Yes, the Swedish Empire which lasted from 1611-1721 CE was the greatest military power of its time. Unfortunately, King Charles [Karl] XII of Sweden suffered a great defeat at the battle of Poltava to Tsar Peter I the Great of Russia. However, the Swedes did achieve a spectacular victory despite great odds at the earlier battle of Narva. As usual, the overextension of manpower and the increasing strains placed upon an ever advancing force allowed the Russians to disrupt the flow of supplies and the line of communication of the ponderous armies of the Swedes which resulted in the rapid depletion of available resources and the deterioration of the advancing Swedish forces. King Charles XII should have never allowed his forces to be thinly stretched and he should not have pursued the Russians into the Ukraine. The tale of King Charles [Karl] XII of Sweden is a tale of military hubris and an overconfidence in victory.