310 years ago, on July 8, 1709, the Russian army under the command of Peter I defeated the Swedish army of Charles XII in the Battle of Poltava. The general battle of Poltava became a strategic turning point in the Northern War in Russia's favor. The "invincible" Swedish army was destroyed, Russian troops went on the offensive and occupied the Baltic.
Baltic question
Northern War 1700-1721 was caused by the struggle of several powers for domination in the Baltic region. Since ancient times, the Baltic States (the Venedian or Varangian Sea, as the Baltic Sea was then called, was controlled by the Slavs-Wends and Varangians-Rus) was included in the sphere of influence of Russia. The Russian state owned lands on the shores of the Gulf of Finland and the mouth of the Neva. It is also worth remembering that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Russia was originally a Russian state, with a complete predominance of the Russian population and the Russian state language. Thus, Russia's historical rights to the Baltics are undeniable.
In the process of the collapse of the Russian state and the onslaught of the West to the East, Russia lost control over the Baltic states. In the course of a series of wars, Sweden seized Karelia and Izhora land, closed the access to the Baltic Sea for the Russians, created a powerful line of fortresses to protect their possessions and further expansion. As a result, Sweden became the leading power in the Baltic, turning the Baltic Sea into its “lake”. This did not suit Russia, which needed access to the sea for military-strategic and trade-economic reasons. The first serious attempt to return to the shores of the Baltic was made by Ivan the Terrible - the Livonian War, but the war turned into a confrontation with a whole coalition of Western powers and did not lead to victory.
Tsar Peter I made a new attempt to break through to the Baltic. The moment was favorable. The domination of the Swedes in the Baltic Sea irritated not only Russia, but also other powers - Denmark, Saxony and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which had their own interests in the region and wanted to press Sweden. In 1699 - 1700 Russia, Rzeczpospolita, Saxony (the Saxon Elector August II was also the Polish king) and Denmark concluded the Northern Alliance directed against the Swedish Empire. Initially, the Western allies planned to use the Russians as "cannon fodder" in the fight against the Swedes and get the main fruits of the common victory. However, in the course of the war, the Western allies were defeated, and Russia, despite the first setbacks, on the contrary, became stronger and became the leading power of the Northern Alliance.
The beginning of the war. Russia returns to the shores of the Baltic
The start of the war was unfortunate for the Northern Alliance. The young Swedish king Charles XII, a talented commander who dreams of the glory of Alexander the Great, preempted the opponents, was the first to launch an offensive and seize the strategic initiative. It is worth noting that Sweden then had the best army and one of the strongest fleets in Europe. Charles with a quick blow brought Denmark out of the war - the Swedish-Dutch-English squadron fired at Copenhagen, and the Swedish troops landed near the Danish capital. The Danes refused the alliance with Saxony and Russia, promised to pay an indemnity.
Meanwhile, the Saxon army was besieging Riga, and the Russians - Narva. The Saxon king Augustus, having learned about the defeat of Denmark, lifted the siege from Riga and retreated to Courland. This allowed the Swedish king to attack the Russians. In November 1700, the Swedish army, taking advantage of the betrayal of the foreign command in the army of Peter, inflicted a decisive defeat on the Russian troops at the Battle of Narva. After that, the Swedish monarch, underestimating the enemy, did not begin to finish off the Russians, and decided to defeat the main enemy (as he believed) - the Saxon Elector. The Swedes chased August across the territory of the Commonwealth.
This allowed the Russian tsar to "work on the mistakes." Peter is reducing the number of foreigners in the army, relying on national cadres. Creates a new regular army, builds a navy, and develops the military industry. Taking advantage of the fact that the main forces of the Swedish army were engaged in the war in Poland, the Russian army under the command of B. Sheremetev launched a new offensive in the Baltic. The Russians smash the Swedish troops under the command of Schlippenbach, liberate in 1702 - the Old Russian Oreshek (Noteburg), in 1703 - Nevsky town (Nienschanz). The entire course of the river. The Neva is in Russian hands. Peter founds the Peter and Paul Fortress, Kronshlot and Petersburg. A new fleet is being built in the Baltic. The Russian state is consolidated on the shores of the Baltic Sea.
