Battle of Poltava (briefly). History of the Poltava battle. The value of the Poltava battle in history

During the Northern War, the battle of Poltava is considered the largest. The Swedish army was strong and powerful, but after the fighting in Poland, rest was required. he made every effort to ensure that the Swedes did not receive this rest.

On the way of the Swedish king Charles XII to Ukraine, all food and military supplies were destroyed. Peasants hid their livestock and food in the forest. In November 1708, the exhausted Swedish army reached Poltava, where they settled down in winter quarters.

Hetman Mazepa promised help and supplies to Charles XII, but did not fulfill his promise. And the Swedish king began to think about how to lure the Russians into battle in the open field. This victory is so important for him, the prestige of the army and himself will rise.

Long winter evenings Karl XII decided further actions, and decided to capture Poltava. They have 4 thousand soldiers, and 2.5 thousand inhabitants who can fight, and the Swedish army of 30 thousand people will quickly overcome the city. And on April 25, 1709, the Swedes approached the walls of Poltava. The siege of the city began.

The enemy powerfully attacked, but the city did not give up. For two months the people of Poltava resisted best army Europe, thanks to a well-built defense. And Colonel Kelin commanded the garrison. The Swedish king was very annoyed, but he had no idea that all this time the Russians were preparing for a general battle. To the very battle he dreamed of.

Opposite Poltava, on the banks of the Vorskla, the Russian army was stationed. Peter I arrived there in June, and led his army up the river. At the village of Chernyakhovo, they crossed to the other side of the river, going to the rear of the Swedes. So by the end of June, the Russians were five kilometers from Poltava. The Russian army stopped at the village of Yakovtsy. It was here that Peter I decided to give battle to the Swedes.

A plain stretched between the Yakovetsky and Budishchinsky forests. Opponents could advance only to the left of the camp through a copse. The emperor ordered to block this place with eight redoubts. Behind the redoubts is the cavalry - 17 dragoon regiments. They were commanded by Alexander Menshikov. Artillery was deployed in front of the infantry. The Ukrainians also helped: the Cossack regiments, under the command of Hetman Ivan Skoropadsky, blocked the way for the Swedes to Poland and Right-Bank Ukraine. The Swedish army did not expect the Russians in its rear, and was forced to line up front to the copse three kilometers from the Russian redoubts.

June 27 at dawn, the Swedish army launched an offensive. Thus began the Battle of Poltava. Making their way through a flurry of bullets and cannonballs, the Swedes in hand-to-hand combat somehow overcame two rows of redoubts. In doing so, they suffered heavy losses. The correct tactics of Peter I did not allow the enemy to penetrate the rear of the Russians. The Swedes, under a heavy hail of Russian artillery, were forced to retreat into the Budishchi forest. The field was empty for a while, Peter pushed the main forces forward. And here it is, the final fight.

The Swedes go on the offensive again, the Russians opened fire. Again hand-to-hand, again losses ... Peter led the battalion of the Novgorod regiment into battle, with a strong blow crushed the Swedes, and Menshikov's cavalry began the battle on the left. The enemy could not withstand the onslaught, trembled and began to retreat. Poltava battle completed by eleven o'clock. 15,000 people were taken prisoner, but the king, Mazepa, with a thousand soldiers managed to escape across the Dnieper to Bendery.

This was complete rout the once powerful Swedish army, 9234 people were killed, almost the entire generals were captured. The Russian army has much less losses - 1345 people were killed, 3290 were wounded. All participants in the battle, Peter I awarded orders and medals. The victory in the Battle of Poltava decided the outcome in the direction of Russia.

The Battle of Poltava took place on June 27, 1709. It was a general battle between the troops of Sweden and Russia in the course (1700-1721), in which the Swedes suffered a complete defeat and lost their power. The Russian army won a convincing victory, the advantage in the war was now on the side of Russia, which forced the leading European powers to reckon with itself.

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1700 year. It is unlikely that at that time anyone suspected that in a few years on the territory of present-day Ukraine one of the the biggest battles continental Europe. It was in this year that the Battle of Narva ended, in which the Russians were defeated. Charles XII continues to rejoice after his triumphant victory.

History knows many dictators who fought for world domination: Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Mussolini,. The Swedish king, who came to power at the age of 15, is rightfully called one of the most influential people in world history. Charles XII was an extraordinary person: he was not afraid of almost anything, perhaps that is why, without hesitation, he entered the fight against the strongest army of his time under the leadership.

After the victory at Narva, he decides conquer Europe: first defeat the Polish king August II and the Saxon elector, and then open access to the Western European possessions.

Winning one victory after another Charles XII don't forget one of the most mighty empires- Russian. Because in 1705 the king decides deploy your army against Peter and subjugate Moscow. After 3 years, he begins rapid training, and soon heads towards the Russian capital.

Until the time the Swedes and their troops were near Poltava, according to the most conservative estimates, they lost almost 35 thousand soldiers in battles. Poltava seemed to the Swedish commander a fairly easy prey that could be captured in a matter of days. But he was wrong.

Russia and Sweden on the eve of the battle

History teaches us not to repeat past mistakes, but each time we observe how, being in the power of one's own ambitions, warlords underestimate their opponent. This happened to Charles XII. For several months, from April to June, the Swedes made more than 20 attempts to storm the city walls, while losing almost 6 thousand people, but did not achieve the desired result.

