Editing History of Sweden (section)

=== The Great Northern War: 1700 ===
{{main|Sweden after the Great Northern War}}
Russia, Saxony–Poland, and Denmark–Norway pooled their power in 1700 and attacked the Swedish Empire. Although the young Swedish King [[Charles XII of Sweden|Charles XII]] (1682–1718; reigned 1697–1718) won spectacular victories in the early years of the [[Great Northern War]], most notably in the stunning success against the Russians at the [[Battle of Narva (1700)]], his plan to attack Moscow and force Russia into peace proved too ambitious.
[[File:Caroline family crypt Riddarholm Church 2013 Stockholm.jpg|thumb|left|This family crypt and the chapel above it house, in highly ornate coffins, the remains of all four of the [[House of Wittelsbach|Wittelsbach Dynasty]] monarchs of Sweden whose high-powered period (1654–1720) has been called the ''Caroline Era'' for Kings [[Charles X Gustav of Sweden|Carl X Gustav]], [[Charles XI of Sweden|Carl XI]] and [[Charles XII of Sweden|Carl XII]].]]
The Russians won decisively at the [[Battle of Poltava]] in June 1709, capturing much of the exhausted Swedish army. Charles XII and the remnants of his army were cut off from Sweden and fled south into Ottoman territory, where he remained three years. He overstayed his welcome, refusing to leave until the [[Ottoman Empire]] joined him in a new war against Tsar [[Peter the Great|Peter I]] of Russia. He established a powerful political network in Constantinople, which included even the mother of the sultan. Charles's persistence worked, as Peter's army was checked by Ottoman troops. However, Turkish failure to pursue the victory enraged Charles and from that moment his relations with the Ottoman administration soured. During the same period, the behavior of his troops worsened and turned disastrous. Lack of discipline and contempt for the locals soon created an unbearable situation in [[Moldavia]]. The Swedish soldiers behaved badly, destroying, stealing, raping, and killing. Meanwhile, back in the north, Sweden was invaded by its enemies; Charles returned home in 1714, too late to restore his lost empire and impoverished homeland; he died in 1718.<ref>He was shot through the head during a siege in his second failed attack on Norway, but whether by assassination at close range or by stray enemy fire at long range is mysteriously unclear. Andersson, ''A History of Sweden'' p. 247</ref> In the subsequent peace treaties, the allied powers, joined by Russia and Great Britain-Hanover, ended Sweden's reign as a great power. Russia now dominated the north. The war-weary [[Riksdag]] asserted new powers and reduced the crown to a constitutional monarchy, with power held by a civilian government controlled by the Riksdag. A new "[[Age of Liberty|Age of Freedom]]" opened, and the economy was rebuilt, supported by large exports of iron and lumber to Britain.<ref>Absolute monarchy returned briefly at the end of the 18th century.</ref> The Riksdag developed into an active parliament. This tradition continued into the nineteenth century, laying the basis for the transition towards a modern democracy.<ref>{{cite book|author=Baten, Jörg |title=A History of the Global Economy. From 1500 to the Present.|date=2016|publisher=Cambridge University Press|page=23|isbn=9781107507180}}</ref>

The reign of Charles XII (1697–1718) has stirred up great controversy. Historians have puzzled over why this military genius overreached and greatly weakened Sweden. Although most early-19th-century historians tended to follow [[Voltaire]]'s lead in bestowing extravagant praise on the warrior-king, others have criticised him as a fanatic, a bully, and a bloodthirsty warmonger. A more balanced view suggests a highly capable military ruler whose oft-reviled peculiarities seemed to have served him well, but who neglected his base in Sweden in pursuit of foreign adventure.<ref>R. M. Hatton, ''Charles XII of Sweden'' (1968)</ref> Slow to learn the limits of Sweden's diminished strength, a party of nobles, who called themselves the "[[Hats (party)|Hats]]", dreamed of revenge on Russia and ruled the country from 1739 to 1765; they engaged in wars in 1741, 1757, Russian influence grew in Sweden after the war in 1741 which greatly affected politics in the Swedish realm (though much of this influence was lost in 1790 as a result of the Russo-Swedish war of 1788–1790).