The battle of Narva was the first serious test for the Russian army in the Northern War. In that 1700, no one expected that the campaign would last two decades. Therefore, the “Narva Confusion” seemed to many a fatal failure.
Battle background
The Northern War began due to the fact that Peter was trying to get comfortable harbors on the Baltic Sea. These lands once belonged to the Russian kingdom, but were lost during the Time of Troubles of the 17th century. In what year did the “Narva Confusion” take place? In the 1700th. At this time, the young Russian Tsar made many plans to turn Russia into a real world power.
In 1698, Peter I was able to achieve diplomatic success. The King of Poland and Elector of Saxony August II entered into a secret alliance with him against Sweden. Later, Danish monarch Frederick IV joined the agreement.
Having such allies behind him, Peter hoped to act freely against Sweden. The king of this country, Charles XII, ascended the throne at a very young age and seemed a weak adversary. The initial goal of Peter was Ingermanland. This territory is the modern Leningrad region. The largest fortress in the region was Narva. That's where the Russian troops went.
On February 22, 1700, Peter declared war on Sweden, immediately after he learned about the conclusion of a peace treaty with the Ottoman Empire, which saved him from a conflict on two fronts. Nevertheless, he did not yet know that Narva confusion awaited him.
The state of the Russian army
They prepared for the war with the northern neighbor in advance. However, this did not guarantee success. The Russian army still lived in the 17th century and lagged behind the European armed forces in technical terms. In total, there were about 200 thousand soldiers in its ranks, which was a lot. However, all of them lacked material support, training and reliable discipline.
Peter tried to organize an army according to the western modern model. For this, he invited various specialists from European countries - mainly Germans and Dutch. The vector was chosen correctly, but by 1700 only two regiments met all the norms and requirements. It took a long time to modernize and retrain, and Peter was in a hurry to put an end to his enemies, hoping that it was surprise that would give him an advantage.
By the beginning of the Northern War, Russia still did not produce its own muskets. In addition, the army from the very beginning faced such a problem as an underdeveloped transport system. In bad weather, roads in the northern regions became a real test for soldiers who had to overcome more than a thousand kilometers. These factors also contributed to the phenomenon called Narva Confusion.
The state of the Swedish army
The northern neighbor of Russia, on the contrary, was known throughout Europe for its well-organized army. Her reformer was the famous King Gustav II Adolf, who terrified his enemies during the Thirty Years War (1618-1648).
The Swedish cavalry consisted of contractors who received large salaries. The infantry was recruited by compulsory appeal from a specific province, but the infantry also made good money. The army was divided into squadrons and battalions that effectively interacted on the battlefield. Each soldier was accustomed to severe discipline, which helped him during the battle. Over the past century, the Swedish army won only victories, and it was thanks to it that the country began its expansion in Northern Europe. It was a formidable adversary, underestimating the power of which turned into a fatal mistake.
Events on the eve of the battle
November 17, Boris Sheremetev informed the king that the Swedes are advancing and are very close. No one conducted normal reconnaissance, and in the Russian camp near Narva they did not know the exact size of the enemy troops. Peter I, learning about the approach of the enemy, went to Novgorod with Alexander Menshikov and Fedor Golovin. General Field Marshal Karl-Eugene Croix remained in command. The duke (such was his title) tried to resist the king’s decision, but could not convince Peter.
Later, the sovereign explained his act by the fact that he needed to meet with the Polish king, as well as to replenish carts and reserves. At the same time, the Swedes, after their victory, tried to interpret this episode as the cowardice of the king. The Narva confusion of the Russians served as the occasion for the release of commemorative medals, which depicted Peter sobbing.
The construction of the Russian army
Troops led by Croix did everything to strengthen themselves on the banks of the Narva River. To this end, fortifications were built on the western side. The whole army was divided into three parts. The right flank was occupied by parts of Avtonom Golovin numbering about 14 thousand people. In the middle stood Prince Trubetskoy with his detachment. Under his command there were 6 thousand people. On the left was the cavalry, which obeyed Sheremetev.
When it became clear that the Swedes were already very close, de Croix ordered the army to take up combat positions. Communications were extended over seven kilometers. At the same time, the troops stood in a thin stripe. There was no reserve or reserve regiment behind them.
Karl's Strategy
On the morning of November 30, 1700, the Swedish army approached Russian positions. Narva confusion was approaching. The date of the battle is known from three sources. If we refer to the pre-reform calendar, the battle took place on November 19, in Swedish on November 20, and in modern on November 30.