By the end of 1703, the Russian army liberated almost all of the ancient Izhora land (Ingermanlandia). In 1704, the Russians liberated the Old Russian Yuryev (Dorpat) and took Narva. Thus, when Charles's army turned east again, the Swedes met another Russian army. With Russian generals and soldiers who beat the enemy more than once, and ready to measure themselves against a strong enemy. The Russian army was now different in moral, strong-willed, organizational and material-technical terms. Russia made its way to the Baltic, entrenched itself there and was ready for a new decisive battle.
Russian campaign of Charles XII
Meanwhile, the Swedish king had done away with Poland and Saxony. He put his protege Stanislav Leshchinsky on the Polish table. In 1706, the Swedes invaded Saxony, August II capitulated, renounced the alliance with the Russians, from the Polish throne and paid an indemnity. Russia was left without allies. The Swedish king, having stationed his troops in Saxony on vacation, began to prepare a campaign to Russia. Charles XII planned a large-scale invasion of Russia, with the participation of the troops of the Ottoman Empire, the Crimean Khanate, Poland and the Cossacks of Hetman Mazepa, who embarked on the path of betrayal. However, this plan was never realized. Port at this time did not want to fight with Russia. Mazepa's betrayal did not lead to a powerful uprising of the Cossacks in southern Russia. A handful of traitorous elders, who wanted to leave the Russian tsar and go under the arm of Sweden or Turkey, could not raise the people against the Russian kingdom.
True, Karl was not embarrassed, and in the fall of 1707 he launched an offensive in cash. Swedish troops crossed the Vistula in November. Menshikov retreated from Warsaw to the Narew River. In February 1708, the Swedes reached Grodno, Russian troops retreated to Minsk. Tired by the heavy march on the off-road, the Swedish army stopped to rest. In the summer of 1708, the Swedes launched an offensive in the Smolensk direction, aiming at Moscow. Karl's army was to be supported by Levengaupt's corps, which began moving from Riga. In July 1708, the Swedes won a victory at Golovchin. The Russians retreated beyond the Dnieper, the Swedes captured Mogilev.
The further advance of Charles's army slowed down significantly. The Russian command used the scorched earth tactics. At this time, the armies "fed" mainly at the expense of the surrounding lands, peasants, their food supplies and fodder. Peter ordered to burn villages, destroy fields, food supplies that cannot be taken out. The Swedish army had to advance across the devastated terrain. In September 1708, the Swedish military council decided to temporarily abandon the campaign against Moscow, as winter was approaching and the Swedish army was threatened with starvation. The Swedes decided to turn south, to Little Russia, where Hetman Mazepa promised military assistance, supplies and "winter quarters."Levengaupt's corps with an artillery park and supplies should have approached there. However, Levengaupt's troops on September 28 (October 9) 1708 were defeated at the Battle of Lesnaya and the Russians captured the reserves of the Swedish army.
Confrontation in Little Russia
In the south, the situation was not as smooth as Mazepa had promised. The hetman could not bring 50 thousand people to the rescue. army, but only a few thousand Cossacks. In addition, they doubted the correctness of their actions, the Cossacks did not want to fight for the Swedes and their number was constantly dwindling. Menshikov's cavalry outstripped the enemy and burned Baturin, depriving the enemy of stores with supplies. The Swedish army had to move further south, weakening the people by plundering. In the winter of 1708, the Swedes stopped in the area of Romny, Priluki and Lubna. The Russian army was located to the east, covering the approaches to Belgorod and Kursk. Swedish troops ravaged the surrounding area to get food and fodder. This sparked a guerrilla war. The Swedes were opposed not only by flying detachments directed by the Russian command, but also by local residents. So, in mid-November, residents of the town of Brave, with the support of a Russian cavalry detachment, defeated a Swedish detachment. The Swedes lost about 900 killed and captured. When the Swedish king arrived with the main forces to punish the rebellious city, its population left the village. The Swedish troops suffered heavy losses during the assault on the Veprik fortress in January 1709.
The Swedes and Russians suffered from an unusually harsh winter. Winter in Little Russia was usually mild, but this year the winter in Europe was harsh. The Swedes suffered heavy losses, as they were badly worn out during the campaign. In addition, Charles's army was cut off from its bases in the Baltic states, the major cities of Poland and Saxony. It was impossible to replenish the artillery park, stocks of weapons, ammunition, ammunition.
