PAGE PREFATORY NOTE vii INTRODUCTION ix TRANSLATOR’S NOTE xxi BOOK I Outline of Swedish history up to the time of Charles XI--Charles’s education--His enemies--Character-sketch of the Czar, Peter Alexiowitz--His peculiarities--Alliance of Russia, Poland, Denmark against Charles XII. 3 BOOK II Sudden and extraordinary transformation in the character of Charles XII--At the age of eighteen he carries on war with Denmark, Poland and Russia--He concludes the war with Denmark in six weeks--Beats an army of 80,000 Russians with 8,000 Swedes, and proceeds to Poland--Description of Poland and its Government--Charles wins several victories, and conquers Poland, where he makes preparations to nominate a king. 37 BOOK III Stanislas Leczinski chosen King of Poland--Death of the Cardinal-Primate--Great retreat of General Schullemburg--Exploits of the Czar--Foundation of Petersburg--Charles’s entry into Saxony--The peace of Altranstadt--Augustus abdicates in favour of Stanislas--General Patkul, the Czar’s plenipotentiary, is broken on the wheel, and quartered--Charles receives the ambassadors of foreign princes in Saxony--He also goes to Dresden to see Augustus before his departure. 97