What was the Great Northern War?
The Great Northern War (1700–21), which broke out at the beginning of the eighteenth century, challenged Sweden’s absolute monarchy (government headed by a single ruler) and imperialism (military and political control of other countries). During the seventeenth century Sweden had become a major power in the Baltic region (an area surrounding the Baltic Sea) by gradually increasing its territory. In 1648 the Peace of Westphalia ended the Thirty Years’ War (1618–48), a religious struggle between the Roman Catholic Church (a religion based in Rome, Italy, and headed by a pope) and Protestants (Christians who opposed the practices of the church) that involved most countries of Europe. The peace treaty granted some German lands to Sweden. Sweden subsequently prospered and expanded came during the rule of Charles XI (1655–1697), who was succeeded by his young son, Charles XII (1682–1718),…