Important! Thanks to archival data and information from the personal correspondence of participants in the Northern War, historians managed to establish the approximate number of infantry and cavalry during the Battle of Poltava, and calculate the balance of power on both sides.

Interesting! The Swedish command underestimated the Russian artillery. Its main emphasis was on a powerful infantry attack in close formation.

The Russian army in those days was well prepared, there was a wealth of experience in combat, new weapons were used to the maximum during the battle. For the first time, Russian troops used earthen field fortifications, as well as horse artillery, which quickly moved across the field.

Peter I knew his people and their heroic spirit very well. Therefore, in order to raise the patriotic spirit, on the eve of the Battle of Poltava, the tsar independently goes to the provinces and addresses the people. It is unlikely that an accurate description of those events has survived, but the records of historians of that time say that Peter called on the people to fight and defend Russia.

Let us briefly say the most important thing about the position of the Swedes. In historical materials that store military memories, it is noted that Charles XII told his army that tomorrow they would feast in the conquered city, advised the people to prepare for the big booty that was due to him.

Battle for supremacy in Europe

Without waiting for the morning, Charles XII ordered his troops to prepare for battle. He looked forward to the rapid defeat of the Russian army in the Battle of Poltava and made plans for movement towards Moscow. The Swedes lined up in 6 columns. However, something went wrong, the unrest among the soldiers subsided only around 2 am on June 27. Then they went to the battlefield.

Little was known about Poltava: how many troops of Peter I were concentrated in the city, whether there were secret entrances to the city, from which side the Russians would strike. But this did not stop the Swedes in any way, on the contrary, with every minute they gained more and more confidence.

Important! Near Poltava, the meeting of the troops of the two commanders turned out to be unexpected, Charles XII wanted to break into the city unnoticed and speed up its siege until the Russian military were ready for that. Peter I even foresaw this: he and the commanders of his troops sent the Russian army outside the city, preventing the enemy from advancing further and destroying him in unfamiliar territory.

Swedish tactics was peculiar for that time: they did not take prisoners, preferred to kill all living things in their path. Having shown an extreme degree of cruelty, they wanted to subjugate everyone. There is evidence that foreigners visited the residential houses of Poltava residents and killed still sleepy and unarmed residents.

After a few hours of fighting, the Swedes cheered: Russian troops under the command of Peter I turned around and left the battlefield. They seemed to be running away little by little, leaving the wounded behind them. Charles XII was already congratulated on his victory, because the Battle of Poltava was coming to an end.

But in a moment the ranks of the Swedish army began to thin out. The Russians decided to strike again and were not mistaken. The losses of the Swedes amounted to about 1000 people, the commanders of some regiments died. The Russian Tsar struck again, sending 5 infantry battalions to the Swedes. Managed to capture the Swedish General Schlippenbach. Soon it was possible to see the first surrendered soldiers from the side of Charles XII.

Completion of the battle

The Swedish army was weakened. A short pause, as it seemed to them, can renew strength. But the defeat of Charles XII was not far off. During the defense, Peter I loses sight of one of the battalions of his army and decides to bring reinforcements to the battlefield.

One part of the army was engaged in holding the enemy troops, the other - in active operations to push back the Swedish troops.

The command of the infantry and cavalry of the Russian troops was concentrated in the hands of four illustrious generals: B.P. Sheremetyeva, A.I. Repin, A.D. Menshikov and R.Kh. Baur. Historians argue that the main reasons for the victory of the Russian army in the Poltava battle are purposeful and competent activity of the leadership of the army and commander Peter I. Thoughtful tactics, perfect knowledge military strategy and colossal experience of warfare helped overcome the Swedish army of Charles XII in 1709.

The passive tactics of the Russians moved into an active phase. The troops lined up to deliver the final blow to the enemy. Never before had there been such a bright night near Poltava. The thunder of artillery, the bright light emanating from fire weapons, the terrible rumble of the people and the groans of the wounded - that's what the inhabitants of the city saw that night.

Around 9 am the Swedes decided attack the Russian army and strike a decisive blow. Then, at the end of the Poltava battle, the Russians met them with artillery fire and rushed to fight hand to hand. A few moments later, the enemy army noticed that they were losing their best soldiers, so they began to lose ground, the Swedish defense line was breaking.

Charles XII and the Ottoman Empire

When Charles XII understands that he is losing decides to run away. History will remember this act of the Swedish king as one of the most terrible and irresponsible. Leaving his army, the king takes refuge with the Turks, he is granted political asylum in the Ottoman Empire, which has long been planning to start hostilities with Russia.

On the battlefield, the last hours of the battle continued. The Russians captured the most prominent Swedish generals. This meant the complete collapse of the enemy's plans.

The Russian army in the Battle of Poltava was destined to win. The policy of the Swedes has long ceased to be offensive and has grown into a defensive one. The harder they fought, the more the losses increased.

The result of the battle

Meaning of the Battle of Poltava:

• marked the collapse of the empire of Charles XI;
• strengthened the position Russian Empire on the world stage;
• became a direct reason for the start of hostilities against the Russians by the Ottoman Empire, which understands that the state is extremely weakened;
• liberated Poland from the dependence of the Swedes;
• outlined a turning point in the Northern War;
• became the reason for the conclusion of the military alliance of Saxony and the Russian Empire.

