Northwestern climate and military hostilities during early period of Great Northern War (1700-1710)

The article is concerned with the problem of dependences between such phenomena as severe conditions of the northwestern natural environment and characteristic features of the infantry army supply. The study is based on the research of the previously unpublished documents from F.M. Apraksins’ chancellery and well known Swedish letters by U. Koskinens. Extreme climate conditions, agrarian set up of the society, and a regular army were closely interrelated factors affecting the outcome of the described battle. Due to the poor food supply of the army, the local population suffered not only from ongoing military actions, but also from the spreading famine caused by regular food contributions and recruitment. Extreme climate conditions were the reason for mass deaths among cavalry horses and hunger in the infantry. Nevertheless, the Baltic navy, that was afraid of the Swedish squadron, carried out a few heroic campaigns before the opening of the navigation. Karelian Isthmus, that was conquered by the Russian army, lost half of its population in 1710.