war war fought control territory present day estonia faced varying coalition denmark norway union later commonwealth period russia dominated region early military successes russian dissolution brought poland lithuania conflict sweden denmark intervened swedish estonia established despite constant invasion russia denmark bought old placed control brother attempted expand holdings establish russian vassal state nominally existed king poland grand duke lithuania turned tide war successes including joint swedish polish lithuanian offensive battle followed extended campaign russia culminating long difficult siege truce ended war russia poland lithuania russia lost holdings poland lithuania following year sweden russia signed truce sweden gaining northern retaining prelude pre war century economically prosperous old region organised divided territories consisted branch prince city cities estates enjoyed privileges enabling act independently common institutions estates regularly held common assemblies known divided political administration persistent rivalries archbishop order existed order reformation spread transformation country lutheran region gradual process resisted order varying degree remained sympathetic war approached weak administration subject internal rivalries lacked powerful defences outside support surrounded pursuing policies notes volatile region internal threatened political neighbours state resist attack order owners estates lesser nobles guarded privileges influence preventing creation higher powerful noble class successfully overcame resistance lesser nobles appointed archbishop help brother albert prussian southern state established duke prussia pursue albert interests establishment hereditary styled prussian model time order agitated establishment prussia opposed creation hereditary aspirations neighbours time war broke lost monopoly profitable prosperous baltic_sea trade involved increasing sales shared market european mercenary fleets notably france vessels match contemporary warships league unable maintain large navy declining share trade members trading partner left suitable protection danish navy powerful baltic_sea controlled entrance baltic_sea collected tolls held strategically important baltic_sea islands long bar danish territories south lack sufficient year round ice free ports severely limited sweden access baltic trade country prospered exports timber iron notably copper coupled advantages growing navy proximity ports narrow war sweden sought expansion intervention russian temporarily stalled efforts russo swedish war culminated treaty absorption eastern neighbour grown stronger conflict russia western powers exacerbated russia isolation sea trade new port built eastern shore considered unsatisfactory account shallow waters demanded pay marks based claim adult male paid mark independent state eventually promised pay sum sent moscow failed ending negotiations continued point existence order required passive russian support quick threaten use military force necessary aimed establish corridor baltic new territories russia engage open conflict major western powers need imports sophisticated weaponry polish king duke wary russian aspirations expansion russia meant stronger political rival loss lucrative trade routes supported cousin archbishop conflicts hoped like vassal state poland lithuania weak support largely rely external allies supporters planned april attack opponents involve military aid albert participation action fearing leave exposed pending russian attack learned plan led force june captured main strongholds fled lithuania captured detained resulted diplomatic mission petition release dispatched danish king emperor ferdinand estates cross party meeting resolve conflict scheduled april cancelled danish envoys killing envoy son excuse invade southern portion army forced competing parties reconcile camp september signed treaty created mutual defensive offensive alliance primary target russia provoked war dissolution order russian invasion regarded approach polish lithuanian union protection treaty russia signed year truce agreed enter alliance poland lithuania january reacted invasion russians seen local peasants german control fortresses surrendered resistance russian troops took july laid siege reinforced gunners ammunition germany forces successfully retook number fortresses germans raided russian territory lesser fortresses remained russian hands initial russian advance led khan princes head force included russian cavalry time armed foot soldiers gained ground campaigns years january russian forces invaded month truce covering november signed russia russia fought russo wars prompted russian invasion unsuccessfully sought help emperor ferdinand turned poland lithuania fled poland lithuania replaced june estates came polish lithuanian protection treaty polish refused agree treaty believing matter affecting grand lithuania january sent ambassador court moscow attempt stop russian cavalry rural russian successes followed similar patterns featuring multitude small campaigns played key role destroying wooden defences effective artillery support forces took important fortresses like lacked means gain major cities knights suffered disastrous defeat russians battle august historians believe russian nobility split timing invasion new king sweden turned requests assistance similar request poland turned help weakened dissolved second treaty lands assigned duke converting included treaty guaranteed estates privileges including religious freedom respect continuation traditional german administration terms religious freedom forbade regulation protestant order religious secular authorities members lithuanian nobility opposed growing polish lithuanian union offered lithuanian crown publicly advertised option took offer seriously needed time strengthen troops