It needs to be known

History has retained a lot of intrigue and unexpected twists. Some Interesting Facts She remembers the Battle of Poltava and the city itself to this day:

1. After the end of the battle on July 8, 1709, two regiments were formed from the Swedish military, which participated in the expedition of 1717.
2. Less than 70% of prisoners of war returned to Sweden again.
3. Poltava is one of the most mystical cities in Ukraine. Unexplained events often occur here. Perhaps for this reason Gogol wrote his "Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka" here.
4. Poltava was the center of activity of Bogdan Khmelnitsky. It was here that he raised an uprising against the Swedes.
5. During the Second World War, the city was completely destroyed by the Germans. How quickly he fell, how quickly he rose from the dead just a few years after the war.

Battle of Poltava - Calendar of important dates

Conclusion

There are many examples of battles and uprisings, catastrophes and wars, revivals and victories in history. The Battle of Poltava became a significant event, and its participants were real heroes. After the victory, Russia became more powerful, stronger, became a world leader and did not give up its positions over the following centuries.

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The historical significance of the battle of Poltava

The Battle of Poltava, better known as the Battle of Poltava, is an important historical event that took place on June 27, 1709. This battle is considered one of the decisive battles in the series of battles of the Northern War, which lasted more than twenty years. In order to understand the meaning of the battle, it is worth delving into its causes and course.

History and course of the Poltava battle

The war against Sweden, in which, in addition to Russia, Saxony and the Commonwealth took part, developed in such a way that by 1708 Peter the Great was left without the aforementioned allies, who were disabled by the young Swedish king Charles the Twelfth. By this time, everyone understood that in fact the outcome of the Northern War would be determined in one of the battles between Russia and Sweden.

Inspired by the successes of his army, Charles was in a hurry to end hostilities as soon as possible. Therefore, in the summer of 1708, he and his army crossed the border with Russia and advanced to Smolensk. Having learned about the direction of the Swedes, Peter the Great realized that by these actions Charles was pursuing the goal of moving deep into the state, and then delivering a crushing blow to the Russian army.

On September 28, 1708, one of the crucial battles took place near the village of Lesnaya, which ended in the defeat of the Swedes. At the same time, as a result of this battle, the Swedes were left without the ammunition and provisions they needed, because all the roads were blocked by Peter's troops, and their main convoy was completely destroyed. In general, this became one of the determining factors in the development of events in favor of the Russian Tsar.

Peter the Great himself subsequently repeatedly singled out as important factor, which ensured the victory of the Russians that in the end they were opposed by an exhausted army. Although Charles sent troops in 1708, the decisive battle took place only a year later. All this time, the Swedes were in enemy territory, unable to regularly obtain the ammunition and provisions they needed.

It is worth noting at least that by the beginning of the Battle of Poltava, the Swedish army had only four guns at its disposal! This fact is recognized by both domestic and foreign historians. And some of them even claim that during the battle the Swedes failed to shoot from the available ones, due to the fact that they did not have gunpowder. As a result, the troops of Charles the Twelfth were completely deprived of artillery, while the Russian troops had about one hundred and ten guns at their disposal.

All of the above factors were the reason that such a significant battle as the Battle of Poltava lasted only two hours. Most researchers note that if by the beginning of the battle the Swedish troops had everything they needed to fight, then most likely the scales could have tipped in the direction of the victory of Charles the Twelfth. Nevertheless, the success of the battle was for Peter and his army. But what did this victory bring and do the compilers of history textbooks exaggerate its significance?

The results of the Poltava battle

Firstly, the success of the Russians in the battle of Poltava ensured the complete defeat of the Swedish infantry. According to studies, Sweden in this battle lost about twenty-eight thousand people wounded and killed, while total strength the army of Charles the Twelfth by the beginning of the events in question did not exceed the threshold of thirty thousand people.

In addition, as we have already mentioned above, only a tiny part of artillery pieces. Initially, the Swedish troops had about thirty guns, but when they approached the battlefield, they had only four at their disposal.

The value of the Poltava battle

However, even this successful victory of Peter and the actual destruction of the Swedish army could not put an end to the protracted Northern War. And historians have their own opinions on that.

Most researchers of the Battle of Poltava and the period of the Northern War agree that Peter the Great, after the battle, could have ended the hostilities between Sweden and Russia. To do this, according to their opinion, it was only necessary to go in pursuit of the Swedish monarch who had fled from the battlefield and the remnants of his army.

Although the battle near Poltava went on for two hours and ended an hour before lunch, for some reason, Peter the Great gave the order to pursue the enemy only at nightfall, after celebrating the defeat of the Swedish army. Due to this "oversight", the fleeing enemy had enough time to get out of range. At the same time, himself Swedish monarch Charles the Twelfth abandoned the remnants of his army and was able to organize his departure to the territory of Turkey, where he hoped to implement a backup plan.

And the plan of Charles the Twelfth included inducing the Turkish Sultan to war against Russian army Peter the Great. Thus, if not for the delay of the latter, then further hostilities could have been avoided, thereby increasing the significance of the Battle of Poltava in the history of Russia. However, Peter's motives are still controversial and it is not known for certain whether this was a strategic mistake or not.

In any case, the outcome of the Battle of Poltava is ambiguous. Despite the stunning success, Russia failed to receive any dividends, and Peter's delay in ordering the persecution led to twelve years of the Northern War, numerous deaths and a halt in the development of the Russian state.

