Grobiņa Castle is a medieval castle located in the town of Grobiņa , in South Kurzeme Municipality in the Courland region of Latvia . The ancient Curonian castle hill ( Skābāržu kalns ) is located only 100 m from the castle. It is supposed to be the famous Seeburg , which is mentioned in Scandinavian sources as early as the 9th century.
66-496: The Livonian Order erected the castle in 1253 to protect the roads from Livonia to Prussia . It was a square type building and was a three storey high living block in the southern aisle. It also had a gate tower in the middle of the western wall. The castle was built of bricks and crude stone. Once it had arched ceilings. It was a residence for the local viceroy of the Livonian Order from 1399 to 1590. From 1590 to 1609 it
132-691: A Baltic empire centred on the Gulf of Finland and comprising the provinces of Karelia , Ingria , Estonia , and Livonia . During the Thirty Years' War Sweden gained tracts in Germany as well, including Western Pomerania , Wismar , the Duchy of Bremen , and Verden . During the same period, Sweden conquered Danish and Norwegian provinces north of the Sound (1645; 1658). These victories may be ascribed to
198-712: A Norwegian front but was killed in the Siege of Fredriksten in 1718. The war ended with the defeat of Sweden, leaving Russia as the new dominant power in the Baltic region and as a new major force in European politics. The Western powers, Great Britain and France , became caught up in the separate War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714), which broke out over the Bourbon Philip of Anjou 's succession to
264-517: A Russian galley fleet made a lightning raid on Borgå and managed to return to Kronslot just one day before the Swedish battle fleet returned to the blockade, after being delayed by unfavourable winds. In August 1708, a Swedish army of 12,000 men under General Georg Henrik Lybecker attacked Ingria , crossing the Neva from the north. They met stubborn resistance, ran out of supplies and, after reaching
330-457: A Swedish ally, though this proved hard to achieve. After years of marches and fighting around Poland he finally had to invade Augustus' hereditary Saxony to take him out of the war. In the treaty of Altranstädt (1706) , Augustus was finally forced to step down from the Polish throne, but Charles had already lost the valuable advantage of time over his main enemy in the east, Peter I, who then had
396-577: A concept shared by most major powers of the period. The cost of the warfare proved to be much higher than the occupied countries could fund, and Sweden's coffers and resources in manpower were eventually drained in the course of long conflicts. The foreign interventions in Russia during the Time of Troubles resulted in Swedish gains in the Treaty of Stolbovo (1617). The treaty deprived Russia of direct access to
462-520: A few years ago, [the castle] is no longer inhabited. It is gradually turning into ruins. The outer walls are still strong and good, and 10 to 12 years ago I found one habitable premises, as well as the remains of an old weapons depot." During this time, King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia visited Grobiņa Castle, who had settled in Mēmelburg Castle in Memel due to Napoleon's Invasion of Russia . In
528-666: A prolonged struggle with Augustus II the Strong ; he had already inflicted defeat on him at Riga in June 1701 and took Warsaw the following year, but trying to force a decisive defeat proved elusive. Russia left Poland in the spring of 1706, abandoning artillery but escaping from the pursuing Swedes, who stopped at Pinsk . Charles wanted not just to defeat the Commonwealth army but to depose Augustus, whom he regarded as especially treasonous, and have him replaced with someone who would be
594-467: A silver crucifix and two silver pictures, 1 silver ring, 1 gilded copper monstrance. Castle made of cast silver - 2 large chandeliers, 9 small chandeliers, as well as 1 pool for hand washing. or in the castle of the altar cloth - 1 old mass garment with crucifixes." In 1562, the castle manager, writer and servants stayed in Grobiņa Castle. In 1590, the arsenal arranged in Grobiņa Castle was mentioned for
660-535: A well-trained army, which despite its comparatively small size, was far more professional than most continental armies, and also to a modernization of administration (both civilian and military) in the course of the 17th century, which enabled the monarchy to harness the resources of the country and its empire effectively. Fighting in the field, the Swedish army (which during the Thirty Years' War contained more German and Scottish mercenaries than ethnic Swedes, but
