Carolus Rex

[MSgt Falconer]

Today is November 30 2018. Today it is exactly 300 years since the Swedish king Karl XII (Charles the twelfth) fell in battle outside the Norwegian fortress of Fredrikssten.
Karl became king in 1697, at the age of just 15. In accordance with the royal absolutism established by his father he crowned himself king and was the undisputed ruler of present day Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia as well as parts of Germany and Russia.

Charles spent half of his life and most of his reign in the field actively leading his army. He is considered by historians to have been an exceptionally skilled military leader and tactician as well as an able politician, credited with introducing important tax and legal reforms. As for his famous reluctance towards peace efforts, he is quoted by Voltaire as saying upon the outbreak of the war; "I have resolved never to start an unjust war but never to end a legitimate one except by defeating my enemies". The truth of the quote can be debated because Voltaire was, after all, French, and sometimes just made things up.

Charles was only 18 when he was forced to go to war. In 1700 Sweden was attacked from three sides by Denmark, Poland and Russia. Charles inherited not only a kingdom from his father but also a very efficient war machine. This war machine allowed him to rally significant forces rather swiftly and with some help from England he landed his army in Denmark and forced the danish king out of the war without firing a shot.

In the east Russia was laying siege to the town of Narva in Swedish Estonia. Charles arrived via sea and attacked the Russian army under cover of a blizzard. The Swedish army numbered only 8000 against the 45000 strong Russian army. In the end the Russians suffered over 10000 casualties while Charles army counted only 667 dead. Charles was fond of leading from the front, and a story from the aftermath of the Battle of Narva claims that when the king took of his scarf two Russian musket balls rolled out of it, giving rise to the myth that Charles was invulnerable.

Following the massive victory at Narva Charles turned south towards Poland and in numerous battles he defeated numerically superior Polish an Russian forces. The battles of Düna, Klizow and Fraustadt saw the Polish king August dethroned and replaced with Charles ally Stanisław I Leszczyński.

Charles' subsequent march on Moscow met with initial success as victory followed victory, the most significant of which was the Battle of Holowczyn where the smaller Swedish army routed a Russian army twice its size. The campaign ended with disaster when the Swedish army suffered heavy losses to a Russian force more than twice its size at Poltava. Charles had been incapacitated by a wound prior to the battle, rendering him unable to take command. The defeat was followed by the Surrender at Perevolochna. Charles spent the following years in exile in the Ottoman Empire before returning to Sweden.

Gathering a new army Charles marched into Norway to once against force the Danish king (who was also king of Norway because thats how Europe worked) out of the war. While inspecting trenches outside the fortress of Fredrikssten Charles was shot in the left temple, the bullet passing straight through his head, killing him instantly. His last words to his men before he was shot were "Do not be afraid".

 

Historian argue to this day over who actually killed the king. Theories range from stray grapeshot from Fredriksstens cannons, a Swedish soldier fed up with the long war, or even an assassin hired by Swedish nobles wanting to get rid of the absolute monarch for their own interests. In the end we will probably never now exactly what happened on that November evening in Norway, but the death of Charles spelled and end to the era of royal absolutism in Sweden (until Gustav III reintroduced it because you cant drown a bad idea) and also an end to Sweden's time as one of the great powers of Europe.

 

The body of King Charles XII being brought back to Sweden.

The statue of Charles XII in the Kings Garden in Stockholm.

[Capt (Ret) Koch]

he wasnt liked very much here in norway but still a swell guy who knew what he was doing, europe should have had more kings like him