The Great Northern War

The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict where Sweden, led by King Charles XII, fought against a coalition of Russia, Denmark-Norway, and Saxony-Poland-Lithuania. The war aimed to challenge Sweden’s dominance in Northern Europe. Initially, Sweden had early victories, but by the war’s end, Russia emerged stronger, establishing access to the Baltic Sea and becoming a major European power. The war significantly shifted the balance of power in the region, ending Sweden’s century-long imperial influence and marking Russia’s rise under Peter the Great.