It was this unseasonable obstinacy that occasioned all the misfortunes
of this prince in Turkey, and a series of adventures, more becoming a
hero of romance than a wise or prudent king; for, as soon as he arrived
at Bender, he was advised to write to the grand-vizier, as is the custom
among the Turks; but this he thought would be demeaning himself too far.
The like obstinacy embroiled him with all the ministers of the Porte,
one after another, in short, he knew not how to accommodate himself
either to times or circumstances.[80]
The first news of the battle of Pultowa produced a general revolution in
minds and affairs in Poland, Saxony, Sweden, and Silesia. Charles, while
all powerful in those parts, had obliged the emperor Joseph to take a
hundred and five churches from the catholics in favour of the Silesians
of the confession of Augsburg. The catholics then no sooner received
news of the defeat of Charles, than they repossessed themselves of all
the Lutheran temples. The Saxons now thought of nothing but being
revenged for the extortions of a conqueror, who had robbed them,
according to their own account, of twenty-three millions of crowns.
The king of Poland, their elector, immediately protested against the
abdication that had been extorted from him, and being now reconciled to
the czar (Aug. 3.), he left no stone unturned to reascend the Polish
throne. Sweden, overwhelmed with consternation, thought her king for a
long time dead, and in this uncertainty the senate knew not what to
resolve.
Peter in the mean time determined to make the best use of his victory,
and therefore dispatched marshal Sheremeto with an army into Livonia, on
the frontiers of which province that general had so often distinguished
himself. Prince Menzikoff was sent in haste with a numerous body of
cavalry to second the few troops left in Poland, to encourage the nobles
who were in the interest of Augustus to drive out his competitor, who
was now considered in no better light than a rebel, and to disperse a
body of Swedes and troops that were still left in that kingdom under the
command of general Crassau.
The czar soon after sets out in person, marches through the province of
Kiow, and the palatinates of Chelm and Upper Volhinia, and at length
arrives at Lublin, where he concerts measures with the general of
Lithuania. He then reviews the crown troops, who all take the oath of
allegiance to king Augustus, from thence he proceeds to Warsaw, and at
Thera enjoyed the most glorious of all triumphs (Sept. 18.), that of
receiving the thanks of a king, whom he had reinstated in his dominions.
There it was that he concluded a treaty against Sweden, with the kings
of Denmark, Poland, and Prussia (Oct. 7.): in which he was resolved to
recover from Charles all the conquests of Gustavus Adolphus. Peter
revived the ancient pretensions of the czars to Livonia, Ingria,
Carelia, and part of Finland; Denmark laid claim to Scania, and the king
of Prussia to Pomerania.