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30 November in military history: Battle of Narva, 1700

Military history · 30 November · Great Northern War and Peninsular WarFull calendar

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Map marking the battle site: Narva, Estonia
Location: Narva, Estonia. Location map: © Echoes of Battle (data: Natural Earth, public domain)
Quick answer

On 30 November 1700 the eighteen-year-old King Charles XII of Sweden attacked the Russian army besieging Narva, in Swedish Estonia, and routed it. A snowstorm blew into the Russians' faces as the outnumbered Swedes stormed their entrenchments. On the same date in 1808 Polish light horse charged up the Somosierra pass in Spain.1

Battle of Narva, 1700: how Charles XII humbled Russia in a snowstorm

30 November 1700 · 325 years ago

Sweden won at Narva in 1700: Charles XII, aged eighteen, attacked through a snowstorm and routed a Russian army about three times his size. Why Peter left.

Read the full story of Battle of Narva, 1700: how Charles XII humbled Russia in a snowstorm ›

Battle of Somosierra, 1808: the charge that opened the road to Madrid

30 November 1808 · 217 years ago

France won the Battle of Somosierra in November 1808, when Napoleon's Polish light cavalry charged straight up a defended mountain pass and rode down the Spanish guns blocking the road to Madrid.

Read the full story of Battle of Somosierra, 1808: the charge that opened the road to Madrid ›

Battle of Sinop, 1853: the Ottoman squadron burned at anchor

30 November 1853 · 172 years ago

A Russian squadron under Pavel Nakhimov attacked Ottoman ships anchored at Sinop on the Black Sea early in the Crimean War. Firing explosive shells, the Russians destroyed the Ottoman force without losing a ship, a result that helped draw France and Britain into the war.

Read the full story of Battle of Sinop, 1853: the Ottoman squadron burned at anchor ›

Frequently asked questions

When and where was the Battle of Narva?

On 30 November 1700 (New Style) outside the fortress of Narva, in Swedish Estonia, in the first year of the Great Northern War.2

Who won the Battle of Narva?

Sweden. King Charles XII routed a much larger Russian army that was besieging the fortress.3

What happened at Somosierra?

On 30 November 1808 the Polish Light Horse of Napoleon's Guard charged the Spanish guns at the top of the Somosierra pass, north of Madrid, and with French infantry forced the pass, opening the road to the capital.4

Notes

A number in the text points to a note; each note names the works that paragraph draws on, listed in full under Sources.

  1. Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Battle of Narva”; R. Nisbet Bain, via Internet Archive; dzieje.pl, “O wszechmocy Francuzów, jeśli Polacy są w pobliżu”; Charles Oman, via Internet Archive. ↩
  2. Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Battle of Narva”; R. Nisbet Bain, via Internet Archive. ↩
  3. Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Battle of Narva”; R. Nisbet Bain, via Internet Archive. ↩
  4. dzieje.pl, “O wszechmocy Francuzów, jeśli Polacy są w pobliżu”; Charles Oman, via Internet Archive. ↩

Sources

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