The war was waged between Sweden under Charles XII and a coalition of

Russia
(under Peter the Great), Denmark, Saxony, Poland and eventually Prussia
and
Hanover. All were opposed to Swedish dominance in the Baltic. In April
1700
Denmark opened the first phase of the war by invading Schleswig, while
Livonia
was invaded by the Saxon forces of Augustus II (Augustus the Strong)
(June
1700). A swift military response by Sweden (embracing a landing near
Copenhagen) knocked Denmark out of the war at the Treaty of Travendal
in
August 1700. The military success of Sweden continued at Narva (20
November
1700) over the Russians and Riga (June 1701) over the Saxon troops.
Courland
was annexed after a further Swedish victory at Dunamunde (July 1701).
Cracow
MAJOR WARS AND REBELLIONS
123
soon followed (July 1702) and eventually Augustus II was forced to make
peace
at Altranstädt in September 1706. The war changed quite dramatically
when,
following the Swedish invasion of Russia in January 1708, the Russians
inflicted
a major defeat on the invaders at Poltava in July 1709. Charles fled to
Turkey.
An Ottoman declaration of war on Russia was hurriedly settled by the
Peace of
the Pruth, leaving Charles feeling betrayed. Charles eventually returned to
Sweden
but was killed at Frederikshall in 1718 and Sweden’s ambitions fell with
him.
A series of treaties ended the war: with Hanover in November 1719; with
Prussia
in February 1720; and with Denmark in July 1720. Sweden was forced to
accept
the Treaty of Nystad with Russia in 1721 (see p. 136)