701 February 1733), most commonly known as Augustus the Strong, was Elector of Saxony from 1694 as well as Ki ...
of Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
-Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
.[ Peter I withdrew from Poland in the spring of 1706,][ and offered to cede his Baltic possessions to Sweden except St. Petersburg, but Charles refused.][ Peter subsequently adopted a scorched-earth policy in order to deprive the Swedish forces of supplies.][
Charles ordered a final attack on the Russian heartland with a possible assault on ]Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
from his campaign base in Poland. The Swedish army of almost 44,000 men[Tucker, S.C., 2010, A Global Chronology of Conflict, Vol. Two, Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, LLC, ] left Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
on 22 August 1707 and marched slowly eastwards. Charles took the field in November after waiting for reinforcements to arrive.[ Continuing east, he crossed the ]Vistula River
The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland.
The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...
on 25 December 1707, then continued through a hostile Masuria
Masuria (, german: Masuren, Masurian: ''Mazurÿ'') is a ethnographic and geographic region in northern and northeastern Poland, known for its 2,000 lakes. Masuria occupies much of the Masurian Lake District. Administratively, it is part of the ...
and took Grodno
Grodno (russian: Гродно, pl, Grodno; lt, Gardinas) or Hrodna ( be, Гродна ), is a city in western Belarus. The city is located on the Neman River, 300 km (186 mi) from Minsk, about 15 km (9 mi) from the Polish b ...
on 26 January 1708 after Russian troops had abandoned the city.[ At the time the Russians had been occupied with a large rebellion of ]Don Cossacks
Don Cossacks (russian: Донские казаки, Donskie kazaki) or Donians (russian: донцы, dontsy) are Cossacks who settled along the middle and lower Don. Historically, they lived within the former Don Cossack Host (russian: До ...
, known as the Bulavin Rebellion (1707–1708). This revolt was contained in part by the forces of the Cossack Hetmanate
The Cossack Hetmanate ( uk, Гетьманщина, Hetmanshchyna; or ''Cossack state''), officially the Zaporizhian Host or Army of Zaporizhia ( uk, Військо Запорозьке, Viisko Zaporozke, links=no; la, Exercitus Zaporoviensis) ...
led by Hetman
( uk, гетьман, translit=het'man) is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders.
Used by the Czechs in Bohemia since the 15th century. It was the title of the second-highest military co ...
Ivan Mazepa.[ The Swedes continued to the area around Smorgon and ]Minsk
Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and the now subterranean Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the admi ...
, where the army went into winter quarters. Charles left 8,000 dragoon
Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat w ...
s under Major General Ernst Detlof von Krassow
Ernst Detlof von Krassow, Swedish noble and military commander, born around 1660, dead 23 January 1714, freiherr (1707). Appointed Major General in 1706. Father of Karl Vilhelm von Krassow. As a colonel, he was an important leader in the cavalry ...
in western Poland.
Poor weather and road conditions kept the Swedish troops in winter quarters until June 1708. In July the Swedes defeated Marshal Boris Sheremetyev
Count Boris Petrovich Sheremetev (russian: Граф Бори́с Петро́вич Шереме́тев, tr. ; – ) was an Imperial Russian diplomat and general field marshal during the Great Northern War. He became the first Russian count in ...
's forces at the Battle of Holowczyn
The Battle of Holowczyn or Holofzin or Golovchin was fought in July 1708 between the Russian army, and the Swedish army, led by Charles XII of Sweden, only 26 years of age at the time. Despite difficult natural obstacles and superior enemy artil ...
and advanced to the Dnieper River
}
The Dnieper () or Dnipro (); , ; . is one of the major transboundary rivers of Europe, rising in the Valdai Hills near Smolensk, Russia, before flowing through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. It is the longest river of Ukraine and B ...