The appearance of the Swedes was unexpected, despite all the previous preparations. At the military council, Sheremetev proposed to divide the army. Part of it was to go to the blockade of Narva, and the other - to give a general battle to the Swedes in the field. The duke did not agree with such a proposal and decided to leave the initiative to the young Swedish monarch, who himself led his troops. De Croix believed that the Russian army would be more efficient if it remained in its old positions.
The Swedes were well aware of the state of affairs of the enemy, so they were able to develop the most effective strategy. Charles XII decided to press the flanks of the Russians, since the center of the army was the most fortified and could defeat the king. And so happened the Narva confusion. The Great Northern War might have had different results if not for the best Swedish strategists - Karl Renschild and Arvid Horn. They gave wise advice to a young monarch who was brave, but could have made a mistake without the support of the military leaders.
Swedish attack
Narva embarrassment is not only a poor preparation of the Russians for the battle, but also a lightning strike by the enemy. The Swedes wanted to press their enemy to the fortress. So the space for retaliatory maneuver practically disappeared. The only escape route led into the cold river of Narva.
The infantry was covered by artillery fire, which the Swedes mounted on a nearby hill, from where a good view of the area opened. Snowfall was another reason why the Narva embarrassment occurred. This was the luck of the Swedes. The wind blew in the face of Russian soldiers. Visibility did not exceed a dozen steps, which terribly prevented return fire.
At 2 p.m., two deep Swedish wedges struck the flanks of the extended Russian army. Very soon, gaps appeared in three places at once, where Karl’s blows could not be repelled. The coherence of the Swedes was exemplary, Narva confusion became inevitable. It is difficult to overestimate its value, because after a couple of hours the enemy broke into the Russian camp.
Panic and desertion began. The fugitives had no choice but to try to wade Narva. About a thousand people drowned in ice water. Prior to this, a small pontoon bridge was thrown across the river , which could not withstand the onslaught of the fugitives and collapsed, which only increased the number of victims. The Narva confusion, the date of which turned out to be a rainy day for Russian military history, was obvious.
Foreign generals, put by Peter at the head of the army, also began to retreat, which infuriated Russian officers. Among them was de Croix himself, as well as Ludwig Allart. They surrendered to the Swedes, fleeing their own soldiers.
The greatest resistance was provided on the right flank. Here, Russian soldiers fenced off the enemy with slingshots and carts. However, this could no longer change the outcome of the battle. With the onset of night, the situation worsened. An episode is known when two Swedish troops in the dark mistook each other for Russians and opened fire on their own. The center was breached, and because of this, the two defending flanks could not contact each other.
Surrender
That was the beginning of the Northern War. Narva embarrassment was an unpleasant but inevitable fact. With the onset of the morning, the Russian units remaining in positions decided to begin negotiations on surrender. The main parliamentarian was Prince Jacob Dolgorukov. He agreed with the Swedes on the free passage to the opposite shore. At the same time, the Russian army was deprived of convoy and artillery, but it still had banners and weapons.
The Swedes got significant trophies: 32 thousand rubles from the royal treasury, 20 thousand muskets. The losses were disproportionate. If the Swedes lost 670 people killed, then the Russians - 7 thousand. 700 soldiers were held captive, contrary to the conditions of surrender.
Value
What did Narva embarrassment turn out to be for Russians? The historical significance of this event had many years of consequences. First of all, Russia's reputation has suffered. Her army was no longer taken seriously throughout Europe. Peter was openly scoffed at, and the glory of the brave commander was entrenched to Karl.
Nevertheless, time has shown that it was the Pyrrhic victory of the Swedes. Karl decided that Russia is not dangerous, and began to fight with Poland and Denmark. Peter took advantage of the respite granted. He took up military reforms in the state, transformed the army and invested a tremendous amount of resources in it.
It paid off. A few years later, the world learned about the victories of the Russians in the Baltic. The main battle took place near Poltava in 1709. The Swedes were defeated, and Karl fled. It became clear that for the whole of Russia, oddly enough, the Narva confusion was useful. The battle of Grengam finally deprived Sweden of the established status of a dominant power in the Baltic Sea. In 1721, a peace treaty was signed, according to which Russia received many lands and ports in the region. Here was founded St. Petersburg - the new capital of the country. The Battle of Poltava, the Narva Confusion, the Battle of Grengama - all these events have become a symbol of the bright and complex Peter's era.