Lithuanian armed forces’ campaign in 1712 and potential for pro-swedish coup in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

Šis straipsnis skirtas iki šiol istoriografijoje menkai tyrinėtai paskutiniajai Didžiojo Šiaurės karo (1700-1721 m.) 1712-ųjų metų karinei kampanijai, kuri vyko Lietuvos Didžiosios Kunigaikštystės teritorijoje ir kurioje dalyvavo Lietuvos kariuomenė, aptarti.The article analyzes the last campaign of the Great Northern War in the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. After the Battle of Poltava in 1709, part of the loyal officers of Stanislaus I (Lithuanian: Stanislovas Leščinskis), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania and protégé of Charles XII of Sweden, moved to the Duchy of Prussia that belonged to Brandenburg-Prussia. In the period of 1711–1712, they recruited military units and attacked Lithuanian territories to destabilize the situation and prepare the ground for a coup during which Stanislaus I would regain the Polish-Lithuanian throne. The attacks were led by Jonas Kazimieras Sapiega, former Grand Hetman of Lithuania appointed by Stanislaus I. Charles XII, Stanislaus I and their supporters’ plan for the military campaign in 1712 was based on two main pillars. First, it was planned to direct cavalry units from the territory of the Ottoman Empire to the Kingdom of Poland. Having invaded the kingdom, they had to hold the attention of the Polish troops. At that time, the Swedish assault forces had to land on the Swedish seashore, defeat the joint forces of Saxony, Russia and Denmark and enter Poland. Concurrently, the units of the Ottoman Empire had to join the war and attack Russia and the Ukrainian territory on the right bank of the river Dnepr. Then, Jonas Kazimieras Sapiega and his Prussian units had to attack Lithuania. The plan failed because of the failed attacks on Poland and Lithuania. The troops led by Jonas Grudzinskis at the end of June 1712 were scattered by the Lithuanian and Polish armies. Likewise, the raid to Lithuania led by Jonas Kazimieras Sapiega in June–July 1712 also broke down as the army loyal to Augustus II the Strong was much bigger and better prepared for the attack. The late landing of the Swedish forces demoralized the units of Jonas Grudzinskis and Jonas Kazimieras Sapiega. The unsuccessful campaign, the Turks’ unwillingness to actively support Charles XII with military actions, failed defence of the Swedish seashore from the allies, Sweden’s weakened military power and late landing on Rügen Island, active fights among Poles, Lithuanians and Swedish supporters and common desire of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth’s nobility to finally end the political turmoil lasting for years led to the Swedish supporters’ defeat