.[ During the spring General ]Lewenhaupt Lewenhaupt is the name of an old Swedish noble family and may refer to:
* Gustaf Adolf Lewenhaupt (1619–1656), Swedish soldier
* Adam Ludwig Lewenhaupt (1659–1719), Swedish general
* Charles Emil Lewenhaupt (1691–1743), Swedish general
* Wi ...
in Courland
Courland (; lv, Kurzeme; liv, Kurāmō; German and Scandinavian languages: ''Kurland''; la, Curonia/; russian: Курляндия; Estonian: ''Kuramaa''; lt, Kuršas; pl, Kurlandia) is one of the Historical Latvian Lands in western Latvia. ...
had been ordered to gather supplies and march his army of about 12,000 men to join Charles' forces. However, his departure from Mitau
Jelgava (; german: Mitau, ; see also #Name, other names) is a state city in central Latvia about southwest of Riga with 55,972 inhabitants (2019). It is the largest town in the region of Zemgale (Semigalia). Jelgava was the capital of the unit ...
was delayed until late June and consequently he only joined Charles' forces on 11 October.
Rather than winter in Livonia or wait for Lewenhaupt, Charles decided to move southwards into Ukraine and join Mazepa, who had decided to rebel against Peter.[ Peter sent Sheremetev to shadow the Swedish army.][Frost, R. I., 2000, The Northern Wars, 1558–1721, Harlow: Pearson Education Limited, ] Lewenhaupt followed south and was attacked while crossing a river near a small village that gave name to the Battle of Lesnaya
The Battle of Lesnaya (russian: Битва при Лесной, Bitva pri Lesnoy; sv, Slaget vid Lesna; pl, Bitwa pod Leśną) was one of the major battles of the Great Northern War. It took place on between a Russian army of between 26,500 a ...
, losing the supply train and half of his force.[ In need of resupply, Charles moved towards Baturyn, Mazepa's headquarters, but Russian troops under ]Aleksandr Menshikov
Prince Aleksander Danilovich Menshikov (russian: Алекса́ндр Дани́лович Ме́ншиков, Romanization of Russian, tr. ; – ) was a Russian statesman, whose official titles included Generalissimo, Prince of the Russian Em ...
reached the city first. Anticipating the Swedish arrival, Menshikov ordered the merciless massacre of the population, razing the city and destroying or looting arms, ammunition and food.[
By the spring of 1709 Charles' force had shrunk to half of its original size. After the coldest winter in Europe in over 500 years, Charles was left with 20,000 soldiers and 34 cannons.][ Short of supplies, he laid siege to the Russian fortress at ]Poltava
Poltava (, ; uk, Полтава ) is a city located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the capital city of the Poltava Oblast (province) and of the surrounding Poltava Raion (district) of the oblast. Poltava is administratively ...
on the Vorskla River on 2 May 1709.[ Peter's force of 80,000 marched to relieve the siege.][ Upon his arrival, Peter built a fortified camp on the Vorskla, 4 km north of Poltava.][ While observing the Russian position on 20 June, Charles was struck in the foot by a stray bullet that wounded him so severely that he could not stand.][ In addition, Charles' last hope of reinforcement expired, as the Swedish forces under von Krassow had turned aside to deal with the anti-Swedish ]Sandomierz Confederation
The Sandomierz Confederation was an anti-Swedish confederation, formed on 20 May 1704 in defense of the King of Poland, August II the Strong. It was formed in reaction to the Warsaw Confederation, and its marshal was Stanisław Ernest Denhoff. The ...
in Poland.[
Between the Russian and Swedish forces the Yakovetski and Budyschenski woods formed a corridor, which the Russians defended by building six forts across the gap.][Englund, P., 1992, The Battle that Shook Europe, London: I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd., ] Peter, in addition, ordered four more redoubts built so the entire system of ten forts would have a ''T'' shape, providing flanking fire
Enfilade and defilade are concepts in military tactics used to describe a military formation's exposure to enemy fire. A formation or position is "in enfilade" if weapon fire can be directed along its longest axis. A unit or position is "in de ...
to a Swedish advance.[ Two of the redoubts were still being constructed on the morning of the battle, but 4,000 Russians manned the remaining eight, with 10,000 cavalry under General Aleksandr Danilovich Menshikov stationed behind them.][
]
Battle
Swedish attack
Because of his wound, Charles turned over operational command to Field Marshal Carl Gustav Rehnskiöld
Count Carl Gustav Rehnskiöld (6 August 1651 – 29 January 1722) was a Swedish Field Marshal (''Fältmarskalk'') and Royal Councillor. He was mentor and chief military advisor to King Charles XII of Sweden, and served as deputy commander-in-c ...
