dbo:abstract
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- The Swedish invasion of Saxony took place in 1706 during the Great Northern War, which began in 1700 when Russia, Denmark–Norway, and Saxony attacked Sweden and its ally, Holstein-Gottorp. To force Augustus II the Strong out of the war, who was the electorate of Saxony and king in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Charles XII of Sweden launched an invasion of the Commonwealth; Augustus was dethroned in 1704, and, after having suffered a devastating defeat at Fraustadt in 1706, Charles turned his victorious army towards Saxony. The supreme commander, Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg, had about 16,000 troops in Saxony. To halt the 20,000 Swedes, he deployed the bulk of his forces in Lower Lusatia. Charles XII, however, surprised his foe by marching the army into Upper Lusatia on 6 September; Schulenburg's forces withdrew as a result. Augustus, with no hope of successfully resisting the Swedes, began suing for peace. Meanwhile, Charles pressed on through Saxony, bypassing the strongly fortified Dresden to capture Leipzig; several smaller engagements were fought, always ending in favour of the Swedish army. Leipzig was captured on 19 September, and the field army under Schulenburg was driven out of Saxony in the engagements at Ilmenau and Frauenwald on 22 September. As Charles initiated a blockade of Dresden, the Saxons were compelled to sign the confidential Treaty of Altranstädt (1706) on 24 September; Augustus had to renounce all his claims to the Polish throne and recognize Stanisław Leszczyński as king. With Augustus out of the war, Charles XII replenished his army in Saxony while waiting for the Grand Alliance, concurrently fighting the War of the Spanish Succession against France, to recognize the peace. A dispute between the Holy Roman Emperor, Joseph I, and Charles arose during this time which brought the two rulers to the brink of war; the matter was settled in the Treaty of Altranstädt (1707) on 1 September 1707, as Joseph's allies persuaded him into making concessions. Charles marched his army out of Saxony the same day, to begin the invasion against his last enemy, Peter I of Russia. (en)
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rdfs:comment
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- The Swedish invasion of Saxony took place in 1706 during the Great Northern War, which began in 1700 when Russia, Denmark–Norway, and Saxony attacked Sweden and its ally, Holstein-Gottorp. To force Augustus II the Strong out of the war, who was the electorate of Saxony and king in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Charles XII of Sweden launched an invasion of the Commonwealth; Augustus was dethroned in 1704, and, after having suffered a devastating defeat at Fraustadt in 1706, Charles turned his victorious army towards Saxony. (en)
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