Map-scheme: the course of the Poltava battle

Video lecture: the historical significance of the battle of Poltava

At the end of February 1709 CharlesXII, having learned about the departure of Peter I from the army to Voronezh, redoubled his efforts to force the Russians to fight, but it was all in vain. As a last resort, he undertook the siege of Poltava, where, at the end of 1708, Peter sent the 4th battalion of the garrison, under the command of Colonel Kellin, and where, according to the assurances of the Zaporozhye ataman Gordeenok and Mazepa, there were significant stores and huge sums of money. Having personally examined the Poltava fortifications, Charles XII at the end of April 1709 moved to this city from the village of Budishcha, where his main apartment was then, Colonel Shparre with 9 infantry regiments, 1 artillery and the entire convoy of the army. From the Russian side, General Renne was sent against him with 7000 cavalry detachment, which stood directly opposite the city, on the left bank of the Vorskla. He built two bridges and covered them with retranches, but his actions to maintain contact with Poltava were unsuccessful, and Renne returned to the army.

The city of Poltava was located on the heights of the right bank of the Vorskla, almost a verst from the river itself, from which it was separated by a very swampy valley. It was surrounded on all sides by a chain earthen rampart, and within its garrison a palisade retrenchment was made. Gordeenko advised the Swedes to take possession of Poltava through an accidental attack; but they failed to take advantage of his proposal, and on the night of April 30 to May 1, 1709, using the cover of a bush and a rather deep ravine, they opened the first trenches, at a distance of 250 fathoms from the city. The conduct of the siege was entrusted to Quartermaster General Gillencroc. According to his plan, it was supposed to attack, first of all, the suburbs, from the side where there was a high wooden tower, and after that attack the Russian suburbs. This was based on the news received that there were many wells in the suburbs of Poltava, while there was only one in the city itself. Gyllencroc decided to lay three parallels at the same time, connected with each other by aproshes. Zaporizhzhya Cossacks were appointed to work, and a detachment of Swedish infantry to cover them. Due to the inexperience of the Cossacks, the work went slowly and unsuccessfully, so that by morning the troops could occupy only the first two parallels, while the third, barely begun, was not yet completed. AT next night the Swedes managed to complete the broken questions leading to the third parallel. Gillencroc offered the king to attack Poltava at dawn, but Charles XII did not agree to his proposal, but ordered to go through the moat with saps and lay a mine under the rampart. This venture failed, because the Russians, having led a counter-mine, discovered the intention of the enemy.

Without siege weapons, with only a small number of small-caliber field weapons, the Swedes could not hope for success, but, despite this, their actions became more decisive from hour to hour, and imminent danger threatened Poltava. Colonel Kellin, who was in Poltava with 4,000 regular troops and 2,500 philistines, sought all the means for defense. He ordered to make a fence of barrels on the shaft and in the suburbs, and repeatedly sent empty bombs to the Russian troops stationed near Poltava the news that the Swedes were getting closer to the city and that the garrison was in a dangerous position, suffering from a lack of combat and partly in life supplies. As a result, the Russians undertook demonstrations against the enemy. Menshikov moved to left side Vorskla, and General Beling, following its right bank, attacked Colonel Shparre. The Swedes were driven back, but Charles XII, who arrived in time with the cavalry regiments, stopped the Russians and forced them to retreat. Despite this, Menshikov continued his movement along the left bank of the Vorskla and settled down opposite Poltava at the villages of Krutoy Bereg, Savka and Iskrevka, in two fortified camps separated from each other by the Kolomak stream, flowing in a swampy and wooded valley. Through it, 4 fascinated gati with posts were made, which served as a message for both camps. Wanting to reinforce the garrison of the city, Menshikov took advantage of the oversight of the Swedes and on May 15 brought 2 battalions into Poltava, under the command of Brigadier Alexei Golovin. Encouraged by this, Kellin began to act more decisively, and the Swedes had to work hard to repel his sorties.

On May 10, the main Swedish forces arrived at Poltava: the infantry occupied the surrounding villages; the cavalry stood at some distance from the city, supporting themselves with forage. Charles XII, wishing to stop the relations of the Poltava garrison with Menshikov, ordered the construction of a redoubt at the height of the right bank of the river, opposite the bridge, near the Steep Bank, and began to actively prepare all measures for the capture of the city. Then Sheremetev, who commanded the Russian army in the absence of Peter, decided to unite with Menshikov. At the end of May 1709, he crossed Psyol and Vorskla and occupied a camp near Krutoy Bereg, adjoining this village on the left flank. The main body of his army stood in two front lines to the north, while the vanguard was to the left of Iskrevka and Savka, parallel to the Kharkov road, and the front to the south. Thus, both parts of the Russian army were turned to each other by the rear. The main apartment of the Russians was in the village of Krutoy Bereg. A detachment was sent from the vanguard to Vorskla itself, which set about laying various fortifications: several redoubts were built near the river bank, and a closed trench was located at a height near the bridge. But all Sheremetev's attempts to help Poltava were in vain. The Swedes laid down a series of closed fortifications on the right bank of the river, near the bridge, and thus completely interrupted the communication of the Russians with the city, the situation of which was becoming more dangerous from day to day. On June 1, the Swedes began to bombard Poltava and, having managed to ignite wooden tower suburbs, went on the attack, but were repulsed with damage.