russo lithuanian truce scheduled date respected sides danish swedish return loan guarantee danish protection signed treaty september giving denmark right nominate bishop act amounted sale territories nominated brother duke bishop took possession april danish efforts create sweden denmark attempt peace region pursued interests purchasing frederick consent trying expand brought direct conflict swedish forces arrived noble corporations yielded sweden form similarly accepted swedish rule denmark dominated baltic sweden wished challenge gaining territory eastern baltic help sweden control west trade russia helped northern seven years war protested swedish presence claiming historical rights relating forces seized june diplomats tried arrange swedish protection brought conflict maintained close relations brother john duke finland later october john married sister catherine preventing marrying approved marriage upset john lent received seven castles security incident led john capture imprisonment august behalf allied denmark october year intervention denmark sweden poland lithuania began period struggle control baltic known initial war years characterised intensive fighting period low intensity warfare began lasted fighting intensified denmark sweden extent poland lithuania occupied seven years war taking place remained strategically important denmark russia concluded treaty claims maintaining relations sweden russia concluded seven years truce showed signs mental disorder turning nobility people began leaving russia state political chaos civil war russian war lithuania russo lithuanian truce expired rejected offer extension period truce build forces invaded lithuania army raided series border clashes took lithuanian victories came battle period intermittent conflict sides continued gain ground towns villages central held coast lithuania defeats led capital perceived opposition grand party diplomats left lithuania moscow lithuania prepared split russia view joint offensive drive sweden area seen sign weakness russian diplomats instead suggested russia including southern lithuanian russian border transfer surrounding entrance troubled trade depended safe passage built fortifications protect expanded demands july calling addition agreement forthcoming day break taken negotiations time russian meetings held including discuss issues stake assembly church representative stressed need having conquered keen overall peace lithuania noting danger posed joint polish lithuanian state talks halted hostilities resumed ambassadors return lithuania treaty unified poland lithuania polish lithuanian commonwealth tied lithuania real union came polish lithuanian joint sovereignty june year truce signed russia commonwealth king died leaving polish throne clear successor time began free election polish history lithuanian nobles effort retain lithuanian autonomy proposed russian candidate demanded return orthodox coronation hereditary monarchy parallel russia son king electorate rejected demands instead chose henry brother king charles france russian war sweden sweden russia agreed treaty russia recognised sweden right castles sweden accepted russia rest seven year truce signed russia sweden sweden overthrown killed nobles murders replaced half brother russia sweden problems keen avoid expensive war requested delivery john wife polish lithuanian princess russia competed john marry lithuanian polish royal family july john sent party russia led arrived september following arrival moscow ambassadors sent sweden retrieve catherine refused meet party forcing negotiate instead governor requested swedish envoys greet governor brother king refused governor ordered attack swedish party clothes money taken deprived food drink naked streets moved moscow fortunately occurred time way assault return moscow refused meet swedish party signing year truce june commonwealth longer feared war poland lithuania russia considered delivery catherine deal agreed meet discuss matter according meeting russians demanded abandon claim provide cavalry required pay direct compensation surrender finnish silver mines near border russia allow style lord sweden swedish party left following ultimatum sweden territory war left john rejected demands war broke impact northern seven years war denmark sweden led northern seven years war ended treaty stettin primarily fought western southern scandinavia war involved important naval battles fought baltic danish held surrendered swedish forces danish mercenaries escaped subsequent massacre garrison sweden important swedish commander war affected naval campaign danish admiral bombarded sea july treaty stettin denmark supreme dominating power failed restore unfavourable conditions sweden led series conflicts ended great northern war sweden agreed turn possessions return payment holy roman emperor failed pay promised compensation lost influence baltic affairs terms treaty ignored war continued point view merely enabled powers involved form alliance longer fighting russian dominance early king sweden faced russian offensive positions estonia russian siege smaller towns taken russian forces january swedish army infantry cavalry command elder clashed russian army men command battle village russian advance concluded capture occupying forces leaders swedish garrison alive including commander triggered campaign john centred army departed november overall command field commander russian raids finland including far year truce signed john counter offensive stalled siege german scottish units swedish army turned failure blamed difficulties fighting bitter winter conditions particularly infantry war great financial burden sweden end sweden german mercenaries owed john gave castles security failed pay sold denmark efforts swedish controlled support brother denmark forthcoming attention focused frederick reluctance