726-530: Is often unclear as Swedish cavalry was used as heavy shock cavalry yet was unarmoured. ** The Saxon army and corresponding militia does not have full details available. Frederik IV of Denmark–Norway directed his first attack against Sweden's ally Holstein-Gottorp . In March 1700, a Danish army laid siege to Tönning . Simultaneously, Augustus II 's forces advanced through Swedish Livonia , captured Dünamünde and laid siege to Riga . Charles XII of Sweden first focused on attacking Denmark. The Swedish navy
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#1732801612388792-626: The Baltic Sea . Russian fortunes began to reverse in the final years of the 17th century, notably with the rise to power of Peter the Great , who looked to address the earlier losses and re-establish a Baltic presence. In the late 1690s, the adventurer Johann Patkul managed to ally Russia with Denmark and Saxony by the secret Treaty of Preobrazhenskoye , and in 1700 the three powers attacked. Charles XII of Sweden succeeded Charles XI of Sweden in 1697, aged 14. From his predecessor, he took over
858-823: The First Battle of Narva where the Russians suffered a crushing defeat. After the dissolution of the first coalition through the peace of Travendal and with the victory at Narva, the Swedish chancellor, Benedict Oxenstjerna , attempted to use the bidding for the favour of Sweden by France and the Maritime Powers (then on the eve of the War of the Spanish Succession ) to end the war and make Charles an arbiter of Europe. Charles XII then turned south to meet Augustus II , Elector of Saxony , King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania . The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
924-691: The Livonian War , however, the order suffered a decisive defeat by troops of Muscovite Russia in the Battle of Ergeme in 1560. The Livonian Order then sought protection from Sigismund II Augustus , King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania , who had intervened in a war between Bishop William of Riga and the Brothers in 1557. After coming to an agreement with Sigismund II, Augustus and his representatives (especially Mikołaj "the Black" Radziwiłł ),
990-793: The Spanish throne and a possible joining of France and Spain. The formal conclusion of the Great Northern War came with the Swedish-Hanoverian and Swedish-Prussian Treaties of Stockholm (1719), the Dano-Swedish Treaty of Frederiksborg (1720), and the Russo-Swedish Treaty of Nystad (1721). By these treaties Sweden ceded its exemption from the Sound Dues and lost the Baltic provinces and
1056-587: The Ukrainian Hetman Ivan Mazepa (1708–1710). The Ottoman Empire temporarily hosted Charles XII of Sweden and intervened against Peter I. The war began when an alliance of Denmark–Norway , Saxony and Russia , sensing an opportunity as Sweden was ruled by the young Charles XII, declared war on the Swedish Empire and launched a threefold attack on Swedish Holstein-Gottorp, Swedish Livonia , and Swedish Ingria . Sweden parried
1122-409: The 19th century, a city park was established around the castle ruins. In the 1970s major conservation jobs were made in the castle, according to the project of architect I. Stukmanis. Today the castle ruins are in a quite good condition. Most of the walls are still standing in three story height. Today's castle is a major tourist attraction and also a place for local gatherings and concerts. Until 2009,
1188-566: The Danish and Russian attacks at Travendal (August 1700) and Narva (November 1700) respectively, and in a counter-offensive pushed Augustus II's forces through the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth to Saxony, dethroning Augustus on the way (September 1706) and forcing him to acknowledge defeat in the Treaty of Altranstädt (October 1706). The treaty also secured the extradition and execution of Johann Reinhold Patkul , architect of
1254-565: The Duke of Prussia for 15,000 guilders during the Livonian War in 1560. The pledge agreement was signed on May 5, 1560 in Reval (Tallinn), but the Duke's officials had left Grobiņa Castle as early as April 28–30. In July 1560, Master Johan Funks visited Grobiņa Castle, and a Protestant pastor had already preached in the church of the castle. Inventory list of the castle church in 1560: "Castle made of silverware - 1 silver cup, 1 square plate with