Preparations for the battle of Poltava

On June 4, Peter himself arrived at the Russian army. His presence encouraged the troops. Having entered into relations with the garrison of Poltava, he gathered a military council, at which it was decided, in order to liberate the city, to go directly against him through the Vorskla and attack the Swedes along with the Cossacks. Skoropadsky who walked there on the right side of this river. The swampy banks of the Vorskla hindered the work, but, despite the unsuccessful conduct of the requests, Peter was still faithful to the plan he had adopted. To entertain the attention of the enemy, he ordered General Renne, with 3 regiments, infantry and several regiments of dragoons, to move up the river to Semyonov Ford and Petrovka and, crossing the Vorskla, fortify on its right bank; General Allard was ordered to cross the river a little below Poltava. On the 15th, Rennes, having transported two infantry battalions along the Lykoshinsky ford, occupied the old fortification on opposite heights; the Cossacks stretched out, to guard the crossings, along the entire right bank from Tishenkov Ford to Petrovka. On June 16, Renne built on the hills between the last village and Semyonov Ford a line of separate fortifications, behind which his detachment was located. On the same date, Peter completed the fortifications on the swampy island of Vorskla against the left flank of the Swedish coastlines.

Karl paid particular attention to the movements of Allard and Renne. He himself went against the first, sending a general Rehnschild to Semyonovka. Making personal reconnaissance, the Swedish king was equal to a bullet in the leg, which forced him to postpone the attack on Allard. No more successful were the actions of Rehnschild.

But Peter also saw the failure of his enterprises; at the newly assembled military council, he proposed to cross the Vorskla a little higher than Poltava and give a general battle, the success of which could already be relied upon with greater certainty. On June 10, 1709, the Russian army moved from the camp at Krutoy Bereg to Chernyakhovo and settled down near the last village in the camp, which was partly surrounded by trenches. Then Peter learned from the prisoners about the illness of Charles, and therefore, on the 20th, he hastened to cross the bridge at Petrovka and along the three fords mentioned above. The Russian army occupied the fortified camp prepared by General Renne.

Charles XII, wanting to take advantage of the removal of the Russian army, ordered, on the 21st, to storm Poltava, but he was repulsed, as well as another, undertaken by the Swedes the next day with desperate courage. On June 25, Peter moved more forward, stopped before reaching Yakovets, three versts below Semyonovka, and strengthened his position. The Swedes immediately stepped forward, as if calling the Russians to battle, but seeing that they did not leave their trenches, they decided to attack them themselves and give battle, appointing the 27th for this.

On the night of June 26, the Russians finally dug in their camp and built 10 more redoubts in front at the exit from the adjacent valley. These redoubts were located at a distance of a rifle shot from each other. The position of the Russians was facing the rear towards Vorskla, and the front towards the vast plain that stretched to the village of Budishchi; it was surrounded by forest and had exits only from the north and southwest. The disposition of the troops was as follows: 56 battalions occupied a fortified camp; 2 battalions of the Belgorod regiment, under the command of brigadier Aigustov, were assigned to defend redoubts armed with cannons; behind them were 17 cavalry regiments, under the command of Renne and Baur; the remaining 6 cavalry regiments were sent to the right to maintain communication with Skoropadsky. Artillery, including 72 guns, commanded Bruce. The number of Russian troops ranged from 50 to 55 thousand.

On the morning of the 26th, Peter, accompanied by some of his generals, under cover of an insignificant detachment, surveyed the surrounding area. He saw that for the liberation of Poltava it was necessary to take the fight, and therefore only wanted to wait for the arrival of the expected reinforcements, joining with whom, he intended to attack the Swedes himself on the 29th. Having experienced his happiness at Lesnaya, the tsar decided to personally take the main command over the army. In the order given to the troops, he strongly convinced them of the importance of the upcoming battle.

For his part, the Swedish king did not want to allow the Russians to warn him of the attack. To this end, he sent back in advance, beyond Poltava, under the cover of 2 cavalry regiments, his convoy and artillery, which, due to a lack of shells, could not take part in the battle. Only 4 guns remained with the troops. Charles XII, in a meeting with Field Marshal Rehnschild, personally drew up a plan for the battle of Poltava, which, however, was not reported to either the troops or even the closest persons who made up Main Headquarters. In all likelihood, the king believed that the Russians would defend themselves in their fortified camp, and therefore had the intention, dividing his army into columns, to break through between the advanced redoubts, push back the Russian cavalry and then, according to the circumstances, or rush with speed against the trenches, or, if the Russians leave the camp, rush against them. Around noon on the 26th, Quartermaster General Gillencroc was ordered to form four columns of infantry, while the cavalry was divided by Rehnschild into 6 columns. In each infantry column there were 6 battalions, in 4 medium cavalry - 6, and in both flanks 7 squadrons. 2 battalions and part of the cavalry were left near Poltava; separate detachments covered the convoy and kept posts down the Vorskla: in Novye Senzhary, Belik and Sokolkovo. The last measure taken to ensure the retreat, in case of failure, was useless, because the Swedes did not arrange a bridge over the Dnieper in advance; in addition, this measure weakened the already weak army, which could put up only 30 battalions and 14 cavalry regiments for battle (only up to 24 thousand). Mazepa with the Cossacks was left to guard the siege works.

Battle of Poltava 1709. Plan

The course of the battle of Poltava

The Swedish troops lined up, by the evening of the 26th, parallel to the position occupied by the Russian cavalry behind 6 redoubts. The infantry stood in the middle, and the cavalry on the flanks. Charles XII, carried on a stretcher along the front of his soldiers, in short words urged them to show the same courage near Poltava with which they fought near Narva and Golovchin.

