Сharles XII at Narva in autumn 1700: Testimonies from his confidants

Abstract

The Narva campaign of Charles XII and the victory of the Swedish army over the Russian army in the Battle of Narva on November 19, 1700, was the greatest success of Charles XII and, at the same time, the gravest defeat of Peter I in The Great Northern War (1700–1721). This explains the long-standing and close attention of historians to the role of the young Swedish king in the «greatest victory over the Russians». The memoirs, diaries and letters of the soldiers of the army of Charles XII, published at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, make it possible to clearly understand this role. The article analyzes the little-known evidence of the closest circle of Charles XII about his actions on the eve and at the time of the Narva battle.