For centuries, Charles XII has mainly been seen in the context of Sweden’s national experience, yet his activities stretched across the European continent from Russia and Denmark to Germany, Austria, Poland, Ukraine, and the Ottoman Empire. Even the Dutch Republic, Britain, and France became involved diplomatically and economically. In this volume, 20 scholars from 12 different countries contribute to creating a broader perspective on Charles XII and the Great Northern War in European history. The contributors to this volume expand the scope of international research on Charles XII and his time by examining not only his victories and defeats but the king’s impact in other areas as well.

 

Includes the following chapters: The Great Northern War (1700-21) and the Integration of the European States System (Hamish Scott, The United Kingdom); Charles XII: A biographical sketch (Åsa Karlsson, Sweden); Charles XII as a Protagonist in International Perspective: An Overview (John B. Hattendorf, United States of America); Swedish Grand Strategy and Foreign Policy, 1697-1721 (Gunnar Åselius, Sweden); Charles XII’s Armies in the Field (Christer Kuvaja, Finland); Swedish Naval Power and Naval Operations, 1697-1721 (Lars Ericson Wolke, Sweden); The Absent King and Swedes at Home (Marie Lennersand, Sweden); The Impact of the Great Northern War on Trade Relations with the Baltic (Werner Scheltjens, Germany); British Policy towards Sweden, Charles XII, and the Great Northern War, 1697-1723 (John B. Hattendorf, United States of America); How to Handle a Warrior King: The States General and Its Policies in Regard to Charles XII of Sweden(Augustus J. Veenendaal, Jr., the Netherlands); The French View of Charles XII: The King, the Soldier, the Man (Eric Schnakenbourg, France); ‘The Mad Swede’: The Habsburg Monarchy and Charles XII (Michael Hochedlinger, Austria); Charles XII at the Centre of Swedish-Ottoman Diplomacy (Bülent Ari and Alptuğ Güney, Turkey); Warmonger or Benefactor? Charles XII and the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway (Knud J.V. Jespersen, Denmark); A Polish View of Charles XII and the Great Northern War (Gabriela Majewska, Poland); Russian Views of Charles XII (Pavel A. Krotov, Russian Federation); Brandenburg-Prussia and the Northern German States (Linda S. Frey and Marsha L. Frey, United States of America); Charles XII: A King of Many Faces (Inga Lena Ångström Grandien, Sweden); A Literary Charles XII (Nils Ekedahl, Sweden)