In early 1700, Saxony-Poland-Lithuania, Denmark–Norway, and Russia launched coordinated attacks to break Sweden’s dominance around the Baltic Sea. The conflict that followed is often called the Great Northern War (1700–1721). It set Tsar Peter I’s goal of gaining Baltic access against Sweden’s King Charles XII.
Sweden quickly forced Denmark–Norway out of the fighting with the Peace of Travendal. This let Charles XII shift Sweden’s main forces east against Russia and Saxony-Poland-Lithuania. The treaty changed the war from a three-front crisis into a more manageable struggle for Sweden.
At Narva (in present-day Estonia), Charles XII’s smaller Swedish force broke a much larger Russian army and lifted the siege of the city. The defeat exposed weaknesses in Russia’s army and helped push Peter I toward major military rebuilding. Sweden’s victory also shaped Charles XII’s choice to campaign in Poland rather than drive deeper into Russia immediately.
In 1703, Russia began building St. Petersburg on newly contested Baltic territory after taking key Swedish positions on the Neva River delta. The city was meant to be a strategic port and a “window on Europe,” anchoring Russia’s push toward the Baltic. Its founding signaled that Russia planned to stay and contest Swedish power long-term.
Russia returned to Narva and captured the fortress after a lengthy siege, reversing the humiliation of 1700. This success showed that Peter’s army reforms were beginning to produce results. It also strengthened Russia’s position on the eastern Baltic coast while Sweden remained tied down elsewhere.
Sweden won a major battlefield victory at Fraustadt over Saxon and Russian-aligned forces. The win reinforced Sweden’s dominance in central Poland and helped Charles XII keep pressure on Augustus II. It marked a high point for Sweden’s campaign before the focus shifted toward Russia itself.
After Swedish advances into Saxony, Augustus II (elector of Saxony and king of Poland) signed the Treaty of Altranstädt with Charles XII. Augustus gave up his claim to the Polish throne and withdrew Saxony from the anti-Swedish coalition. This left Russia as Sweden’s main remaining opponent in the war.
During Charles XII’s 1708 invasion of Russia, Sweden defeated Russian forces at Holowczyn (in present-day Belarus). The battle opened a path forward but did not force Russia into a decisive collapse. Russia continued trading space for time while building strength for a larger showdown.
Russia struck a Swedish supply column at Lesnaya, badly disrupting reinforcements and provisions intended for Charles XII’s main army. Even where fighting ended without total destruction, the loss of wagons and supplies weakened Sweden’s ability to continue the campaign. In Russian memory and later writing, the battle was linked to the coming turning point at Poltava.
At Poltava (in present-day Ukraine), Peter I’s army defeated Charles XII’s field army in the war’s most decisive land battle. The defeat shattered Sweden’s offensive power and marked Russia’s rise as a leading force in eastern Europe. After Poltava, Sweden struggled to recover while Russia and its partners gained momentum.
Soon after Poltava, much of the remaining Swedish force capitulated at Perevolochna. This surrender removed Sweden’s main army from the war in the east and deepened the strategic crisis for Sweden. It also freed Russia to press operations around the Baltic while Sweden rebuilt with limited resources.
At Gangut (Hanko Peninsula, Finland), Russia defeated Swedish naval forces in a major engagement. The battle signaled that Russia was becoming a serious naval power in the Baltic, not just a land power. This shift helped Russia threaten Swedish coasts and supply lines while tightening pressure for a negotiated end.
Charles XII was killed at Fredrikshald (Fredriksten fortress area) while leading an invasion of Norway. His death removed Sweden’s driving wartime leader and accelerated peace negotiations. Sweden’s war aims narrowed as the country faced exhaustion and growing enemy coalitions.
After Charles XII’s death, Sweden began making separate peace deals to end fights with other coalition members. The Treaties of Stockholm settled Sweden’s conflicts with Hanover (1719) and Prussia (1720), shrinking Sweden’s position in northern Germany. These treaties isolated the final and largest remaining conflict: Sweden versus Russia.
At Grengam (Åland), Russia fought and captured key Swedish ships in one of the war’s last large naval clashes. The fighting helped convince both sides that continued major offensives at sea were becoming less productive. The war moved toward final bargaining as Russia maintained pressure on Sweden’s coastline.
Sweden and Russia signed the Treaty (Peace) of Nystad, ending the war. Sweden ceded major Baltic territories—including Ingria, Estonia, and Livonia—to Russia, and Sweden’s role as a great power was sharply reduced. The treaty confirmed Russia’s long-sought access to the Baltic and reshaped the balance of power in northern Europe.
Great Northern War (1700-1721)