Recovering from the Tatar-Mongol yoke, Russia gained strength. The desire to gain access to the sea was the reason for the first armed conflict between Russia and Sweden, which lasted two years (1656-1658). The troops of the Russian tsar penetrated deep into the Baltic states, took Oreshek, Kantsi and besieged Riga. But the expedition failed, the Swedish troops quickly struck back.
The siege of Riga due to the lack of naval support and coherence was conducted inefficiently.
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 demanded new sea lanes. The port in Arkhangelsk could no longer satisfy the needs of a huge power. The creation of the Northern Union significantly strengthened the position of Russia. The Russian-Swedish war began in 1700. The reorganization of the army, the cause of which was the first defeat near Narva, paid off. By 1704, Russian soldiers fortified along the entire coast of the Gulf of Finland, and the fortresses of Narva and Derpt were taken. And in 1703, the new capital of the Russian Empire was founded - St. Petersburg.
The attempts of the Swedes to regain their lost positions ended in two noteworthy battles. The first occurred near the village of Lesnoy, where the Levengaupt corps was dealt 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 Baltic Fleet won at Gangut in 1714 and Grengam in 1720. The Nishtadt peace, concluded in 1721, ended the Russian-Swedish war for 20 years. According to the agreement, the Russian Empire received the Baltic 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 former power of the country. Russia was requested to return the land lost during the
Northern War. The unsuccessful actions of the Swedish fleet led to massive outbreaks on ships. In total, about 7,500 people died from diseases in the Navy during the war.
The low morale in the troops led to the surrender of the Swedish troops at Helsingfors. The Russian army captured the Aland Islands, which were repelled in the spring of 1743. The indecisiveness of Admiral Golovin led to the fact that the Swedish fleet was able to escape from the battle with the Russian squadron. The deplorable position of the Swedish army led to the conclusion of peace in the city of Abo. According to the agreement, Sweden ceded border fortresses and the Kumene river basin. A rash war cost 40,000 lives and 11 million thalers with gold coins.
The main reason for the confrontation has always been access to the sea. The Russian-Swedish war of 1700-1721 showed the world the power of Russian weapons, and made it possible to begin trade 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.