Recovered after the Tatar-Mongol yoke, Russia was gaining strength. The desire to get access to the sea was the cause of the first armed conflict between Russia and Sweden, which lasted two years (1656-1658). The troops of the Russian tsar penetrated deep into the B altic states, took Oreshek, Kantsy and laid siege to Riga. But the expedition failed, the Swedish troops quickly retaliated.
The siege of Riga was ineffective due to the lack of naval support and coordination of actions.
As a result, the tsar, Alexei Mikhailovich, concluded a truce with Sweden, according to which all the lands captured during the campaign passed to Russia. Three years later, already according to the Cardis Document, Russia was forced to abandon its conquests.
The reforms of Peter I required new sea routes. The port in Arkhangelsk could no longer meet the needs of a huge power. The creation of the Northern Union significantly strengthened the position of Russia. The Russo-Swedish War began in 1700. The reorganization of the troops, the cause of which was the first defeat near Narva, has borne fruit. By 1704, Russian soldiers fortified along the entire coast of the Gulf of Finland, the fortresses of Narva and Derpt were taken. And inIn 1703, the new capital of the Russian Empire, St. Petersburg, was founded.
Swedes' attempts to regain lost ground ended in two notable battles. The first took place near the village of Lesnoy, where Lewenhaupt's corps suffered a crushing defeat. Russian troops captured the convoy of the entire Swedish army and took more than a thousand prisoners. The next battle took place near the city of Poltava, the troops of Charles XII were defeated, and the king himself fled to Turkey.
The second Russian-Swedish war had glorious battles not only on land, but also at sea. Thus, the B altic Fleet won victories at Gangut in 1714 and Grengam in 1720. The peace of Nystad, concluded in 1721, ended the Russian-Swedish wars for 20 years. According to the agreement, the Russian Empire received the B altic states and the southwestern part of the Karelian Peninsula.
The Russo-Swedish War of 1741 broke out due to the increased ambitions of the ruling party of hats, calling for the restoration of the country's former power. Russia was required to return the lands lost during the Northern War. The unsuccessful actions of the Swedish fleet led to massive epidemics on ships. In total, about 7,500 people died from disease in the Navy during the war.
Low morale among the troops led to the surrender of the Swedish troops at Helsingfors. The Russian army captured the Aland Islands, which were recaptured in the spring of 1743. The indecision of Admiral Golovin led to the fact that the Swedish fleet was able to get away from the battle with the Russian squadron. The deplorable situation of the Swedish army led to the conclusion of peace in the city of Abo. According toIn the treaty, Sweden ceded the border fortresses and the Kymene river basin. The ill-considered war cost 40,000 human lives and 11 million thalers in gold coins.
The main reason for confrontation has always been access to the sea. The Russo-Swedish war of 1700-1721 showed the world the power of Russian weapons, made it possible to start trading with other Western powers. Access to the sea turned Russia into an empire. The Russian-Swedish war of 1741-1743 only confirmed the superiority of our state over the developed European countries.