Thus, in Little Russia, the Swedish army not only did not strengthen, on the contrary, weakened. The Swedes suffered losses in skirmishes with Russian troops, Little Russian partisans, from the harsh winter. It was impossible to replenish them. Also, the military-material situation of the army of Charles XII was constantly deteriorating.
Siege of Poltava. Preparing for the general engagement
In the spring of 1709, the Swedish command planned to renew the offensive against Moscow through Kharkov and Belgorod. Karl hoped that Peter would give battle and the Swedish army, which was still considered invincible, would defeat the Russians and dictate the terms of peace. But before that, the Swedes decided to take Poltava. In April, Swedish troops laid siege to the fortress. The enemy counted on a quick victory, since the city had weak fortifications. However, the garrison under the command of Colonel A. Kelin (at the beginning of the siege it numbered a little more than 2 thousand soldiers, then increased to 6-7 thousand people, since the enemy could not carry out a complete blockade), put up heroic resistance. All the townspeople rose to the defense of the city, including women and children, who provided all possible assistance to the soldiers, built and repaired fortifications, and helped in repelling enemy attacks.
The Swedes, not having siege artillery and a sufficient amount of ammunition, could not conduct a full-fledged siege. They tried to take the fortress by storm. From April to June 1709, the Russian garrison repelled 20 assaults, and made a number of successful sorties. As a result, the "easy walk" turned into a protracted and bloody hostilities, during which the Swedes lost over 6 thousand people. The Swedish army got stuck at Poltava, which improved the position of the Russians. The strategic position of Charles' army continued to deteriorate. In May 1709, the Lithuanian hetman Jan Sapega, a supporter of King Stanislav Leshchinsky, was defeated. Now the Swedes were deprived of the opportunity to receive reinforcements from Poland. And Menshikov was able to transfer troops near Poltava, the Swedish army lost contact with the allies. The only hope of the Swedish monarch was a decisive battle with the army of Peter, in order to crush the "Russian barbarians" with one blow, despite their superiority in manpower and artillery.
The Russian command also decided that the time had come for a decisive battle. On June 13 (24), 1709, our army planned to break through the blockade of Poltava. Simultaneously with the offensive of the Russian army, the garrison of the Poltava fortress was to make a sortie. The offensive was thwarted by nature: heavy rains raised the level in the river. Vorskla. On June 15 (26), part of the Russian army crossed Vorskla. The Swedes could attack the Russians during the crossing, it was a convenient moment to strike. However, the enemy showed passivity and allowed all Russian troops to cross the river. June 19 - 20 (June 30 - July 1) the main forces of the Russian army, led by Tsar Peter, crossed the river.
The Swedish king Karl showed no interest in the engineering preparation of the future battle site. He believed that the Russians would act on the defensive, and he would break through their line and defeat them with a quick and decisive attack from his infantry. The cavalry will complete the rout. The Swedes could not use artillery, since they spent the remaining ammunition during the siege of Poltava. The Swedish ruler was more concerned with a possible strike from the rear of the Poltava garrison at the most decisive moment of the battle than with the battle with Peter's army. On the night of June 22 (July 3), the Swedes launched another assault on Poltava, but it was repulsed with heavy losses for the enemy. Karl had to leave a detachment at Poltava to repel a possible sortie of the garrison.
The Russians built a fortified camp at the crossing point, the village of Petrovka. On June 25 (July 6), the camp was moved to the village of Yakovtsy. The new camp was closer to the enemy and located on rugged, wooded terrain, which limited the maneuver of the Swedish army. The forest interfered with the flank coverage of the Russian army. The camp was protected by six redoubts. On June 26 (July 7), Peter ordered the construction of four more redoubts, located perpendicular to the first six. Each redoubt had a garrison of a company of soldiers, and they had the ability to support their neighbors with fire. Field fortifications covered the main forces of the Russian army, they had to be taken, incurring losses and wasting time. At this time, the main forces of the Russian army could easily turn around. In addition, the breakthrough through the redoubts upset the battle formations of the Swedish army.
