page_title: Siege of Viborg (1710)
section_title: Aftermath
hierarchical_section_title: Siege of Viborg (1710) / Aftermath
caption_attribution_description: English: Vyborg in the late 18th century
context_page_description: The Siege of Viborg took place in the spring of 1710 during the Great Northern War, as a second attempt by the Russians to capture the fortress port of Viborg, near the modern border between Russia and Finland, after a failed attempt in 1706. After the outbreak of the war, Swedish forces had fortified themselves in the port of Viborg. In order to assure safety for the newly founded city of Saint Petersburg, Peter the Great ordered the Swedish fort to be secured. A first unsuccessful attempt was made in 1706. Later plans were put on hold because of other ongoing conflicts but, after the Russian success at the Battle of Poltava in June 1709, the men and resources were available to capture the town.
  Thirteen thousand troops under General-Admiral Fyodor Apraksin marched to Viborg and laid siege on 22 March 1710. Magnus Stiernstråle, the Swedish commander at the fort, waited in vain for Swedish assistance, while a stalemate ensued because the Russians lacked sufficient artillery. In April, Peter the Great managed to bring through a fleet of 250 ships to deliver guns and supplies, and to help perform a final assault on Swedish positions.
context_section_description: In his letters announcing the capture of Viborg, Peter the Great wrote that from now on the "final security of Saint Petersburg has been achieved." The czar said that Viborg should become a "firm cushion" to the new capital. By capturing Viborg, several important strategic goals were achieved. The Russian Empire now had vastly improved access to the Baltic Sea, from which they could launch further attacks against Finland, and a powerful fort that would defend the new capital of Saint Petersburg. The czar ordered the fort to be renovated with the help of a special army division and local peasants.
  The new Swedish Governor-General of Finland, Carl Nieroth, led an attempt to recapture the town with an army of 10,000 men with naval support. In the spring of 1711, Swedish light infantry had already started harassing operations, and a naval blockade had been place for most of the summer. Swedish manpower had been sapped by a plague which had struck Finland in late 1710, delaying all Swedish land and naval operations. In the autumn of 1711, Swedish land forces were able to begin a siege, but were unsuccessful due to a lack of supplies. On 2 December 1711, freezing waters and harsh weather forced the naval squadron to retreat, while the land forces persisted until 25 December. Governor-General Nieroth, who had invigorated Swedish operations in Finland, died suddenly on 25 January 1712, and was succeeded by weak Georg Henrik Lybecker.
caption: Vyborg in the late 1700s, after being refortified by the Russians
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