.[ Four columns of infantry and six columns of cavalry were to form during the night, 600 meters south of the redoubts, intending to attack before dawn in order to swiftly bypass the redoubt system and hit the Russian fort.][ The infantry was in place by 2:30 a.m. but the cavalry arrived late, having lost their way.][ Riding forward, ]Axel Gyllenkrok
Axel Gyllenkrok, or ''Gyllenkrook'' (2 August 1664 – 17 September 1730) was a Swedish baron, military general, and governor of Gothenburg. He is best known as being the general quartermaster of King Charles XII of Sweden.
He was the operati ...
observed the Russians at work on the two nearest redoubts and rode back to inform Rehnskiöld.[ A ]reconnoitre
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmishers, ...
by Major General Wolmar Anton von Schlippenbach Wolmar Anton von Schlippenbach (1653–1721) was Governor General of Swedish Estonia from 1704 to 1706.
Biography
Born in Livonia, into the Schlippenbach noble family participated as a captain in the Swedish army Scanian War under Charles XI and s ...
was discovered by the Russians and the alarm was sounded by the firing of a pistol.[ Having lost the element of surprise, and without sufficient cannon to breach the fortifications, Rehnskiöld consulted with Charles, ]Carl Piper
Count Carl Piper (July 29, 1647, Stockholm – May 29, 1716, Schlüsselburg) was a Swedish statesman. He entered the foreign office after completing his academical course at Uppsala, accompanied Bengt Gabrielsson Oxenstierna on his embassage ...
and Lewenhaupt on whether or not to proceed with the assault.[ By the time Rehnskiöld decided to proceed with the attack by quoting, "In the name of God then, let us go forward", it was nearly 4:00 a.m. on 28 June (Swedish calendar) and dawn was already approaching.][ The Swedes in ]Carl Gustaf Roos {{Infobox noble, type
, name = Carl Gustaf Roos
, title = Friherre
, image =
, caption =
, alt =
, CoA =
, more = no
, succession =
, reign ...
' column quickly overran the first two redoubts, killing every Russian soldier inside them, but by 4:30 a.m. the attempts to take the third redoubt stalled.[
]
Lewenhaupt's ten battalions on the right bypassed the first four redoubts entirely, advancing to the back line and, with the aid of cavalry, took some redoubts while bypassing others.[ Two of Roos' rear battalions joined them, indicating that issued orders lacked clarity as to whether to avoid the redoubts or attack them in series.][ The cavalry on the left wing, commanded by Major General Hamilton and an infantry regiment, advanced by passing the redoubts on the left and charged the Russian cavalry, forcing them to retreat.][ It was 5:00 a.m. when the left and right wings of the Swedish army made it past the back line of redoubts, sending the Russian cavalry in retreat.][ However, Rehnskiöld ordered his cavalry to stop their pursuit and Lewenhaupt, already advancing towards the fort, to withdraw to the west.][ There they awaited Roos' battalions for two hours, while the Russian cavalry and Ivan Skoropadsky's Cossacks waited to the north, with 13 Russian battalions deployed north of their camp and ten to the south, anticipating a Swedish advance.][
]
Surrender of Roos and Russian advance
General Roos and six battalions (one-third of the Swedish infantry) became isolated while attempting to take the third Russian redoubt.[ After suffering severe casualties from several assault attempts, Roos led the remaining 1,500 of his original 2,600 men into the Yakovetski woods to the east at 6:00 a.m.][ The Russians reoccupied the first two redoubts][ and launched a two-pronged attack by ten regiments around 7:00 a.m., forcing Roos to retreat towards Poltava and take refuge in an abandoned fort by 9:00 a.m. when he could not make it to the Swedish siege works.][ Roos was forced to surrender his command][ at 9:30 a.m.][
The Swedes continued to wait for Roos' troops to return, unaware of their surrender.][ As time went by Peter led the 42 battalions of Russian infantry—22,000 soldiers—into an advance out of the fortified camp, supported by 55 three-pounder cannons and 32 guns on the ramparts of the fort.][ Ten regiments of ]dragoons
Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat ...
