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Description
The battle of Poltava (8th of July 1709) was the largest battle of the Great Northern War (1700-1721) and faught between the invading Swedish army of Carolean soldiers under the leadership of general Carl Gustaf Rhenskiöld (1651-1722) and overseen by king Charles XII of Sweden (1682-1718), against the Russian army under the command of Czar Peter I (1672-1725). The battle would end in a major Swedish defeat and turn the tide of the war in favour of the alliance of Russia, Denmark-Norway and Saxony.

How did such a decisive battle single handedly turn the tide of an entire war? By end of the 17th century, the Swedish Empire was the ruling superpower in northern Europe, practically controlling the entire Baltic Sea region. This was a power balance other neighbouring states wished to change in their favour. By the 12th of February 1700, the Great Northern War broke out as armies from Saxony crossed the Düna river and besieged Riga in by that time Swedish-owned Livonia (now made up primarily of Latvia). Meanwhile, Denmark-Norway mobilised its armies to besiege the allied duchy of Holstein-Gottorp. In August that year, Russia too entered the war and would besiege the city of Narva in Estonia, also a Swedish province by the time, in september. The Summer, Autumn and Winter of 1700 became an intensive one as the young Swedish king mobilised from one end to another and managed to somehow push both Denmark-Norway and Russia out of the war through a landing at Humlebæk on Zealand, Denmark (August 4th 1700) and the battle of Narva (30th of November 1700). After that, Charles XII turned his eye towards Saxony and Poland (Poland was ruled by the same monarch, August II [1670-1733]) in a campaign that would last until the battle of Fraustadt (13th of February 1706). Meanwhile, Russia took the time to rebuild and modernise its army, just in time for the Swedish king's Russian campaign to begin in 1707. Using the scorched earth tactic, Russia would starve out the Swedish invading army which would grow weaker in provisions and morale as the fruitless campaign went by.
Charles XII decided to march southwards, towards Ukraine, hoping for more plentiful resources and to rally the local Cossacks into a rebellion against the Russian Czar. Admittedly, the Cossack Hetman, Ivan Mazepa (1639-1709) was worried about all these invading armies from both west and east, but would eventually side with the Swedes, believing them to help in the creation of an independent Cossack kingdom. But other Cossacks decided to join Peter I instead, and as such Cossacks could be found on both sides of the upcoming battle. Besides that, resources and supplies were still meager due to the Russian scorched earth tactic being implemented here as well, and a supporting army meant to travel from northwards to join Charles XII's army led by general Adam Ludwig Lewenhaupt (1659-1719) was ambushed and had to relieve itself of much of its supplies and artillery. On top of all that, the winter between 1708 and 1709 became the coldest one in many a year, leading to starvation, disease and frostbite to ravage the Swedish armies. The Russians also suffered casualties, but not nowhere as many as the Swedish armies. The only choice to actually be able to succeed with the invasion seemed to be to capture a well provisioned fort and wait until support arrived. That fortress was found at the city of Poltava, which was besieged on the 1st of May 1709. Peter saw this moment as a critical one and advanced to meet the Swedish armies, and initiate a decisive battle. In a cavalry skirmish outside the city on June 17th, king Charles was shot in the foot and succumbed to fever. This would further demoralize the Swedish troops.

With 22.000 men, the Swedish army stood as ready as they possibly could be in their weakened state at Poltava on the 8th of June, supported by additionally 3.000 of Mazepa's Cossacks. They were dwarfed by Russia's 80.000 men and ca 25.000 cossacks. There were uncertainties among the Swedish commanders whether they should use an aggressive or cautious means of strategy. The king himself was under the belief that they should go all in, despite not being able to partake himself but rather giving the command and strategy to general Rhenskiöld. But due to a miscommunications between Rhenskiöld and the other generals, this tactical plan was essentially already dead in the water. The battle started already by 4 AM with Swedish scouts advancing against Russian bastions. These would later, after already suffering casualties, rejoin the rest of the Swedish army and then advance against the Russians. While advancing, the artillery would devestate the Swedish forces. Still, the Swedes advanced until they saw the white in the enemy's eyes, as was the typical Carolean army's strategy. But due to the Russian infantry forces being so packed with soldiers in comparison to the Swedish thinned out lines, this previously effective strategy now had little effect. In contrast, the Russian volleys instead killed many of the Swedish soldiers. The few Swedish forces that did reach the Russian lines faught bravely until they were killed off. This went on in several waves until it was clear for the remaining survivors that the battle was practically lost. Charles XII was of another idea, however, and insisted upon personally leading the battle in his state. He tried getting his bodyguards to carry his stretcher out into battle, but they were killed by artillery fire, and he had to be carried back again. The remaining survivors retreated backwards being pursued by Russian cavalry. Charles XII in the meantime gathered what little was left of his army and fled southwards, leaving many of his top commanders to be captured by the Russians. Captured Swedish soldiers were instead sent to Siberia. Long story short; it sucked hard for the Swedes.

Charles XII's retreat led him to the Ottoman Empire, where he would spend an additional four years trying to pursue the Ottoman Sultan Ahmed III (1673-1736) for an alliance, but ultimately this remained fruitless. Meanwhile, the Russians took the upper hand in the war and would turn their eyes westwards, while Denmark-Norway rejoined the war, looking to lost regions in southern Sweden. The war had turned in favour of the alliance, but it would still last 11 more years.