1320-557: The Great in Rawa Ruska in September 1698, where the plans to attack Sweden were made, became legendary for its decadence. Frederick IV of Denmark -Norway, another cousin of Charles XII, succeeded Christian V in 1699 and continued his anti-Swedish policies. After the setbacks of 1700, he focused on transforming his state, an absolute monarchy, in a manner similar to Charles XI of Sweden. He did not achieve his main goal: to regain
1386-510: The Gulf of Finland west of Kronstadt, had to be evacuated by sea between 10 and 17 October. Over 11,000 men were evacuated but more than 5000 horses were slaughtered, which crippled the mobility and offensive capability of the Swedish army in Finland for several years. Peter I took advantage of this by redeploying a large number of men from Ingria to Ukraine . Charles spent the years 1702–06 in
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#17328016123881452-629: The Livonian Branch of the Teutonic Order separated from the Prussian Branch. Between 1237 and 1290, the Livonian Order conquered all of Courland , Livonia , and Semigallia . In 1298, Lithuanians took Karkus Castle north of Riga, and defeated the order in the Battle of Turaida , killing Livonian Land Master Bruno and 22 knights. In 1346, the order bought the Duchy of Estonia from King Valdemar IV of Denmark . Life within
1518-400: The Neva with 4,000 troops and defeated an opposing Russian force, but made no move on Saint Petersburg. Later in the autumn Peter I led an army of 20,000 men in an attempt to take the Swedish town and fortress of Viborg . However, bad roads proved impassable to his heavy siege guns. The troops, who arrived on 12 October, therefore had to abandon the siege after only a few days. On 12 May 1708,
1584-661: The Ottoman town of Bender . The Ottoman Empire defeated the Russian-Moldavian army in the Pruth River Campaign , but that peace treaty was in the end without great consequence to Russia's position. After Poltava, the anti-Swedish coalition revived and subsequently Hanover and Prussia joined it. The remaining Swedish forces in plague-stricken areas south and east of the Baltic Sea were evicted, with
1650-537: The Polish sejm to replace him with Stanislaus Leszczyński in 1704. August II resisted, still possessing control of his native Saxony, but was decisively defeated at the Battle of Fraustadt in 1706, a battle sometimes compared to the Ancient Battle of Cannae due to the Swedish forces' use of double envelopment , with a deadly result for the Saxon army. In 1706, after a Swedish invasion of Saxony , August II
1716-512: The Russian fortifications held. In 1705, repeated Swedish attacks were made against Russian fortifications in the area, to little effect. A major attack on 15 July 1705 ended in the deaths of more than 500 Swedish men, or a third of its forces. In view of continued failure to check Russian consolidation, and with declining manpower, Sweden opted to blockade Saint Petersburg in 1705. In the summer of 1706, Swedish General Georg Johan Maidel crossed
1782-400: The Strong , elector of Saxony and another cousin of Charles XII, gained the Polish crown after the death of King John III Sobieski in 1696. His ambitions to transform the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth into an absolute monarchy were not realized due to the zealous nature of the Polish nobility and the previously initiated laws that decreased the power of the monarch. His meeting with Peter
1848-465: The Swedish Empire as an absolute monarch. Charles XI had tried to keep the empire out of wars, and concentrated on inner reforms such as reduction and allotment , which had strengthened the monarch's status and the empire's military abilities. Charles XII refrained from all kinds of luxury and alcohol and usage of the French language, since he considered these things decadent and superfluous. He preferred
1914-466: The Swedish fortress of Nyen , guarding the mouth of the River Neva . Thanks to General Adam Ludwig Lewenhaupt , whose outnumbered forces fended the Russians off in the battles of Gemäuerthof and Jakobstadt , Sweden was able to maintain control of most of its Baltic provinces. Before going to war, Peter had made preparations for a navy and a modern-style army, based primarily on infantry drilled in
1980-452: The Swedish heir since 1702. He claimed the throne upon Charles XII's death in 1718, but was supplanted by Ulrike Eleonora . Charles Frederick was married to a daughter of Peter I, Anna Petrovna . Ivan Mazepa was a Ukrainian Cossack hetman who fought for Russia but defected to Charles XII in 1708. Mazepa died in 1709 in Ottoman exile. Peter the Great became Tsar in 1682 upon the death of his elder brother Feodor but did not become
