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The Northern War began
By the beginning of 1700 in Europe anti-Sweden coalition called the Northern Alliance had formed. It included Russia (Peter I), Denmark (Frederick IV), Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Saxony (Augustus II the Strong). Each member of the Alliance was pursuing his own goals: the King of Denmark wanted to get back the regions lost by his country in 1660-1689; Saxony Prince Elector who was at the same time the King of Poland, was interested by the lands of Swedish Livonia and Estland (Baltic); the Russian tsar aspired not just to get access to the Baltic Sea but also to restore primordial Russian territories with the town of Korela, Koporye, Oreshek, Yam and Ivangorod which were taken by Sweden under the Treaty of Stolbovo 1617.
On August 19 (30), 1700 Peter I declared war to Sweden.
On August 22 (September 2) Peter I set out with his troops from Moscow to Narva. The siege of the fortress had lasted a month and a half but during the decisive battle of November 19 (30), 1700 the Russian troops were defeated. After “Narva discomfiture” Peter I decided to carry out a military reform and created a regular army. In autumn of 1702 he began an offensive in Ingria and Estland. In 1702 and 1703 the Swedish fortresses Noteborg and Nyenschantz fell. In the mouth of Neva River the city of Saint-Petersburg was founded. In summer of 1704 the Russian troops occupied Dorpat and Narva. Peter I started the creation of the Russian Navy and founded a naval base Kronstadt.
In August of 1708 Swedish king Karl XII and his army set out toward Russia. On September 28 (October 9), 1708 the Russian advanced detachment managed to defeat a Swedish corps under the commandment of General A. L. Lewenhaupt near the village of Lestanya. In summer of 1709 the army of Karl XII besieged Poltava. On June 27 (July 8) it was defeated by Peter I in the decisive battle. Three days later the remains of the Swedish army capitulated. Karl XII with a small detachment managed to escape to the lands of the Turkish sultan where he remained until 1714.
Poltava battle was the crucial point in the Northern War. The North Alliance was restored, Frederick IV and Augustus II resumed hostilities. Prussia and later Hanover joined the anti-Swedish coalition. In 1710-1714 the Russian troops occupied the entire Estland including Revel and Pernov, Swedish Livonia with Riga, South Finland with Vyborg. In 1714 the Russian Navy defeated the Swedish one during the battle of Gangut. As a result Karl XII agreed for peace with Russia. Russo-Swedish negotiations began on Aland Islands but in November of 1718 the Swedish king was killed.
Hessen party, which seized power in Sweden, pushed aside Golstein party and started truce talks with the western allies of Russia. After five months of negotiations however, on August 30 (September 10), 1721 in the town of Nystad a peace treaty was signed. In accordance with the treaty Sweden ceded to Russia Baltic and the south-west of Karelia having kept Finland. Sweden lost its possessions on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea and a major part of its possessions in Germany having kept just a part of Pomerania and the Island of Rugen.
Thus Russia became a great power dominating in the Eastern Europe. As a result of the war it annexed to its possessions Ingria (Izhora), Karelia, Estland, Swedish Livonia and the southern part of Finland (up to Vyborg). Russia strengthened its impact in Courland. The main military objective, which consisted of gaining access to the sea and establishing sea trade with Europe, was also achieved. By the end of the war Russia had a modern army and a strong Navy at the Baltic Sea.
Lit.: Баскаков В. И. Северная война 1700-1721 гг. Кампания от Гродна до Полтавы 1706-1709 гг. СПб., 1890; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://runivers.ru/lib/detail.php?ID=329775; Беспалов А. В. Северная война. Карл XII и шведская армия. Путь от Копенгагена до Переволочной. 1700-1709. М., 1998; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://militera.lib.ru/h/bespalov_av01/index.html; Никифоров Л. А. Внешняя политика, России в последние годы Северной войны. Ништадтский мир. М., 1959; Ростунов И. И., Авдеев В. А., Осипова М. Н., Соколов Ю. Ф. История Северной войны 1700–1721 гг. М., 1987; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://militera.lib.ru/h/rostunov_ii2/index.html; Северная война 1700–1721 гг. // Боевая летопись русского флота: Хроника важнейших событий военной истории русского флота с IX в. по 1917 г. М., 1948. Разд. 2. С. 43-68; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://militera.lib.ru/h/boevaya_letopis_flota/08.html; События Северной войны 1700-1721 гг. [Электронный ресурс] // Хронос. 2000. URL: http://www.hrono.ru/proekty/ostu/northwar.html; Тарле Е. В. Сочинения. М., 1959. Т. 10; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://militera.lib.ru/h/tarle2/index.html; Шефов Н. А. История Северной войны 1700-1721 гг. М., 1987; Широкорад А. Б. Великая Северная война // Северные войны России. М.; Минск, 2001; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://militera.lib.ru/h/shirokorad1/4_01.html.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:
Great Northern War (1700–1721) // Peter I (1672–1725): [digital collection];
Legislative acts of Peter I. Great Northern War (1700–1721) // State Authority: [digital collection];
The first victory of Russia in sea battle – the Day of Baltic Fleet // On this day. 18 May 1703;
The first navy regiment formed in Russia // On this day. 27 November 1705;
The first Russian Naval regulations approved // On this day. 24 January 1720.