Editing Battle of Poltava (section)

== Background ==
Charles XII had led Swedish forces to early victories in [[North Zealand]] (Summer 1700) and in the [[Battle of Narva (1700)|Battle of Narva]] in November 1700. However, it took six years for him to defeat [[Augustus II the Strong|Augustus II]] of [[Electorate of Saxony|Saxony]]-[[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth|Poland]].<ref name=Tucker/>{{rp|701, 703}} {{nowrap|Peter I}} withdrew from Poland in the spring of 1706,<ref name=Tucker/>{{rp|700}} and offered to return the Baltic provinces of Sweden that Russia had occupied since 1703 - except for Ingria, where Peter had already started to build his intended new capital of St. Petersburg - but Charles refused.<ref name=Tucker/>{{rp|703}} Peter subsequently adopted a [[scorched-earth]] policy in order to deprive the Swedish forces of supplies.<ref name=Tucker/>{{rp|704}}

Charles ordered a [[Swedish invasion of Russia|final attack]] on the Russian heartland with a possible assault on [[Moscow]] from his campaign base in Poland. The Swedish army of almost 44,000 men<ref name="Tucker">Tucker, S.C., 2010, A Global Chronology of Conflict, Vol. Two, Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, LLC, {{ISBN|978-1-85109-667-1}}</ref>{{rp|704}} left [[Electorate of Saxony|Saxony]] on 22 August 1707 and marched slowly eastwards. Charles took the field in November after waiting for reinforcements to arrive.<ref name=Tucker/>{{rp|704}} Continuing east, he crossed the [[Vistula River]] on 25 December 1707, then continued through hostile [[Masuria]] and took [[Hrodna|Grodno]] on 26 January 1708 after Russian troops had abandoned the city.<ref name=Tucker/>{{rp|704}} At the time the Russians were occupied with a large rebellion of [[Don Cossacks]], known as the [[Bulavin Rebellion]] (1707–1708). This revolt was contained in part by the forces of the [[Cossack Hetmanate]] led by [[Hetman]] [[Ivan Mazepa]].<ref name=Tucker/>{{rp|704}} The Swedes continued to the area around [[Smarhon|Smorgon]] and [[Minsk]], where the army went into winter quarters. Charles left 8,000 [[dragoon]]s under Major General [[Ernst Detlof von Krassow]] in western Poland.<ref>Christer Kuvaja: ''Karolinska krigare 1660–1721'', p. 179. [[Schildts Förlags Ab]] 2008. {{ISBN|978-951-50-1823-6}}.</ref>

Poor weather and road conditions kept the Swedish troops in winter quarters until June 1708. In July the Swedes defeated Marshal [[Boris Sheremetyev]]'s forces at the [[Battle of Holowczyn]] and advanced to the [[Dnieper River]].<ref name=Tucker/>{{rp|704}} During the spring General [[Adam Ludwig Lewenhaupt|Lewenhaupt]] in [[Courland]] had been ordered to gather supplies and march his army of about 12,000 men to join Charles' forces. However, his departure from [[Jelgava|Mitau]] was delayed until late June and consequently he only joined Charles' forces on 11 October.<ref>Christer Kuvaja: ''Karolinska krigare 1660–1721'', pp. 180–85. [[Schildts Förlags Ab]] 2008. {{ISBN|978-951-50-1823-6}}.</ref>

Rather than winter in [[Livonia]] or wait for Lewenhaupt, Charles decided to move southwards into Ukraine and join Mazepa, who had decided to rebel against Peter.<ref name=Tucker/>{{rp|706}} Peter sent [[Boris Sheremetev]] to shadow the Swedish army.<ref name="Frost">Frost, R. I., 2000, The Northern Wars, 1558–1721, Harlow: Pearson Education Limited, {{ISBN|978-0-582-06429-4}}</ref>{{rp|287}} Lewenhaupt followed south and was attacked while crossing a river near a small village that gave its name to the [[Battle of Lesnaya]], losing the supply train and half of his force.<ref name=Frost/>{{rp|288}} In need of resupply, Charles moved towards [[Baturyn]], Mazepa's headquarters, but Russian troops under [[Aleksandr Menshikov]] reached the city first. Anticipating the Swedish arrival, Menshikov ordered the merciless [[Sack of Baturyn|massacre of the population]], razing the city and destroying or looting arms, ammunition and food.<ref name=Frost/>{{rp|288}}