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[[File: Karl_(Charles)_XII_of_Sweden.png|300px|thumbnail|left|Charles the XII of Sweden]]
The failed invasion of Russia by Hitler and Napoleon are well known. Less well-known is the invasion of Russia by the Swedes under their most famous king, Charles XII. Sweden in 1700 was the greatest Northern European power, and this provoked the jealousy of its neighbors. This led to the Great Northern War. Charles XII's loss essentially insured ensured the end of The Swedish Empire.
This war's culmination was the Swedish monarch’s invasion of Russia and his subsequent defeat by Tsar Peter the Great at Poltava (1709). The failed invasion of the Russian Empire by Charles XII has been largely forgotten but had he succeeded, Europe's fate could have been different. This article discussed the background of the Swedish invasion, the military campaign, and the defeat of Charles and his army at Poltava. It demonstrates that the failure of the Swedish army’s invasion was due to Russia's geography, bad luck, and the dogged stubbornness of the Russian people.
After the Russians' defeat at Holowczyn, they dramatically changed tactics. Peter the Great and his generals adopted a cautious strategy. They decided to avoid a set battle with Charles, whose army though inferior, was much superior in terms of experience and training. Instead, they adopted delaying tactics, knowing that the Swedes would suffer in the Steppes during the winter.<ref>S. Sebag-Montefiore. <i>The Romanovs</i> (Weidenfeld and Nicholson, London, 2015), p. 114</ref> They also concentrated on attacks on Charles XII supply line and reinforcements. This effectively weakened the invading army.
Perhaps the most brilliant strategy in the war was the Russians' unexpected attack on the Cossacks. This was to leave Charles isolated during the Steppes at the onset of winter. Tsar Peter the Great and his inner circle developed a strategy that avoided confrontation.<ref> Derry, p. 213</ref> Their patience was rewarded, and the hungry and cold Swedish army was forced to gamble on a battle at Poltava to win the war quickly. This was a disaster, and it sealed the fate of the Swedish invasion and the Swedish Empire. The Peter's strategy of Peter was largely like that adopted by Tsar Paul I against Napoleon and Stalin during Hitler’s invasion.
====Conclusion====
Charles XII was one of the most talented military leaders of the Early Modern era. Voltaire did not doubt that the entire invasion of Russia was a mistake. In a critical biography, he blamed Charles for the collapse of the Swedish Empire.<ref>Voltaire, p. 99</ref> The Swedish king’s entire strategy of invading Russia was arguably unrealistic. He made a cardinal error by marching on Moscow, and he should have attacked and conquered St Petersburg instead. Then he placed too much trust in the Cossacks, and his trust in them was misplaced. Indeed they possibly distracted him from a direct assault on Moscow, which may have given him some chance of success.
Then there was the strategy of the Russians. They used geography and climate to great effect. They adopted a cautious approach, knowing that the elements would help them defeat the Swedes. Imperial Russian forces were also a modern fighting force, and they fought courageously in defense of ‘Holy Russia.’ Then there were the vast spaces and inclement weather of the Russian Steppe, which played a crucial factor in the defeat of the Swedish invasion's defeat. In hindsight, Charles XII did not really hope of victory over the Russian Tsar, and the invasion was doomed from the start.
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