The Great Northern War's Turning Point: Poltava 1709

In 1700, Sweden was the dominant power in Northern Europe. By 1709, that dominance was shattered on the fields of Poltava, in what is now Ukraine. This episode follows the dramatic arc of the Great Northern War—from Charles XII's lightning strike at Copenhagen and his stunning victory at Narva, through the bitter Russian winter, to the decisive siege of Poltava. We explore the alliances that formed against Sweden, the rise of Peter the Great, and the brutal consequences for the Swedish army and its empire. With vivid detail, we trace the march of the Carolean troops, the betrayal of Ivan Mazepa, and the scattering of Swedish forces after the battle. The episode also touches on the diplomatic fallout, the eventual Treaty of Nystad, and how Poltava marked the end of the Swedish Empire and the birth of Russia as a European power.

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