At 2 o'clock in the morning, on the 27th, at the very dawn, the Swedes, starting the Battle of Poltava, moved against the position of the Russians, in the gap between the forests that closed the plain. Infantry columns marched ahead, under the command of Posse, Stackelberg, Ross and Sparré. Behind them, a little behind, followed the cavalry, led on the right wing by Kreutz and Schlippenbach, on the left by Kruse, and Hamilton. Approaching the line of redoubts, the Swedish infantry stopped and waited for the arrival of their cavalry, which immediately rushed at several Russian cavalry regiments that had come out to meet them. Behind her moved forward the center and the right wing of the infantry. Taking 2 unfinished redoubts, she passed between them and the rest of the trenches, because the Russians, for fear of damaging their own cavalry, stopped firing at the enemy. The Swedish cavalry, supported by this swift onslaught, pushed the Russian back. Noticing this, Peter, at 4 o'clock in the morning, ordered General Baur (Bour), who took over the command instead of the wounded Renne, to retreat with the Russian cavalry to the camp and join his left flank. During this movement, the left wing of the Swedes, without waiting for the accession of Ross, who was busy attacking the flank Russian redoubts, moved forward. This circumstance had an extraordinary impact on the fate of the entire battle of Poltava.

Battle of Poltava. Painting by P. D. Marten, 1726

Approaching the strong fire of the Russian fortified camp, the left wing of the Swedes, instead of persistently continuing the movement that had begun, stopped for a while and moved further to the left. Charles XII, who was with him on a stretcher, wishing to more accurately ensure the accession of Ross, sent a part of the cavalry to help him, followed by several other cavalry regiments without any command of their generals. Crowded in disorder and coming under heavy fire from Russian batteries, this cavalry also stretched to the left, to the place where the Swedish infantry stood, which, in turn, retreated to the edge of the Budishchensky forest, where, hiding from the shots of Russian batteries, they began to put their upset rows. Thus, the Swedes failed to take advantage of their initial luck and were themselves now placed in a dangerous position. A significant gap formed between their right and left wings, which divided their army into two separate parts.

This mistake did not escape the attention of Peter, who personally controlled the actions of his troops in the battle of Poltava. In the midst of the strongest fire, even before that, seeing the onslaught of the left wing of the Swedes and believing that they would attack the Russian camp, he withdrew part of his infantry from it and built it in several lines, on both sides of the trenches, in order to hit the Swedes in the flank . When their regiments were badly damaged by our shots and began to settle down near the forest, he ordered, at 6 o'clock in the morning, the rest of the infantry to also leave the camp and line up in two lines in front of him. To take advantage of Ross's distance, the tsar ordered Prince Menshikov and General Renzel, with 5 battalions and 5 dragoon regiments, to attack the right wing of the Swedes. The Swedish cavalry regiments that had come out to meet them were overturned, and the general himself Schlippenbach, leading the cavalry of the right wing, was taken prisoner. Then Renzel's infantry rushed against Ross's troops, who had meanwhile occupied the Yalovitsky forest, on the left flank of our position, and the Russian dragoons moved to the right , threatening the Swedish line of retreat. This forced Ross to retreat to Poltava itself, where he occupied the siege trenches and, attacked from all sides by the 5 battalions of Renzel pursuing him, was forced, after a half-hour period given to him for reflection, to lay down his arms.

Leaving Renzel to pursue Ross to Poltava, Prince Menshikov, commanding the Russian left wing, attached the rest of the cavalry to the main body of the army, located in two lines in front of the camp. In the center of the first line were 24 infantry battalions, on the left flank - 12, and on the right - 23 squadrons of cavalry. In the second line stood: in the center 18 battalions, on the left flank 12, and on the right 23 squadrons. The right wing was commanded by Baur, the center by Repnin, Golitsyn and Allard, and the left wing by Menshikov and Belling. General Ginter was left in the trenches with 6 infantry battalions and several thousand Cossacks to reinforce, if necessary, the battle lines. Moreover, 3 battalions, under the command of Colonel Golovin, were sent to the Vozdvizhensky Monastery to open communication with Poltava. 29 field guns, under the command of General of Artillery Bruce, and all regimental guns were in the 1st line.

The Swedes, after the separation of Ross, had only 18 infantry battalions and 14 cavalry regiments, and therefore they were forced to form their infantry in one line, and the cavalry on the flanks in two lines. Artillery, as we have seen, was almost non-existent.

In this order, at 9 o'clock in the morning, the Swedish regiments with desperate courage rushed to the Russians, who had already managed to line up in battle formation and were personally led by Peter. Both troops participating in the battle of Poltava, inspired by their leaders, understood their great purpose. The courageous Peter was ahead of everyone and, saving the honor and glory of Russia, did not think about the danger that threatened him. His hat, saddle and dress were shot through. The wounded Karl, on a stretcher, was also in the midst of his troops; the cannonball killed two of his servants and he was forced to be carried on spears. The collision of both troops was terrible. The Swedes were repulsed and retreated in disarray. Then Peter moved forward the regiments of his first line and, taking advantage of the superiority of his forces, surrounded the Swedes on both flanks, who were forced to take flight and seek salvation in the forest. The Russians rushed after them, and only a small part of the Swedes, after a two-hour battle in the forest, escaped the sword and captivity.

