Great Northern War

The Great Northern War was a conflict that engulfed Northern and Eastern Europe from 1700 to 1721, primarily involving the Swedish Empire, Russia, and their respective allies. Sparked by Swedish King Charles XII’s ambition to expand his empire and maintain dominance in the Baltic region, the war saw Sweden pitted against a coalition consisting of Russia, Denmark-Norway, and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The early stages of the war saw Swedish military successes, including the Battle of Narva in 1700, but the tide turned against Sweden following Charles XII’s defeat at the Battle of Poltava in 1709. The war ultimately ended with the signing of the Treaty of Nystad in 1721, which marked the decline of Swedish power in the region and the emergence of Russia as a dominant force in Northern Europe

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