Battle of Poltava
1709 CE · Ukraine
The Battle of Poltava was fought in 1709 CE in Ukraine between Tsardom of Russia vs the Swedish Empire; decisive Russian victory and the turning point of the Great Northern War.
Battle of Poltava: quick facts
- Date
- 1709 CE
- Location
- Ukraine
- Belligerents
- Tsardom of Russia vs the Swedish Empire
- Commanders
- Peter the Great vs Charles XII
- Result
- decisive Russian victory and the turning point of the Great Northern War.
- Era
- ⛵ Colonial & Napoleonic Era
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Poltava?
Tsar Peter the Great's reformed Russian army decisively defeated King Charles XII of Sweden at Poltava, ending Sweden's era as a great European power. Charles XII, wounded days before the battle, commanded from a stretcher as his exhausted and outnumbered army attacked prepared Russian positions and was shattered. The victory transformed Russia from a peripheral kingdom into a major European power, secured Peter's modernizing reforms, and shifted the balance of power in Northern and Eastern Europe permanently.
Did you know?
After Poltava, Charles XII of Sweden fled to the Ottoman Empire where he stayed for five years, essentially becoming a guest-prisoner while trying to convince the Sultan to attack Russia.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Poltava on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.