"In 1697, Sweden acquired a new monarch: a 15-year-old who took the name Charles XII. Charles had been taught to follow the warrior tradition of his father, including fencing, horseback riding and military strategy. He was a boy with courage and intelligence, and he was challenged by rivals for territory, rivals encouraged by what they believed was Sweden's new weakness resulting from the death of its previous king, Charles XI. Denmark's monarch, Christian V (who also ruled Norway) wanted to win back from the Swedish monarchy the territory of Skône (just east across a strip of water from Copenhagen) which his family had lost in 1658. The Elector of Saxony, a German named Augustus, was also interested in expanding against Swedish interests. It was an old story: kings warring for territory.
The Saxon, Augustus, was born in Dresden -- a part of what was still called the Holy Roman Empire. In the manner of Europe's interrelated royalty he was a candidate for the Polish throne. For this he became a Roman Catholic, displeasing his Protestant subjects in Saxony. He won the Polish throne over a rival contestant: the Prince of Conti – a Bourbon prince from France. In 1699, Augustus formed an alliance with the new king of Denmark: Christian V's twenty-nine year-old son, Frederick IV – a cousin to Charles XII of Sweden. And Augustus wanted to expand his rule to Livonia, where Germanic nobles were unhappy with Swedish rule.
Also interested in expanding at the expense of Sweden was Russia's monarch, Peter the Great. He was a friend of the Swedish monarchy until 1699, having sworn to observe all treaties between his kingdom and the kingdom of Sweden, but then he saw opportunity in joining an alliance with Augustus and Frederick. He justified his betrayal by complaining that the Swedes had stolen lands from his ancestors – a fiction regarding Ingria, Karelia, Livonia and Estonia. And he complained of mistreatment he had suffered during his visit to Riga while examining Riga's fort…"
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Amicalement
Armand
paints brigs for the British fleet.