2046-638: The Teutonic Knights of Livonia signed the Treaty of Stensby with the Kingdom of Denmark . Under this agreement, Denmark would support the expansion ambitions of the order in exchange for northern maritime Estonia . In 1242, the Livonian Order tried to take the city of Novgorod . However, they were defeated by Alexander Nevsky in the Battle on the Ice . Fortresses as Paide in land ceded by Denmark in
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2112-462: The Treaty of Stensby allowed the order to contain the threat of Russian troops. For that reason, the order focused on its southern borders and Semigallia . Semigallia was a strategic territory for the Livonian Order. Lithuanians passed through Semigallia to raid settlements in Livonia, and they took advantage of the winter ice pack in the Gulf of Riga to reach Oesel Island. Also, this territory kept
2178-480: The actual ruler until 1689. He commenced reforming the country, turning the Russian tsardom into a modernized empire relying on trade and on a strong, professional army and navy. He greatly expanded the size of Russia during his reign while providing access to the Baltic, Black, and Caspian seas. Beside Peter, the principal Russian commanders were Aleksandr Danilovich Menshikov and Boris Sheremetev . Augustus II
2244-551: The alliance in 1700 and 1706 respectively, but rejoined it in 1709 after the defeat of Charles XII at the Battle of Poltava . George I of Great Britain and the Electorate of Hanover joined the coalition in 1714 for Hanover and in 1717 for Britain, and Frederick William I of Brandenburg-Prussia joined it in 1715. Charles XII led the Swedish army. Swedish allies included Holstein-Gottorp , several Polish magnates under Stanislaus I Leszczyński (1704–1710) and Cossacks under
2310-524: The alliance seven years earlier. Meanwhile, the forces of Peter I had recovered from defeat at Narva and gained ground in Sweden's Baltic provinces, where they cemented Russian access to the Baltic Sea by founding Saint Petersburg in 1703. Charles XII moved from Saxony into Russia to confront Peter, but the campaign ended in 1709 with the destruction of the main Swedish army at the decisive Battle of Poltava (in present-day Ukraine ) and Charles' exile in
2376-819: The castle. During the Second Northern War in 1659, the Swedes burned down the town of Grobiņa and looted the castle. During the Great Northern War , the castle was again occupied and destroyed by the Swedish army under the command of King Charles XII of Sweden . Until the end of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia, the castle housed the administrative institutions of Grobiņa Castle. In 1710, Frederick William, Duke of Courland married Anna Ioannovna (later Empress of Russia), but on his way back from St Petersburg , he took ill and died. Around this time in
2442-413: The duchy began the Great Northern War plague outbreak , which killed a large part of the population. Anne ruled as the duchess of Courland from 1711 to 1730. Economic and political significance of the castle greatly diminished. After 1809, the castle was no longer inhabited and gradually turned into ruins. Ulrich von Schlippenbach [ de ] wrote in 1809: "Although repairs were still possible
2508-419: The first time. The fortress was fundamentally rebuilt and further strengthened in the 17th century. The bourgeoisie of Grobiņa was included in the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia in 1609, when the Duke of Courland Wilhelm Kettler married Duchess Sophie of Prussia . Grobiņa Castle became one of the dukes' residences, earthen ramparts with four bastions in the corners and a palisade fence were built around
2574-658: The former eastern Danish provinces lost to Sweden in the course of the 17th century. He was not able to keep northern Swedish Pomerania, Danish from 1712 to 1715. He did put an end to the Swedish threat south of Denmark. He ended Sweden's exemption from the Sound Dues (transit taxes/tariffs on cargo moved between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea). Frederick William I entered the war as elector of Brandenburg and king in Prussia —the royal title had been secured in 1701. He
2640-661: The fortress remained in the Liepāja District , after that in the Grobiņa Municipality . As of 2017 the archaeological assemblage, including the hill fort, has been on Latvia's Tentative World Heritage List. Livonian Order The Livonian Order was an autonomous branch of the Teutonic Order , formed in 1237. From 1435 to 1561 it was a member of the Livonian Confederation . The order
