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Örjan Martinsson

When the Great Northern War started in 1700 Sweden was the dominant military power in north-eastern Europe, controlling most provinces along the shores of the Baltic Sea. But it was a country with very limited resources and incapable of defending its position if attacked by several countries at once. Sweden's neighbours knew that and Denmark-Norway, Saxony and Russia secretly formed a coalition and launched a surprise attack on three fronts. At a later stage they were joined by Prussia and Hanover. But despite the coalition members' optimistic expectations of quick gains, the Swedish army led by Charles XII proved to be a formidable foe. This war that eventually led to the end of Sweden's age of greatness also contained its greatest moments. Almost always fighting against numerically superior armies (usually at least two times greater) Sweden managed to win a series of great battlefield victories at Narva, Düna, Kliszow, Fraustadt, Holowczyn, Helsingborg and Gadebusch. But Sweden also suffered its most catastrophic defeat ever at Poltava and the list of fortresses falling to the enemies during the latter half of the war is very long. The growing power of Russia proved too much and in the end it replaced Sweden as the dominant power in the Baltic Sea region.

The following list of battles and sieges is a selection of the most important events of the Great Northern War. All dates are according to the contemporary Swedish calendar which differs from the Julian calendar (Old Style) by one day until 1712 and from the Gregorian calendar (New Style) with ten days until 1712 when the difference increased to eleven days. This means that the battle of Narva is shown to have happened on 20 November, even though the Gregorian calendar which we use today date it to 30 November and the Russians who used the Julian calendar at the time date the battle to 19 November.

= Sweden, = Denmark, = Hanover, = Prussia, = Poland, = Russia, = Saxony
= Germany, = Finland, = Estonia, = Latvia, = Lithuania, = Belarus, = Ukraine,
= Ottoman Empire, = Romania (principality of Moldavia)

Pitched battle Siege
(Seized fortress)
Naval battle Swedish territory Foreign territory Winner Loser


Date (Swedish Calendar)


Place

Commander

Strength

Opponents
1700 25 July Humlebæk Charles XII  4,900 men   700 men
20 November Narva Charles XII 10,500 men   35,000-38,000 men
1701
 9 July
Düna Charles XII  7,200 men     9,000 men
 5 September Rauge W.A. Schlippenbach  2,000 men    7,000 men
30 December
Erastfer W A. Schlippenbach  2,500 men   18,000 men
1702
 9 July
Kliszow
Charles XII 12,000 men    16,000 men, 8,000 men
19 July
Hummelshof
W.A. Schlippenbach  5,700 men   24,000 men
 2-13 October Nöteborg G. V. Schlippenbach    400 men   12,500 men
1703
19 March 
Saladen
Lewenhaupt  1,300 men    2,500 men, 4,000 men
21 April Pultusk Charles XII  3,000 men     3,500 men
 26 April-2 May Nyenskans Apolloff    700 men   10,000 men
 9 July Systerbäck Cronhjort  4,000 men    7,000 men
 15 May-4 Oct. Thorn Charles XII 17,000 men     6,000 men
1704 16 June Wesenberg W A. Schlippenbach  1,400 men    4,500 men
 4 June-13 July Dorpat Skytte  5,000 men   21,000 men
26 July
Jakobstadt
Lewenhaupt  3,100  men (+ )    3,600 men, 7,700 men
27 June-9 August Narva Horn  5,100 men   43,000 men
 9 August Posen Meijerfeldt  2,100 men     3,400 men
28 October Punitz Charles XII  4,000 men     6,000 men
1705 16 July Gemäuerthof Lewenhaupt  7,000 men   10,000 men
21 July Warszawa Nieroth  2,000 men     3,500 men, 6,000 men
1706 15 Jan.-31 March Grodno Charles XII 18,000 men   25,000 men, 5,000 men
 3 February Fraustadt Rehnsköld 10,000 men   12,000 men, 6,400 men
19 October
Kalisz
Mardefelt  4,400 men (+ )   20,000, 6,000, 10,000
1708
 4 July
Holowczyn
Charles XII 12,000 men   20,000 men
31 August Malatitze Roos  6,000 men   13,000 men
10 September Rajovka Charles XII  2,400 men    8,000 men
29 September
Lesnaya
Lewenhaupt 13,000 men   18,000 men
1709  7 January Veprik Charles XII  3,000 men    1,500 men
28 June
Poltava
Rehnsköld 22,700 men   50,000-55,000 men
1710
28 February
Helsingborg
Stenbock 15,500 men   13,100 men
22 March-13 June
Viborg Stiernstråle  4,000 men   18,000 men
 31 October-4 July Riga Stromberg 10,700 men   12,000 men
23 July-12 August Pernau Schwengeln  1,000 men   6 dragoon regiments
 7 July-9 Sept. Kexholm Stiernschantz    400 men   ca 5,000 men
24-27 September Köge bukt Wachtmeister 21 ships of the line   26 ships of the line
15 Aug.-29 Sept. Reval Patkul  4,000 men   20,000 men
1711 18-22 July Prut  - 130,000 men   38,000 men
24 November Wismar Schoultz  2,500 men     3,000 men
1712
 7 Aug.-7 Sept.
Stade
Stackelberg  2,400 men   16,000 men
 9 December Gadebusch Stenbock 14,000 men   16,000 men, 3,000 men
1713
 February-6 May
Tönningen
Stenbock
14,000 men   21,300, 8,200, 8,500
 6 October Pälkäne Armfelt  1,800 men    6,000 men
1714 19 February Storkyro Armfelt  4,500 men    9,000 men
27 July Hangöudd Ehrenskiöld  6 galleys   23 galleys
18 June-28 July Nyslott Busch    340 men    1,700 men
1715 13 April Femer bält Wachtmeister  4 ships of the line   8 ships of the line
28 July Rügen Sparre 20 ships of the line   21 ships of the line
 5 November Stresow Charles XII  2,000 men    5,300,   4,500, 1,700
 4 July-12 Dec. Stralsund Charles XII 12,000 men   23,500, 21,000, 5,500
1716  1 Jan.-24 Feb.
Kajaneborg Fieandt      50 men   4,000 men
11 June-8 April Wismar Schoultz  3,000 men   4,900, 3,500, 2,300
 28 June Dynekilen Strömstierna 13 naval ships   7 naval ships
1717  8 July Strömstad Hiertta 3 regiments   16 large ships
1719 10-16 July Marstrand Danckwardt    400 men    700 men
13 August Stäket Dahlheim/Fuchs  1,200 men   3,000 men
1720 27 July   Ledsund Siöblad 5 large ships   61 galleys