Peter I. Portrait by P. Delaroche, 1838

Charles XII, under the cover of a small detachment, mounted on a horse, barely reached the place beyond Poltava, where his convoy and artillery stood, under the cover of part of the Swedish cavalry and Mazepa's Cossacks. There he waited for the concentration of the scattered remnants of his army. First of all, the convoy and the park set out along the right bank of the Vorskla to Novye Senzhary, Belik and Sokolkovo, where the cavalry posts left by Karl were located. Following them, the king himself went and arrived on the 30th in Perevolochna.

Results and results of the Battle of Poltava

The first result of the Battle of Poltava was the liberation of Poltava, which in some way constituted the very purpose of the battle. June 28, 1709 Peter solemnly entered this city.

The loss of the Swedes in the battle of Poltava was significant: 9 thousand of them fell in the battle, 3 thousand were taken prisoner; 4 cannons, 137 banners and standards were the booty of the Russians. Field Marshal Rehnschild, Generals Stackelberg, Hamilton, Schlpppenbach and Ross, Colonels Prince Maximilian of Württemberg, Horn, Appelgren and Engshteth were taken prisoner. A similar fate befell Minister Piper with two state secretaries. Among those killed were Colonels Thorstenson, Springen, Siegrot, Ulfenarre, Weidenhain, Rank and Buchwald.

The Russians lost 1,300 killed and 3,200 wounded. Among those killed were: brigadier Tellenheim, 2 colonels, 4 headquarters and 59 chief officers. Among the wounded were Lieutenant General Renne, Brigadier Polyansky, 5 colonels, 11 headquarters and 94 chief officers.

After the battle of Poltava, Peter dined with his generals and staff officers; the captured generals were also invited by him to the table and received favorably. Field Marshal Rehnschild and the Prince of Württemberg were given swords. At the table, Peter praised the loyalty and courage of the Swedish troops and drank to the health of his teachers in military affairs. Some Swedish officers, by their consent, were transferred by the same ranks to the Russian service.

Peter did not limit himself to winning the battle alone: ​​on the same day he sent Prince Golitsyn with guards and Baur with dragoons to pursue the enemy. The next day, Menshikov was sent for the same purpose.

The further fate of the Swedish army under Perevolochne had a close connection with the result of the battle of Poltava and was, so to speak, its end.

No matter how great the material consequences of the Battle of Poltava were, its moral influence on the very course of events was even more immense: Peter's conquests were secured, and his vast plans - to improve the well-being of his people by the development of trade, navigation and education - could freely be carried out.

Great was the joy of Peter and the entire Russian people. In remembrance of this victory, the tsar decreed its annual celebration in all places of Russia. In honor of the Battle of Poltava, medals were knocked out for all the officers and soldiers who participated in it. For this battle, Sheremetev received huge estates; Menshikov was made a field marshal; Bruce, Allard and Renzel received the Order of St. Andrew; Renne and other generals were awarded ranks, orders and money. Medals and other awards were distributed to all officers and soldiers.

Sweden was the main opponent of Russia in the struggle for supremacy in the Baltic Sea. After the signing of a peace treaty with Ottoman Empire in August 1700, the thirty-five thousandth Russian army led by Peter I advanced to Narva. Despite a fourfold superiority, on September 30, the Russian army was utterly defeated by the Swedes and was forced to retreat.

The Russian emperor drew the right conclusions from this shameful defeat and began a military reform according to European canons. The results were not long in coming. Two years later, the fortresses of Noteburg and Nienschanz were conquered, and in the autumn of 1704, the cities of Narva and Derpt. Thus, Russia has achieved the long-awaited access to the Baltic Sea.

Peter I proposed to end the Great Northern War by signing a peace treaty, but this state of affairs did not suit the Swedish king Charles XII. Karl undertook a campaign against Russia in 1706, trying to regain lost positions, and succeeded a lot in this, capturing the cities of Minsk and Mogilev and entering Ukraine in October 1708. It was at this time that Peter received unexpected blow in the back from his former associate, the hetman of the Zaporizhzhya Army, Ivan Mazepa. Despite the previous exceptional merits (Mazepa was a holder of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called - the highest state award in Russia), he openly went over to the side of the Swedish king. For betrayal of the military oath and betrayal, Ivan Mazepa was deprived of titles and awards, anathematized by the church, and a civil execution was carried out on him.

Peter I, government leaders and top military leaders took a bold and creative move: launched the so-called "war of manifestos". AT short time Peter issued several manifestos to the Ukrainian people, in which he informed about the betrayal of Mazepa, his plans to transfer Little Russia to Poland, and also about the election of a new hetman. In addition, in order to win the support of all segments of the population, the Russian tsar canceled some of the taxes established by Mazepa, which positioned him as a father and protector Ukrainian people. Let us note that Peter did not forget to "kindle" the higher clergy, to whom the "highest mercy" was promised.

Ukraine was divided: a smaller part was under the occupation of the Swedes, a large part - under the rule of Moscow. Prepared by Peter's manifestos, the public met the Swedish army with hostility. The population resisted the demands of the invaders to provide them with housing, food and fodder, which was followed by mass repression. The Swedes ruthlessly destroyed cities and villages, such as Krasnokutsk, Kolomak, Kolontaev. The answer was predictable: a guerrilla war had begun, as a result of which the invaders had to expend a lot of strength for the war with the people, on whose support they so counted.