2706-532: The gutters around the fortified wall at the height of the second floor. Master Gosvin von Herike rebuilt and expanded the castle around 1347, as the seat of the bailiff (1399 - 1590) and the support point of the Order in South Kurzeme on the strategically important road to Prussia, it was strengthened and rebuilt several times. The last master of the Livonian Order, Gotthard Kettler , pledged Grobiņa Castle to
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2772-477: The last Livonian Master, Gotthard Kettler , secularized the order and converted to Lutheranism . In the southern part of the Brothers' lands he created the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia for his family. Most of the remaining lands were seized by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The north of Estonia was taken back by Denmark and Sweden . From the 14th to the 16th centuries, Middle Low German as spoken in
2838-461: The last city, Tallinn , falling in the autumn of 1710. The coalition members partitioned most of the Swedish dominions among themselves, destroying the Swedish dominium maris baltici . Sweden proper was invaded from the west by Denmark–Norway and from the east by Russia, which had occupied Finland by 1714. Sweden defeated the Danish invaders at the Battle of Helsingborg . Charles XII opened up
2904-821: The leadership of the Master of the Order Dietrich von Grüningen , several castles were built in Kurzeme, including in Kuldiga Castle (Castle Goldingen) and Embūte Castle (Castle Amboten). The castle was made of wood. In 1328, the Livonian Order gave the Mēmele area to the State of the Teutonic Order . Probably soon after, Grobiņa Castle was rebuilt on the right bank of the river on a land elevation about 200 meters from castle mound ( Skābāržkalns ), and this stone castle
2970-612: The life of an ordinary soldier on horseback, not that of contemporary baroque courts. He determinedly pursued his goal of dethroning his adversaries, whom he considered unworthy of their thrones due to broken promises, thereby refusing to take several chances to make peace. During the war, the most important Swedish commanders besides Charles XII were his close friend Carl Gustav Rehnskiöld , also Magnus Stenbock and Adam Ludwig Lewenhaupt . Charles Frederick , son of Frederick IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp (a cousin of Charles XII) and Hedvig Sophia , daughter of Charles XI of Sweden, had been
3036-610: The lives of the master and several high-ranking knights, brought the order closer to its neighbors in Livonia . The Livonian Confederation agreement ( eiine fruntliche eyntracht ) was signed in Walk on December 4, 1435, by the Archbishop of Riga, the bishops of Courland , Dorpat , Ösel-Wiek and Reval ; the representatives of the Livonian Order and vassals, and the deputies of Riga, Reval and Dorpat city municipal councils. During
3102-525: The order's territory is described in the Chronicle of Balthasar Russow ( Chronica der Provinz Lyfflandt ). The Teutonic Order fell into decline following its defeat in the Battle of Grunwald in 1410 and the secularization of its Prussian territories by Albert of Brandenburg in 1525, while the Livonian Order managed to maintain an independent existence. The Livonian Order's defeat in the Battle of Święta (Wiłkomierz) on September 1, 1435, which claimed
3168-718: The southern part of Swedish Pomerania . The peace treaties also ended its alliance with Holstein-Gottorp. Hanover gained Bremen-Verden , Brandenburg-Prussia incorporated the Oder estuary ( Stettin Lagoons ), Russia secured the Baltic Provinces , and Denmark strengthened its position in Schleswig-Holstein . In Sweden, the absolute monarchy had come to an end with the death of Charles XII, and Sweden's Age of Liberty began. Between 1560 and 1658, Sweden created
3234-403: The time to recover and build up an army that was both new and better. At this point, in 1707, Peter offered to return everything he had so far occupied (essentially Ingria) except Saint Petersburg and the line of the Neva, to avoid a full-scale war, but Charles XII refused. Instead he initiated a march from Saxony to invade Russia . Though his primary goal was Moscow, the strength of his forces
