Michael Glaeser, By Defeating My Enemies: Charles XII of Sweden and the Great Northern War (Helion, 2020)
This latest foray into the Great Northern War by Helion is a military biography of one of the main players, Charles XII of Sweden. Glaeser begins by setting the scene in Sweden before Charles’s birth, which leads seamlessly to his formative years and ascension to the throne. This provides a sense of the King as a man and is expanded on in the Appendix where other elements of his personality and life are discussed albeit briefly. Glaeser also takes the time to show the different schools of historiography throughout the book and tries to steer a reasoned path between them.
The main thrust of the book is, however, the military campaigns of the Soldier King and this is where the book shines. It covers the main theatres of operation with the primary focus on the actions of Charles XII and his military campaigns against Denmark, Saxony, and Russia along with his enforced exile in the lands of the Ottoman Sultan. Glaeser provides sufficient detail for the general reader and sets a framework for those who would like a more in-depth treatment of particular aspects of the great Northern War. The book also contains 18 maps, each of which is produced on a full page, making them easy to read and they link to the text nicely. While some make take issue with the level of detail included, I for one applaud their inclusion and hopefully we will see more of this in future publications.
Helion appear to be on a bit of a roll at the minute and this is another one to add to the growing pile of quality literature coming out of their Century of the Soldier series. Overall, By Defeating My Enemies gave me a flavour of the man and his campaigns and allowed access to a war that has always been a little shrouded in mystery. Recommended for those who would like a better sense of who Charles XII was and what he achieved in his short lifetime, and if you are new to the Great Northern War this will only whet your appetite for more.
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