formed under Lieutenant General Adolf Fredrik Bauer on the Russian right and six regiments under Menshikov on the left.[ Just west of the camp the Russians were faced by 4,000 Swedish infantry,][ formed into ten battalions with four three-pounders, and the cavalry under Major General ]Carl Gustaf Creutz
Carl Gustaf Creutz (1660−1728) was a Swedish general.
He served as a page of Charles XI and experienced the Scanian War and by 1691 he was a captain in the Life Regiment of Horse. The Great Northern War began in 1700 and Creutz participated in ...
in the rear.[ The Russians slowly moved forward to engage.][ According to Charles and reports from other Swedish officers, the weather at that time was already very hot and humid, with the sun obscured by smoke from the Russian cannons in the fort.
]
Final stage and turning point
At 9:45 a.m. Rehnskiöld ordered Lewenhaupt and the Swedish line to move forward, advancing towards the Russian line, which started firing its cannons at 500 meters.[ When the Swedes were 50 meters from the Russian line, the Russians opened fire with their muskets from all four ranks.][ Advancing to within 30 meters of the Russian line, the Swedes fired a volley of their own and charged with their muskets and pikemen, and the Russian first line retreated towards their second line.][ The Swedes seemed to be on the verge of a breakthrough and needed the cavalry under Creutz to break the Russian lines.][ Unfortunately for the Swedes, Creutz's and the other cavalry units were unable to reform completely in time.][ With the Russian line longer than the Swedish line, the Swedish infantry on the left flank lagged behind the right and finally threw down their weapons and fled.][ As the Swedish right flank was still advancing, a gap began to open in the Swedish line which the Russians filled and the battle turned into a ]Cannae
Cannae (now Canne della Battaglia, ) is an ancient village of the Apulia region of south east Italy. It is a ''frazione'' (civil parish) of the ''comune'' (municipality) of Barletta. Cannae was formerly a bishopric, and is presently (2022) a Lati ...
variation.[ Barely able to gather his cavalry squadrons, Creutz tried to advance on the right flank, but the Russian battalions were able to form into hollow squares,][ while Menshikov's cavalry outflanked the Swedes and attacked them from the rear.][ At this point the Swedish assault had disintegrated and no longer had organized bodies of troops to oppose the Russian infantry or cavalry. Small groups of soldiers managed to break through and escape to the south through the Budyschenski woods, while many of the rest were overwhelmed, ridden down or captured.][
Realizing they were the last Swedes on the battlefield, Charles ordered a retreat to the woods, gathering what remaining forces he could for protection, including the remnants of Creutz's detachment.][ The Russians halted at the edge of the woods and their artillery fire stopped; only the Cossacks and Kalmycks roamed the plains south of the woods.][ Emerging from the woods at around noon, Charles—on horseback after his litter was destroyed, and protected by a square of a couple of thousand men—headed to Pushkaryovka and his baggage train 5 km to the south, reaching it after 1:00 p.m., by which time the battle was over.][
Charles gathered the remainder of his troops and baggage train and retreated to the south later that same day—at about 7:00 p.m., abandoning the siege of Poltava.][ Lewenhaupt led the surviving Swedes and some of the Cossack forces to the Dnieper River, but was doggedly pursued by the Russian regular cavalry and 3,000 Kalmyk auxiliaries and forced to surrender three days later at Perevolochna on 1 July.