Description
The battle of Poltava (8th of July 1709) was the largest battle of the Great Northern War (1700-1721) and faught between the invading Swedish army of Carolean soldiers under the leadership of general Carl Gustaf Rhenskiöld (1651-1722) and overseen by king Charles XII of Sweden (1682-1718), against the Russian army under the command of Czar Peter I (1672-1725). The battle would end in a major Swedish defeat and turn the tide of the war in favour of the alliance of Russia, Denmark-Norway and Saxony.

How did such a decisive battle single handedly turn the tide of an entire war? By end of the 17th century, the Swedish Empire was the ruling superpower in northern Europe, practically controlling the entire Baltic Sea region. This was a power balance other neighbouring states wished to change in their favour. By the 12th of February 1700, the Great Northern War broke out as armies from Saxony crossed the Düna river and besieged Riga in by that time Swedish-owned Livonia (now made up primarily of Latvia). Meanwhile, Denmark-Norway mobilised its armies to besiege the allied duchy of Holstein-Gottorp. In August that year, Russia too entered the war and would besiege the city of Narva in Estonia, also a Swedish province by the time, in september. The Summer, Autumn and Winter of 1700 became an intensive one as the young Swedish king mobilised from one end to another and managed to somehow push both Denmark-Norway and Russia out of the war through a landing at Humlebæk on Zealand, Denmark (August 4th 1700) and the battle of Narva (30th of November 1700). After that, Charles XII turned his eye towards Saxony and Poland (Poland was ruled by the same monarch, August II [1670-1733]) in a campaign that would last until the battle of Fraustadt (13th of February 1706). Meanwhile, Russia took the time to rebuild and modernise its army, just in time for the Swedish king's Russian campaign to begin in 1707. Using the scorched earth tactic, Russia would starve out the Swedish invading army which would grow weaker in provisions and morale as the fruitless campaign went by.
Charles XII decided to march southwards, towards Ukraine, hoping for more plentiful resources and to rally the local Cossacks into a rebellion against the Russian Czar. Admittedly, the Cossack Hetman, Ivan Mazepa (1639-1709) was worried about all these invading armies from both west and east, but would eventually side with the Swedes, believing them to help in the creation of an independent Cossack kingdom. But other Cossacks decided to join Peter I instead, and as such Cossacks could be found on both sides of the upcoming battle. Besides that, resources and supplies were still meager due to the Russian scorched earth tactic being implemented here as well, and a supporting army meant to travel from northwards to join Charles XII's army led by general Adam Ludwig Lewenhaupt (1659-1719) was ambushed and had to relieve itself of much of its supplies and artillery. On top of all that, the winter between 1708 and 1709 became the coldest one in many a year, leading to starvation, disease and frostbite to ravage the Swedish armies. The Russians also suffered casualties, but not nowhere as many as the Swedish armies. The only choice to actually be able to succeed with the invasion seemed to be to capture a well provisioned fort and wait until support arrived. That fortress was found at the city of Poltava, which was besieged on the 1st of May 1709. Peter saw this moment as a critical one and advanced to meet the Swedish armies, and initiate a decisive battle. In a cavalry skirmish outside the city on June 17th, king Charles was shot in the foot and succumbed to fever. This would further demoralize the Swedish troops.

With 22.000 men, the Swedish army stood as ready as they possibly could be in their weakened state at Poltava on the 8th of June, supported by additionally 3.000 of Mazepa's Cossacks. They were dwarfed by Russia's 80.000 men and ca 25.000 cossacks. There were uncertainties among the Swedish commanders whether they should use an aggressive or cautious means of strategy. The king himself was under the belief that they should go all in, despite not being able to partake himself but rather giving the command and strategy to general Rhenskiöld. But due to a miscommunications between Rhenskiöld and the other generals, this tactical plan was essentially already dead in the water. The battle started already by 4 AM with Swedish scouts advancing against Russian bastions. These would later, after already suffering casualties, rejoin the rest of the Swedish army and then advance against the Russians. While advancing, the artillery would devestate the Swedish forces. Still, the Swedes advanced until they saw the white in the enemy's eyes, as was the typical Carolean army's strategy. But due to the Russian infantry forces being so packed with soldiers in comparison to the Swedish thinned out lines, this previously effective strategy now had little effect. In contrast, the Russian volleys instead killed many of the Swedish soldiers. The few Swedish forces that did reach the Russian lines faught bravely until they were killed off. This went on in several waves until it was clear for the remaining survivors that the battle was practically lost. Charles XII was of another idea, however, and insisted upon personally leading the battle in his state. He tried getting his bodyguards to carry his stretcher out into battle, but they were killed by artillery fire, and he had to be carried back again. The remaining survivors retreated backwards being pursued by Russian cavalry. Charles XII in the meantime gathered what little was left of his army and fled southwards, leaving many of his top commanders to be captured by the Russians. Captured Swedish soldiers were instead sent to Siberia. Long story short; it sucked hard for the Swedes.

Charles XII's retreat led him to the Ottoman Empire, where he would spend an additional four years trying to pursue the Ottoman Sultan Ahmed III (1673-1736) for an alliance, but ultimately this remained fruitless. Meanwhile, the Russians took the upper hand in the war and would turn their eyes westwards, while Denmark-Norway rejoined the war, looking to lost regions in southern Sweden. The war had turned in favour of the alliance, but it would still last 11 more years.