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A Baltic Sea outlet was vital to Russia,
but Sweden barred the way. Without any access to the sea, Russia could not
develop effectively and commerce with western Europe became impossible. In
1700, Tsar Peter I claimed that he had been treated disrespectfully during
his visit to Riga and declared war on Sweden. Russia strove to recover the
previously lost territories of Karelia and Ingermanland. Saxony, Denmark
and Poland also had territorial ambitions and supported Russia. The war
began favourably for Sweden - they managed to crush the Saxon and Danish
forces. In the autumn of 1700, the Russian army of 40,000 soldiers led by
Tsar Peter besieged the Swedish fortress of Narva. Charles XII, the King
of Sweden, advanced to assist the garrison. He attacked and crushed the
Russian forces. Tsar Peter learnt a lesson from this disreputable defeat
and undertook to form a new regular army in the European style. In 1701,
the Swedes invaded Poland, enthroned the loyal king Stanislaw Leszczinnsky
and made the country their new ally. By that time the Russians had created
their new army. They initiated a campaign and in 1704 captured Narva, one
of the main defensive centres of the Baltic lands. Charles XII never
considered Russia to be a real opponent and decided to finish it once and
for all. In the summer of 1708, he detached a well-trained army of 60,000
to Moscow. However, luck let the Swedes down. In September 1708, the
Russians crushed the Leeuwenhaupt corps in a battle at the village of
Lesnaya. The campaign against Moscow failed. Hoping to capture provisions,
the Swedes invaded Ukraine, where they were joined by former Russian ally
Hetman Mazepa. However, the Swedish Army failed again. The Russians left
the Swedes behind and gained the Hetman's quarters in Baturin City which
held the main food supplies. In spring 1709, forces of Charles XII
besieged Poltava and the decisive battle broke out. The Russians enjoyed a
significant numerical superiority of 45,000 soldiers against 22,000
Swedes. Again, the Swedish assault of the Russian fortified line failed.
The Battle of Poltava was the turning point of the war that ended with the
Russian victory in 1721. Russia consolidated its grip on the Baltic shore.
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