The

The Hello and welcome to a history of Europe, Ki-Battles podcast.

This is the fourth and final part on the Great Northern War and the Battle of

Potataava in 1709. If you haven't listened to the first three episodes, now might be a time to do so

and then come back to this one. But if you have already done so, or don't mind anyway, then let's begin.

On the 2nd of May 1709, Charles 12th, King of Sweden, laid siege to the Russian fortress at Potitava

on the River Vosgra. Many of his army had died on the grueling march all the way from Saxony,

and now numbered about 30,000, together with Cossack reinforcements of perhaps 7,000.

Peter's force of some 75,000 men marched to relieve the siege,

and on arrival built a fortified camp on the Voskla,

four kilometres north of Politava.

The Swedes suffered a severe setback before the main battle.

While observing the Russian position on the 20th of June,

Charles was struck by a stray bullet, injuring his foot badly enough they could not stand.

He had to be borne on a litter and so unable to take operational command and to provide

the inspirational leadership which had hitherto proved so effective. Battle was necessary for although a

Swedish victory was unlikely to destroy the Russian army, it would relieve pressing supply problems,

help get support from Stanislav Lyshnski in Poland and might be able to be able to unlikely to destroy the Russian army, it would relieve pressing supply problems,

help get support from Stanislav Lyshinsky in Poland,

and might tempt the Ottomans and Tatars to commit themselves in his favour.

The Khan of Crimea was keen to join the fray,

but to engage in war against Russia first required approval from Constantinople, which was not yet received.

...