Poltava marked the demise of Sweden as a great European power and the rise of Russia. In 1707, the seemingly invincible Charles XII led his army deep into Russia. It was to prove his undoing - the long march eroded the fighting strength of the invaders; a vital supply convoy was lost; and the winter of 1708-09 was the worst in living memory. Drawing upon primary source material previously unseen in the West, Angus Konstam recounts the events, looking in particular at how this battle led to the destruction of the Swedish Army.

The origins of the campaign -- The opposing commanders. Tsar Peter I -- Prince Menshikov -- Count Sheremetiev -- King Charles XII -- Count Rehnskhold -- Count Lewenhaupt -- The Opposing Armies. The Swedish Army -- The Infantry -- The Cavalry -- The Russian Army -- The Infantry -- The Cavalry -- The Cossacks -- The artillery train -- The opposing plans -- The campaign. Through Poland -- The 'River Gate' -- Holowcyzn -- The long road South -- Lesnaya -- Race for the Ukraine -- Ukrainian winter -- The 1709 campaign -- The battle. The battlefield -- Through the redoubts -- Roos and the missing battalions -- The Swedish attack -- Pursuit and surrender -- Aftermath -- Chronology -- A guide to further reading -- Wargaming the Poltava campaign -- The battlefield today.