32.3 Europe: a.d. 1701 to 1800  (Page 23/28)

Finland

Sweden continued to rule Finland, but in 1713-1714, as a part of the Great Northern War, Russians conquered the entire south coast of Finland, using newly made galleys some 80 to 100 feet long with a single mast and sail and numerous benches for oarsmen. They moved in and out along the shore, out of reach of the Swedish men-of-war. Occasionally, when necessary, the galleys would grapple and use hand to hand battle on the decks of the great ships of the line. During this short period much of the Finnish population fled to the Aland Islands, lying between Finland and Sweden. Those islands, however, were soon also infiltrated by the Russian galleys. In the end, as noted above, Finland proper was returned to the control of Sweden. The Finns themselves were basically poor peasant farmers. Their houses and other farm buildings were wooden huts with little in the way of accessories. At the end of the century Russia's continued push against its frontiers resulted in a recurrent invasion into Finland (1790) at the expense of the Swedes. (Ref. 131 , 279 )

Overseas scandinavian centers

In Norway's "colony" of Iceland, there was a severe cold period, with glaciers covering more of the land so that depopulation occurred. It was mentioned in the introductory material in Chapter 3 (FIFTH AND FOURTH MILLENIA B.C.) that Iceland sat on the mid-Atlantic ridge, which marks the junction of two crustal tectonic plates. Beginning in 1724 volcanic fissures opened and spewed the spectacular "Myvatn Fires" over a period of 5 years, pouring lava and destruction over a large area. (Ref. 105 )

Eastern europe

The 18th century European surge in population did not put as much strain on the food supply system in eastern Europe as it did in the west, where easily used land had already been under cultivation for some time. In the east there was still much untilled expanse which could be converted to crops without costly capital improvements. As men became more abundant it was also easier for Poland and Russia

Southern baltic area

It will be recalled that the close of the last century saw almost the entire southern shore of the Baltic in Swedish hands, with a debilitated Swedish army in Livonia, after defeating the Russians at Narva and Poland as an independent kingdom, ruled by the Saxon Elector, Augustus. Having put what remained of his army in Livonia in winter quarters, Karl XII of Sweden obtained 10,000 fresh recruits from the mother country in the spring of 1701 and then marched with a total of 24,000 men south across the West Divina River, near Riga, to defeat a Saxon army of 9,000 plus an additional cadre of 4,000 Russians. Because Karl could not move his cavalry across the river, which was some 650 yards wide, the Saxons, although badly beaten and battered, retreated and got away. Karl then decided on total defeat of Augustus, before invading Russia. Up to that time Augustus had fought only as a Saxon and not as King- of Poland. Karl wanted the Polish Diet to depose Augustus II and elect a new king, so he waited patiently for that action. But it did not come and by that time it was too late in the year for war in that cold climate, so he wintered his troops in Courland. In January the Swedish army shif ted south into Lithuania and in the spring of 1702 started the fight against Poland and Augustus II, which was to last for 6 years. Behind the Swedes, Russian soldiers with Calmuck and Cossack horsemen eventually completely overran and devastated Livonia and the peasants were being bought and sold as serf s. Among the prisoners taken was Martha Skavronskaya, a 17 year old, illiterate girl who would join the house of Prince Menshikov, become Peter I's mistress, then wife and finally the ruler of Russia as Catherine I.