stemmed new spirit swedish danish unity unwilling invade behalf state vassal russia siege abandoned march swedish action baltic escalated passive backing john brother law time devastated russian territories burned looted moscow russo wars drought fatally affected russian economy thoroughly disrupted government following defeat forces wound way russian armies formed changed introduced new strategy relied tens thousands native troops instead thousand skilled troops mercenaries practice adversaries campaign reached height russian soldiers crossed devastated danish areas retaliation danish acquisition danish influence ceased frederick accepted deals sweden poland end nominal danish involvement swedish forces besieged central raided far formally polish lithuanian control treaty conquered territories submitted vassal declared monarch defected year having started appropriate castles consulting submitted avoid fighting army sacked town executed german commanders campaign heart capital strategic importance symbolic swedish polish lithuanian alliance counter prince king poland lithuania contested election joint polish lithuanian throne emperor proclaimed elected throne december days apart death october prevented conflict escalating ambitious expel constrained opposition resisted accession danish support ensuing danzig war ended conceded autonomous rights city return payment payment appointed george frederick administrator prussia secured military support planned campaign russia received soldiers polish forced recruit mercenaries primarily poles hungarians germans separate brigade fought swedish king allied december despite problems caused death meant issue substantial inheritance john wife catherine resolved poland claimed accepting swedish rule lent despite best intentions settle november lithuanian forces moving northward captured polish swedish force took town castle early russian forces failed retake town february attack followed swedish offensive targeting september responded sending army men recaptured sweden marched arrival russian army laid siege town met relief force german polish swedish soldiers ensuing russian casualties severe armaments horses captured leaving time defeat accelerated formation new organised cavalry troop replaced feudal levy similarly improved effective artillery system recruited gathered troops lithuania assault russia wider campaign reserves guard possible swedish invasion city fell august appointed close ally powerful member court lead force including men lithuania fortress went capture september significant resistance garrisons fell quickly force besieged fortified heavily defended fortress financial support polish parliament dropping failed lure russian forces open field onset winter realising polish lithuanian advance signed truce failure swedish siege led appointment commander chief towns taken swedish forces concurrent fall mercenary army hired sweden recaptured strategic city target campaigns attacked land sea campaign use sweden considerable fleet later arguments formal control long term hampered alliance poland following taking city retaliation previous russian russians killed according contemporary chronicle fall followed leaving sweden content gains subsequent negotiations led jesuit papal resulted truce russia polish lithuanian commonwealth humiliation requested truce agreement russia surrender areas held city polish lithuanian commonwealth remain commonwealth control captured swedish territory specifically retained russians returned control russia half hearted attempt wishes taken consideration vetoed probably armistice fell short peace arrangement years renewed twice failed attempts pressure sweden gains particularly following decision john war russia ended concluded truce sweden russia relinquished left swedish control originally scheduled years russo swedish truce later extended negotiations sweden vast demands russian territory including whilst conditions probably purposes negotiation reflected swedish aspirations territory region aftermath post war south river experienced period political stability based treaty later modified formula granted indigenous nobles additional rights duke expense north reduced privileges granted regained territories war privileges reduced treaty polish gradually replaced german administrative language establishment reduced baltic german administration local clergy embraced counter reformation process assisted gave roman_catholic_church revenues estates confiscated initiating largely unsuccessful recruitment campaign catholic colonists despite measures population convert estates poland lithuania alienated russo swedish truce expired fighting resumed ensuing russo swedish war ended treaty sweden russia swedish polish alliance began polish king grand duke son sweden died successor swedish throne met resistance faction led uncle later claimed regency sweden sweden descended civil war followed war ended deposition swedish local nobles turned charles protection conflict spread tried incorporate swedish estonia charles expelled polish forces estonia invaded starting series polish swedish wars time russia embroiled civil war vacant russian throne time troubles prevailed conflict campaigns swedish polish lithuanian forces intervened opposite sides starting polish war forces expelled major setbacks battles later war charles successor retook formally ceded sweden treaty bulk sweden recovered denmark towns captured remained swedish control polish lithuanian counter offensive second campaign started capture expelled polish lithuanian forces dominion swedish created swedish forces advanced poland lithuania accepted swedish gains treaty danish province ceded sweden treaty ended war theatre thirty years war retained peace treaty copenhagen situation remained unchanged estonia russia great northern war action treaty
Livonian War