By Defeating My Enemies
Charles XII of Sweden and the Great Northern War 1682-1721
by
Michael Glaeser
The Vasa family of Swedish Kings gave us two military geniuses, Gustavus Adolphus and Charles XII. Gustavus is considered a hero because of the religious undertones to his campaigns in Germany during the Thirty Years War. Charles XII is not so lucky. He is now considered a warmonger at worst, or sometimes derided as a fool. What is not generally known is that Gustavus spent about the same amount of time trapsing through Poland as Charles XII did, before getting Sweden involved with the Thirty Years War. In actuality, Charles XII is much like Henry V of England. He inherited the throne at a young age and was considered a reckless fun-loving teenager. Just like Henry V, once he heard the trumpets of war, he threw all of that aside and became hardnosed general.
The author starts us out by going back in time to the time of Gustavus Adolphus. He lived between 1594 - 1632. So, both he and Charles XII lived only thirty-six years. We are shown how small in population and wealth Sweden was and how strange it is that there actually was a Swedish Empire. Charles's father, Charles XI, was the first Swedish King to make Sweden follow the rule of absolutism, meaning that all power derived from the king. The book then goes to Charles's childhood. He was born on June 17th, 1682. His father died in 1697, so he was only fifteen when he was crowned. At this time the Baltic Sea was considered the 'Swedish Lake'. Because of the age of Charles, Denmark, Russia, and Saxony/Poland (the Elector of Saxony Augustus II the Strong was also king of Poland) secretly declared war on Sweden in 1700. The first thing Sweden knew about it was when enemy troops entered their lands.
Charles was only eighteen when the Great Northern War started. Denmark was not the inconsequential country she is now in world affairs. So, Charles had three of the great powers of Europe lined up against him. The name of the book comes from a quote of Charles from Voltaire's biography of him " I have resolved never to start an unjust war, but only to end a legitimate one by defeating my enemies". His three foes were Frederik IV of Denmark, Augustus II, the Strong (French Marshal deSaxe was one of his 350 or so illegitimate children), and Peter I, the Great the Czar of Russia. Charles's sense of chivalry was quite strong. So, we are shown how the idea of defeating all three of these men became a fixation in Charles's mind. Not mind you to come to a peaceful treaty with the above, but to conquer them in open battle and have Charles dictate the terms.
The author takes us through the tumultuous eighteen remaining years of Charles's life, from the lighting strike on Denmark that prostrated that country in no time flat to the incredible victories of Narva etc. By 1708 Charles had knocked both Saxony/Poland and Denmark out of the War. He had also placed another King on Poland's throne. The only man left to conquer was Peter. Thus, Charles determined to force his ill-fated invasion of Russia, which ended in the great Swedish defeat at Poltava in 1709. The War continued after that in spits and spurts with Charles the unwelcome guest of the Ottoman Sultan.
The author continues with his life and the history of the war after Charles made a wild ride to freedom across most of the breadth of Europe in 1714. Even Charles's death was controversial, with many trying to prove that he was killed by someone in his own army while invading Norway in 1718.
This book is part of Helion & Company's 'Century of the Soldier 1618 - 1721'. All of the books I have read so far from the series have been serious and well-done histories of their subject. This book is no exception. While the book itself is less than 200 pages, it still gives the reader all of the history of the period. There is no glossing over of any part of Charles's life or the history of The Great Northen War. Thank you, Casemate Publishers for letting me review this great book.
Robert
Book: By Defeating My Enemies: Charles XII of Sweden and The Great Northern War 1682 - 1721
Author: Michael Glaeser
Publisher: Helion & Company
Distributor: Casemate Publishers
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