Charles XII of Sweden

17 June 1682 – 30 November 1718

Charles XII (1682-1718) was King of Sweden from 1697 until his death, spending almost his entire reign fighting the Great Northern War against a coalition led by Russia, Denmark-Norway, and Saxony-Poland. A daring commander who won stunning early victories such as Narva, he was decisively defeated at Poltava in 1709, spent years in exile in the Ottoman Empire, and was killed at the siege of Fredriksten in Norway.

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Lived at the same time

Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with Charles XII of Sweden.

Life events

Born in Stockholm
17 June 1682

Charles was born on 17 June 1682 (Old Style), the son of King Charles XI of Sweden and Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Ascended the Swedish throne at age fourteen
5 April 1697

Charles became king in April 1697 on the death of his father and was declared of age to rule after a brief regency.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Faced the outbreak of the Great Northern War
February 1700

In 1700 Denmark-Norway, Saxony-Poland, and Russia attacked the Swedish Empire, beginning the war that dominated his reign.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Won the Battle of Narva
30 November 1700

In November 1700 Charles's heavily outnumbered army routed the Russian forces besieging Narva, one of the most celebrated victories of his career.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Invaded Russia
August 1707 – 8 July 1709

In 1707-1708 Charles led the Swedish main army east toward Moscow, a campaign that ended in disaster after a harsh winter and stretched supply lines.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Defeated at the Battle of Poltava
8 July 1709

On 8 July 1709 (New Style) Peter the Great's army destroyed the Swedish force at Poltava; Charles escaped south with a small retinue.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Exile in the Ottoman Empire at Bender
August 1709 – October 1714

Charles spent five years as a guest of the Ottoman sultan at Bender, from where he persuaded the Ottomans to war with Russia before being detained after the 1713 skirmish known as the kalabalik.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Rode across Europe back to Swedish territory
November 1714

In late 1714 Charles made a famous fourteen-day ride from the Ottoman Empire to Swedish-held Stralsund to resume direction of the war.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Relocation ✓
Killed at the siege of Fredriksten in Norway
30 November 1718

Charles XII was shot in the head and killed in the trenches before the Norwegian fortress of Fredriksten on 30 November 1718 (Old Style); the circumstances of the fatal shot are still debated.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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