3300-3810: The towns of the Hanseatic League was the established language, but was subsequently succeeded by High German as official language in the course of the 16th and 17th centuries. The Livonian Master, like the grandmaster of the Teutonic Order, was elected by his fellow knights for a life term. The grandmaster exercised supervisory powers and his advice was considered equal to a command. The grandmaster of Teutonic knights did not limit local autonomy, he rarely visited Livonia or sent ambassadors for oversight. ● Hermann Balk 1237–1238 ● Dietrich von Grüningen 1238–1242 ● Dietrich von Grüningen 1244–1246 ● Andreas von Stierland 1248–1253 ● Anno von Sangershausen 1253–1256 ● Burkhard von Hornhausen 1256–1260 ● Werner von Breithausen 1261–1263 ● Konrad von Mandern 1263–1266 ● Otto von Lutterberg 1266–1270 ● Walther von Nortecken 1270–1273 ● Ernst von Rassburg 1273–1279 ● Konrad von Feuchtwangen 1279–1281 ● Wilken von Endorp 1281–1287 ● Konrad von Herzogenstein 1288–1290 ● Halt von Hohembach –1293 ● Heinrich von Dinkelaghe 1295–1296 ● Bruno 1296–1298 ● Gottfried von Rogga 1298–1307 ● Gerhard van Joeck 1309–1322 ● Johannes Ungenade 1322–1324 ● Reimar Hane 1324–1328 ● Everhard von Monheim 1328–1340 ● Burchard von Dreileben 1340–1345 ● Goswin von Hercke 1345–1359 ● Arnold von Vietinghof 1359–1364 ● Wilhelm von Vrymersheim 1364–1385 ● Robin von Eltz 1385–1389 ● Wennemar Hasenkamp von Brüggeneye 1389–1401 ● Konrad von Vietinghof 1401–1413 ● Diderick Tork 1413–1415 ● Siegfried Lander von Spanheim 1415–1424 ● Zisse von Rutenberg 1424–1433 ● Franco Kerskorff 1433–1435 ● Heinrich von Bockenvorde 1435–1437 ● Heinrich Vinke von Overbergen 1438–1450 ● Johann Osthoff von Mengede 1450–1469 ● Johann Wolthuss von Herse 1470–1471 ● Bernd von der Borch 1471–1483 ● Johann Freytag von Loringhoven 1483–1494 ● Wolter von Plettenberg 1494–1535 ● Hermann Hasenkamp von Brüggeneye 1535–1549 ● Johann von der Recke 1549–1551 ● Heinrich von Galen 1551–1557 ● Johann Wilhelm von Fürstenberg 1557–1559 ● Godert (Gotthard) Kettler 1559–1561 Across modern territory of Estonia and Latvia Great Northern War The Great Northern War (1700–1721)
3366-417: The use of firearms. The Nyen fortress was soon abandoned and demolished by Peter, who built nearby a superior fortress as a beginning to the city of Saint Petersburg . By 1704, other fortresses were situated on the island of Kotlin and the sand flats to its south. These became known as Kronstadt and Kronslot. The Swedes attempted a raid on the Neva fort on 13 July 1704 with ships and landing armies, but
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#17328016123883432-428: The war against the only hostile power remaining, Tsar Peter's Russia. The Battle of Narva dealt a severe setback to Peter the Great , but the shift of Charles XII's army to the Polish-Saxon threat soon afterward provided him with an opportunity to regroup and regain territory in the Baltic provinces. Russian victories at Erastfer and Nöteborg (Shlisselburg) provided access to Ingria in 1703, where Peter captured
3498-427: The war in August 1700 according to the terms of the Peace of Travendal . Charles XII was now able to speedily deploy his army to the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea and face his remaining enemies: besides the army of Augustus II in Livonia, an army of Russian tsar Peter I was already on its way to invade Swedish Ingria , where it laid siege to Narva in October. In November, the Russian and Swedish armies met at
3564-438: Was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern , Central and Eastern Europe . The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I of Russia, Frederick IV of Denmark–Norway and Augustus II the Strong of Saxony – Poland–Lithuania . Frederick IV and Augustus II were defeated by Sweden, under Charles XII , and forced out of
3630-1141: Was able to mobilize a larger army but could not put all of it into action simultaneously. The Russian mobilization system was ineffective and the expanding nation needed to be defended in many locations. A grand mobilization covering Russia's vast territories would have been unrealistic. Peter I tried to raise his army's morale to Swedish levels. Denmark contributed 20,000 men in their invasion of Holstein-Gottorp and more on other fronts. Poland and Saxony together could mobilize at least 100,000 men. 33,456 musketeers 19,584 pikemen 6,528 grenadiers 8,400 militia 1,200 naval infantry 1,540 grenadiers 9,600 militia (768 grenadiers) 150 halberdiers 1,500 grenadiers cavalry 100 Horse drabants 15,000 heavy cavalry 1,800 noble cavalry 402 horse guards 57 drabant guard 4,556 line cavalry 2,800 pancerni 2,200 heavy cavalry 1,800 cuirassiers 4,000 baltic militia dragoons 20,000 Ukrainian cossacks 15,000 Zaporozhian cossacks 15,000 Don Cossacks 804 militia dragoons 1,710 light cavalry 32,400 cavalry 63,351 cavalry 13,723 cavalry 12,810 cavalry * The difference between heavy and other cavalry
3696-422: Was able to outmaneuver the Danish Sound blockade and deploy an army near the Danish capital, Copenhagen . At the same time, a combined Anglo-Dutch fleet had also set course towards Denmark. Together with the Swedish fleet, they carried out a bombardment of Copenhagen from 20 to 26 July. This surprise move and pressure by the Maritime Powers ( England and the Dutch Republic ) forced Denmark–Norway to withdraw from