The situation of Charles XII became more complicated due to the lack of military aid from Poland, Turkey and Crimea. Nevertheless, he decided to advance on Moscow. Charles XII decided to move through the cities of Kharkov, Belgorod and Kursk. The main stumbling block was Poltava, a small town with a population of about 2,600 people. In the spring of 1709, Poltava was besieged by thirty-five thousand Swedish soldiers. The city was defended by a Russian garrison of 4.5 thousand people under the command of Colonel Alexei Kelin, the cavalry of General Alexander Menshikov and Ukrainian Cossacks. Having beaten off several enemy assaults, the defenders of Poltava managed to pin down the forces of the Swedish army, preventing it from moving further to Moscow. During this time, the main Russian forces managed to approach Poltava and prepare for the main battle.

The course of the battle of Poltava

The date of the general battle was appointed by Peter on June 27, 1709. Two days before the deadline, 42 thousand Russian soldiers settled in a fortified camp six miles from Poltava near the village of Yakovtsy. In front of the camp there was a wide field, which was covered from the flanks by dense thickets, and was fortified with a system of redoubts - engineering structures designed for all-round defense. Two battalions of soldiers were located in the redoubts, followed by seventeen cavalry regiments under the command of Alexander Menshikov. Peter's tactical move is to wear down the enemy forces on the line of redoubts, and then finally finish off with the help of cavalry.

Instead of Charles XII, who was wounded during reconnaissance, the Swedish army was commanded by Field Marshal Renschild. The number of Swedes was approximately 30 thousand soldiers (of which about 10 thousand were in reserve).

The battle began at 3 o'clock in the morning with a clash at the redoubts of Russian and Swedish cavalry. Two hours later, the attack of the Swedish cavalry bogged down, but the infantrymen occupied the first two Russian redoubts. Peter, following the chosen tactics, ordered Menshikov to retreat. The Swedes, rushing after the Russians, fell into a set trap: their right flank was fired upon by rifle and cannon fire from a fortified camp. They, having suffered significant losses, retreated to the village of Small Budishchi. At the same time, the Swedish troops on the right flank under the command of Generals Ross and Schlippenbach were carried away by the battle for the redoubts and were cut off from their main forces. Peter immediately took advantage of this circumstance: the Swedes were completely defeated by Menshikov's cavalry.

At 6 o'clock in the morning, Peter built his army in a linear order of battle, placing it in two lines. In the first were infantrymen and artillerymen, commanded by Field Marshal Count Boris Sheremetev and General Yakov Bruce. The flanks were covered by the cavalry of Generals Menshikov and Bour. Nine reserve battalions were left in the camp. Part of Peter's troops reinforced the garrison of Poltava, on the one hand, so that the Swedes could not capture the fortress, and on the other, in order to cut off the enemy's retreat.

At 9 o'clock in the morning the battle entered its climax. The Swedes, also lined up in a linear order, went on the offensive, and, met by Russian artillery, rushed into a bayonet attack. At the first moment they managed to break the center of the Russian first line. Then Peter I, having shown courage and courage, personally led the counterattack. The Swedes were driven back to their original positions, and soon further by Russian infantry and cavalry. By 11 o'clock they began to retreat in panic. Charles XII and Mazepa fled to Turkey. The remnants of the Swedish troops retreated to Perevolochna, where they were forced to capitulate. The Swedish army was completely defeated, losing more than 9 thousand people killed and over 18 thousand prisoners. The losses of the Russian troops amounted to about 1400 people killed and 3300 wounded.

Results and consequences of the Poltava battle

The battle of Poltava became turning point Northern War and international politics in general. G.A. Sanin, doctor historical sciences, Head of the Center "Russia in international relations”compares the news of the Russian victory in this battle with a bomb explosion and calls it absurd for Europeans even the idea that the army of Charles XII could be destroyed.

The Battle of Poltava radically changed the balance of power in the Northern War. Peter I successfully restored, and subsequently was able to expand the Northern Union by signing new agreements with Augustus II, Elector of Saxony, and a Russian-Danish agreement on favorable terms for Russia.

The defeat of Charles XII near Poltava significantly influenced the course of the war in the Baltics. In June 1710, the ten thousandth corps of the Russian army, with the help of the fleet under the command of General Admiral Fyodor Apraksin, captured Vyborg, in July - Riga, in August - Pernov, and in September - Revel. Thus, the liberation of the Baltic states from the Swedes was completed.

Major historian pre-revolutionary Russia CM. Solovyov called the victory of the Russians near Poltava the greatest historical event, as a result of which a new great people was born in Europe.

If at the beginning of the Northern War there was a question of the national self-preservation of the Russian people as a result of a possible conquest by the Swedes, then after the Poltava victory, the prestige of Russia soared upward that many European powers began to recognize it as a valuable ally, to adopt its diplomatic and military experience. From now on, none political question was not decided in Europe without a weighty voice of Russia.

The Battle of Poltava had a positive impact on the development of Russian military art. Russian warriors, led by their emperor, showed a departure from the patterns of strategy and tactics: building order of battle, preparation of engineering structures, allocation of the optimal amount of reserve, use of the features of a closed area. Near Poltava, the great importance of the morale of the troops, the patriotic attitude to victory was demonstrated. The lessons learned from the Battle of Poltava proved invaluable for Russia in all subsequent times.