]
Aftermath
High-ranking Swedes captured during the battle included Field Marshal Rehnskiöld, Major Generals Schlippenbach, Stackelberg, Hamilton and Prince Maximilian Emanuel, as well as Piper.[ Peter the Great held a celebratory banquet in two large tents erected on the battlefield.][ ]Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his ...
assumed Peter's reason for this, in raising a toast to the Swedish generals as war masters, was to send a message to his own generals about disloyalty.[Voltaire]
The History of Charles XII, King of Sweden
(1908) Two mass graves contained the Russian dead, 500 meters southwest of their camp.[ Previously defeating Peter, Charles had gone so far as to pay the Russian troops. Peter instead took many Swedes, with great pride, and sent them to ]Siberia
Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
.[
Charles and Mazepa escaped with about 1,500 men to Bendery, ]Moldavia
Moldavia ( ro, Moldova, or , literally "The Country of Moldavia"; in Romanian Cyrillic: or ; chu, Землѧ Молдавскаѧ; el, Ἡγεμονία τῆς Μολδαβίας) is a historical region and former principality in Centr ...
, then controlled by the Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
.[ Charles spent five years in exile there before he was able to return to Sweden in December 1715.][ During this time, even handicapped, he retained his magisterial calm demeanor under fire, fighting his way out of several situations. The high ]vizier
A vizier (; ar, وزير, wazīr; fa, وزیر, vazīr), or wazir, is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in the near east. The Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was a ...
of the Turks was eventually paid off, with much intrigue and espionage involved and plots within plots, at one point involving a ransom of the Russian crown jewels, according to Charles' prison translator.[Friedrich Ernst von Fabrice]
The Genuine Letters of Baron Fabricius Envoy from His Serene Highness the Duke Administrator of Holstein to Charles XII of Sweden
(1761)
Notes
References
Sources
*
* Brown, Peter B. "Gazing Anew at Poltava: Perspectives from the Military Revolution Controversy, Comparative History, and Decision-Making Doctrines." ''Harvard Ukrainian Studies'' 31.1/4 (2009): 107–133
online
*
*
*
* Frost, Robert I. "' Everyone understood what it meant': The Impact of the Battle of Poltava on the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth." ''Harvard Ukrainian Studies'' 31.1/4 (2009): 159-17
online
* Gerner, Kristian. "The Battle of Poltava as a Realm of Memory and a Bone of Contention." ''Harvard Ukrainian Studies'' 31.1/4 (2009): 679–69
online
*
* Kamenskii, Alexander. "The Battle of Poltava in Russian Historical Memory." ''Harvard Ukrainian Studies'' 31.1/4 (2009): 195–20
online
*
* LeDonne, John. "Poltava and the geopolitics of Western Eurasia." ''Harvard Ukrainian Studies'' 31.1/4 (2009): 177-19
online
* . popular history
* Plokhy, Serhii, ed. ''Poltava 1709: The Battle and the Myth'' (Harvard University Press, 2012).
*
online
*
*
External links
by Bertil Haggman
on the Encyclopedia of Ukraine
Russian Order at Battle
Swedish Order at Battle
Voltaire's History of Charles XII King of Sweden
by Voltaire
{{DEFAULTSORT:Poltava
Battles of the Great Northern War
Conflicts in 1709
Battle of Poltava
The Battle of Poltava; russian: Полта́вская би́тва; uk, Полта́вська би́тва (8 July 1709) was the decisive and largest battle of the Great Northern War. A Russian army under the command of Tsar Peter I defeate ...
Battle of Poltava
The Battle of Poltava; russian: Полта́вская би́тва; uk, Полта́вська би́тва (8 July 1709) was the decisive and largest battle of the Great Northern War. A Russian army under the command of Tsar Peter I defeate ...
Battles involving Russia
Battles involving Sweden
Battle of Poltava
The Battle of Poltava; russian: Полта́вская би́тва; uk, Полта́вська би́тва (8 July 1709) was the decisive and largest battle of the Great Northern War. A Russian army under the command of Tsar Peter I defeate ...
Battles involving Ukraine
Cossack Hetmanate
Charles XII of Sweden
Ivan Mazepa
History of Poltava Oblast
battle
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
18th century in the Zaporozhian Host