Before the start of the battle, the Swedish army numbered about 37 thousand people (3 thousand Mazepa Cossacks and 8 thousand Cossacks were also subordinate to the Swedes). The detachment, which remained at Poltava and the cavalry units, which were located along the Vorskla River before its confluence with the Dnieper at Perevolochna, did not participate in the battle, guarding the path to a possible retreat of the army. As a result, Karl could throw up to 25 thousand people into battle, but about 17 thousand people took part in the battle itself. The Swedish king hoped for a high fighting spirit, the professionalism of his army, which until that moment had been invincible and won many victories in Europe.
The Russian army, according to various estimates, numbered from 50 to 80 thousand people with 100 guns. The battle was attended by 25 thousand infantry, but some were only built and did not take part in the battle. The cavalry numbered about 21 thousand people (9 thousand people participated in the battle - mostly dragoons).
The defeat of the "invincible" army
June 27 (July 8) 1709 at night the Swedish army under the command of Field Marshal Renschild (his bodyguards carried the wounded king on a stretcher) with four columns of infantry and six columns of cavalry secretly began to move towards the Russian positions. Karl hoped to crush the enemy with a sudden blow. Swedish troops deployed in two battle lines: 1st - infantry, 2nd cavalry. At 5 o'clock in the morning, the Swedes attacked the redoubts, and on the move took two of them, which had not yet been completed. The garrisons of the other two put up strong resistance. It was an unpleasant surprise for the Swedish command, they knew only about the line of six redoubts. But they did not have time to start their assault. The Swedes counterattacked the dragoons under the command of Menshikov and Rennes. The Swedish cavalry went ahead of the infantry and struck up a battle with the Russian cavalry.
The Russian cavalry threw back the enemy and, at the direction of Peter, retreated beyond the redoubts. Swedish troops resumed their movement, and were met with strong rifle and cannon fire from the redoubts. The Swedish right-flank columns of Generals Ross and Schlippenbach, torn away from the main forces during the battle for the redoubts, having suffered serious losses, retreated to the forest, then they were defeated by the dragoons of General Menshikov. At about 6 o'clock the Russian army lined up in two lines for the battle. The general leadership was carried out by Sheremetev, the center was commanded by Repnin. The Swedish army, passing through the line of redoubts, lined up in one battle line in order to lengthen its formation. There was a weak reserve in the rear. The cavalry formed two lines on the flanks.
At 9 o'clock the battle of the main forces began. After a short skirmish, the Swedes launched a bayonet attack. Karl was confident that his soldiers would overturn any enemy. The right wing of the Swedish army, where the Swedish monarch was located, pressed the battalion of the Novgorod infantry regiment. The Swedes could break through the Russian line. The Russian tsar personally threw the second battalion of the Novgorod regiment into a counterattack, and the Russian soldiers threw back the enemy, closing the breakthrough that had formed in the first line. During the brutal hand-to-hand combat, the Swedish frontal attack was drowned out. Russian troops began to push the enemy, covering the enemy's flanks. The Swedes wavered and ran, fearing the encirclement. The Swedish cavalry retreated to the Budischensky forest, followed by the infantry. Only the center of the Swedish army, led by Levengaupt and the king, tried to cover the retreat to the camp. By 11 o'clock the Swedes were completely defeated.
The defeated Swedes fled to the crossings across the Dnieper. Russian losses amounted to 1,345 killed and 3,290 wounded. The losses of the Swedes - over 9 thousand killed and more than 2800 prisoners. Among the prisoners were Field Marshal Renschild and Chancellor Pieper. The remnants of the fleeing Swedish army on June 29 (July 10) reached Perevolochna. Due to the lack of ferry facilities, only King Karl and Hetman Mazepa with his entourage and personal protection were able to transfer to the other side of the Dnieper. The rest of the troops - 16 thousand people, led by Levengaupt, surrendered. King Karl XII fled with his retinue into the possession of the Ottoman Empire.
The Battle of Poltava became a strategic turning point in the Northern War. The Russians destroyed and captured the most powerful part of the Swedish army. The strategic initiative passed completely into the hands of the Russian army. Now the Swedes were on the defensive and the Russians were advancing. Russia got the opportunity to complete the offensive in the Baltics. The Northern Alliance was restored. A military alliance was again concluded with the Saxon ruler August II in Torun, Denmark also again opposed Sweden. In Western Europe, they realized that a new great military power - Russia - had emerged.
