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terribly as it struggled on, and at length joined the main body, few in numbers, without supplies, and, in many cases, even without shoes.

Battle of
Pultowa,

July 8, A.D.
1709.

The town of Pultowa is situated upon a branch of the Dnieper, called the Vorskla. It was a magazine of stores. For this reason Charles thought it his best chance to attack it, and Peter was equally determined on its defence. Peter had much the larger army, and his soldiers were better equipped and well entrenched. Peter contrived that Charles's army should fight with their backs turned towards the angle made by the Vorskla falling into the Dnieper. Charles had been wounded in the heel in a skirmish a few days before the battle. He was obliged to be carried about during the battle in a litter. It gives some idea of the fury with which the battle raged, when we hear that it only lasted a few hours, and that, out of twenty-four bearers of this litter, twenty-one were killed. Both of the kings fought bravely, for they knew that the future of their countries depended on the issue of the fighting. The battle began very early in the morning, and the Swedes charged with such impetuosity that they broke the Russian lines. But by some mistake the Swedish cavalry was not ready to follow up this advantage. The Russians had time to rally. Peter brought up a great force of cannon, and, at the same time, sent a general to attack the Swedish reserve. A final charge of the Russians followed, and the Swedes were completely overcome. Mazeppa himself went up to Charles, and, knowing that persuasion was vain, made a sign to his attendants to place him on a horse; then, holding the bridle, he made their horses swim the river. They fled to Turkey. Four days later the whole Swedish army surrendered. There was no alternative for the proud troops that had always been conquerors. Peter ex

pressed great admiration of them, but sent them into Siberia.

Results of battle.

Denmark

The results of the battle of Pultowa are very important. On the very day of the battle Peter wrote, 'Thank God, the foundations of Petersburg at length stand firm.' The province of Livonia and part of Finland fell at once into his hands. laid claim to Scania, Prussia to Pomerania. The Swedish monarchy was reduced to its original limits, from which the genius of one man had raised it, and to which the folly of another had now brought it back again. Sweden's financial difficulties made her regret that she had attempted work that was too much for her. But the country in which most joy was expressed was Poland, where Charles's nominee was at once driven off the throne, and Augustus the Strong resumed his place.

Partly

War between

Russia and
Turkey.

But before Peter could consolidate his conquests, he had one more serious crisis through which to pass, and one which almost overwhelmed him. because Charles had taken refuge in Turkey, and partly because Turkey was jealous of the growing power of Russia, a war sprang up between those two powers. It was by no means the last of such wars, and some people think that it is the traditional policy of Russian statesmen never to cease struggling for the possession of Constantinople. On this occasion Peter imitated his late antagonist's rashness and contempt for his enemy. Promises had been made by traitorous subjects of the sultan; he believed them as Charles had believed Mazeppa. He crossed the Pruth with his army, but found himself hemmed in by a much larger number of the enemy. The Russian army was rescued by the Czarina Catherine, a Livonian woman of humble birth, who had been taken prisoner by the Russians on the very day of her marriage to a Swedish sergeant who

The affair

of the Pruth.

was killed at the same time. After various vicissitudes of fortune she had attracted the notice of the Czar by her beauty and her wit: and he had publicly announced his marriage to her when setting out from Moscow on his expedition against Turkey. She was a woman of very sweet temper, and had remarkable influence over her husband, being the only person who could control him during his fits. He had not wished her to accompany the army; but she had begged hard, and to the great delight of the soldiers she was allowed to go with them. In the great strait of the Russian army it was Catherine who proposed that a very rich present should be sent to the Grand Vizier, giving her own jewels for the purpose and encouraging others to give. Negotiations followed. The Czar surrendered all claim to Azov and to the Black Sea; and he further engaged not to interfere in the affairs of Poland.

Treaty.

Section V.—End of Charles XII. and of Peter.

Charles XII. at Bender.

Since Pultowa Charles had been at Bender, a town not far from the frontier of Turkey. When he reproached the Grand Vizier with letting Peter the Great escape, he received in reply the taunt: 'It is not good that all kings should be away from their peoples.' The Turks had made their illustrious guest an allowance, but this was now stopped. A little later he received a direct order to depart, and when that failed he was actually besieged in his house at Bender by the Turkish troops. He fought them from room to room. When he was at length overpowered, he was carried to a place where he feigned illness for some months. After this madness, having received pressing letters from Sweden, and hearing of her reverses, he suddenly determined to go home. He travelled through Germany on

horseback, in disguise, with only two companions. In sixteen days he arrived before Stralsund, and it is said that he had ridden so fast that his boots had to be cut off from his legs. Stralsund was the last town that the Swedes had been able to retain on the south of the Baltic, and very soon a force was besieging it, composed of Danes, Saxons, Prussians, and Russians. He was obliged to escape secretly from the town, and immediately after his departure it surrendered.

Death,
December

Not even his terrible experiences were sufficient to teach the fiery Swede. He had learnt nothing, he had forgotten nothing. With enemies enough around him, and with his country exhausted, he proposed to invade England and restore the Pretender. He actually did invade Norway, and met his death at the siege of Fredericshall.

His fall was destined to a barren strand,

A petty fortress, and a dubious hand;

II, A.D. 1718.

He left the name, at which the world grew pale,

To point a moral or adorn a tale.

Johnson, 'Vanity of Human Wishes.'

The later history of Peter the Great need not detain us long. He made another journey through the different countries of Europe, in which he visited Holland again, and Prussia, and spent six

Peter the

Great.
Second

journey.

months in France, where he romped with the young king, and stood in admiration before Richelieu's picture. 'Great man,' he said, 'I would gladly give thee half my dominions if thou wouldst teach me to rule the other half.' While he was visiting the mint in France, a medal dropped at his feet: picking it up he found on it his own likeness, with the motto Vires acquirit eundo.

One dark cloud hangs over this part of Peter's life. He had a son by his first wife, a boy of strange temper,

who, sympathising with the party of rebellious priests, had always opposed his father.

Death of his son.

On Peter's return his son ran away, first to Vienna and then to Naples. He was brought back by promises that he should not be punished, but on his return he was condemned as guilty of conspiracy. It was given out in a proclamation that Alexis had died in a convulsive fit, but there were many who thought that the father himself had put him to death.

Death of
Peter the

Great.

Not long after, to his great grief, he lost his other son, Peter, the son of Catherine, and in February 1725, he died himself. He died in the faith of a Christian. 'Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief,' and then, 'hereafter.' These were his last words. What he meant by them no one can say, but they certainly may be taken as a motto of his work. It was for posterity, not for himself: therein lies his true claim to the name of Great. The later history of Russia is his best monument.

Yet the civilisation which he gave to Russia was superficial, and there is a world of meaning in the phrase of the witty Frenchman, who said, 'The Russians were rotten before they were ripe.'

BO

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE PROTESTANT SUCCESSION.

AFTER the great war England was exhausted and glad of rest. From the Peace of Utrecht to the end of Queen

End of reign.

Anne's reign it may be said that there is no incident of historical importance, except the events connected with the question of the succession to the

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