3762-477: Was administered by the Swedish Crown ) was able, in particular, to make quick, sustained marches across large tracts of land and to maintain a high rate of small arms fire due to proficient military drill . However, the Swedish state ultimately proved unable to support and maintain its army in a prolonged war. Campaigns on the continent had been proposed on the basis that the army would be financially self-supporting through plunder and taxation of newly gained land,
3828-429: Was crushingly defeated by a larger Russian force under Peter in the Battle of Poltava and fled to the Ottoman Empire while the remains of his army surrendered at Perevolochna . This shattering defeat in 1709 did not end the war, although it decided it. Denmark and Saxony joined the war again and Augustus the Strong, through the politics of Boris Kurakin , regained the Polish throne. Peter continued his campaigns in
3894-430: Was destroyed in the eighteenth century. Many famous people have visited the castle, for example: Duke Jacob Kettler of Courland, The King of Sweden, Carl XII and the King of Prussia , Friedrich Wilhelm III . The castle of the original order was built in the 13th century. The time and place of the construction of this castle are not clearly known, but several sources mention the period around 1245-1251 year, when under
3960-526: Was determined to gain the Oder estuary with its access to the Baltic Sea for the Brandenburgian core areas, which had been a state goal for centuries . George I of the House of Hanover , elector of Hanover and, since 1714, king of Great Britain and of Ireland, took the opportunity to connect his landlocked German electorate to the North Sea . In 1700, Charles XII had a standing army of 77,000 men (based on annual training). By 1707 this number had swollen to at least 120,000 despite casualties. Russia
4026-414: Was forced to sign the Treaty of Altranstädt in which he made peace with the Swedish Empire, renounced his claims to the Polish crown, accepted Stanislaus Leszczyński as king, and ended his alliance with Russia. Patkul was also extradited and executed by breaking on the wheel in 1707, an incident which, given his diplomatic immunity, infuriated opinion against the Swedish king, who was then expected to win
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#17328016123884092-409: Was formally neutral at this point, as Augustus started the war as an Elector of Saxony. Disregarding Polish negotiation proposals supported by the Swedish parliament, Charles crossed into the Commonwealth and decisively defeated the Saxe-Polish forces in the Battle of Klissow in 1702 and in the Battle of Pultusk in 1703. This successful invasion enabled Charles XII to dethrone Augustus II and coerce
4158-411: Was formed from the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword after their defeat by Samogitians in 1236 at the Battle of Schaulen (Saule) . They were incorporated into the Teutonic Knights and became known as the Livonian Order in 1237. In the summer of that year, the Master of Prussia Hermann Balk rode into Riga to install his men as castle commanders and administrators of Livonia. In 1238,
4224-421: Was further ruled by the Grobiņa bailiff , who was under the command of Kuldīga. The castle was located on the ancient Prussian road, in the middle between Mēmele and Kuldīga, and was thus an important fortress in the region. It was a rectangular building with a three-storey residential building in the south wing and a gate tower in the middle of the west wall. In the 14th century, a soldier's passage stretched along
4290-417: Was ruled by Prussia. As support base in south Courland it was many times rebuilt and fortified. In the times of the Duchy of Courland , the castle was destroyed and rebuilt many times. In the sixteenth and seventeenth century sand walls were erected around the castle. They had a bastion in each of the four corners and a stockade. Later the castle was used as a residence for local German landlords. The castle
4356-402: Was sapped by the cold weather (the winter of 1708/09 being one of the most severe in modern European history) and Peter's use of scorched earth tactics. When the main army turned south to recover in Ukraine , the second army with supplies and reinforcements was intercepted and routed at Lesnaya —and so were the supplies and reinforcements of Swedish ally Ivan Mazepa in Baturyn . Charles
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