Charles XII of Sweden was the king of
Sweden from 1697 to 1718. He was
the second child and the first son of
Charles XI of Sweden and Ulrika
Eleonora of Denmark. Charles XII
spent his childhood amidst luxury. As
a child, he was a keen observer of the
political and military matters of his
kingdom, while preparing to rule the
kingdom someday. His father passed
away in 1697. Hence, Charles XII
inherited the throne of Sweden. He
was 15 years old when he took charge
after a 7-month rule by a caretaker
government. In 1700, he faced his first
big challenge as a king when Sweden
was attacked by three neighborhood
kingdoms, who wished to take
advantage of a weakened country and
a young and inexperienced king. The
war that resulted was known as the
Great Northern War. However, Charles
exhibited great military prowess and
emerged victorious in several battles
despite his forces being severely
outnumbered. He, however, ended up
losing his life while fighting in Norway
in 1718. He was hailed by the
historians as a great military
commander and an able politician.
