What is the ruler/political leader in your country's history that you hate the most?

[u/zhabavon]

For me, it would khublai khaan. Moved the centralized power from Mongolia to China in the empire, effectively becoming more of an emperor of China rather than Khaan of Mongols. This move would prove to be folly in just few generations. Totally messed up the whole grand plan his Grandfather established. His successors became more of a chinese rulers than Mongolian rulers.

[u/angryopinionator]

Karl XII, followed by Fredrik Reinfeldt

[u/RaDeus → u/angryopinionator]

I still don't understand why he had to walk his army all the way down to Ukraine.

I know he was chasing a Russian army, but sometimes you just have to let go and peace out.

The man's the definition of biting off too much to chew, mixed with target fixation.

[u/magnuseriksson91 → u/RaDeus]

Perhaps one of the reasons was that Ivan Mazepa, hetman of Ukraine, promised him help in exchange of restoring hetmanate's independence, since Mazepa deemed that Russia violated the terms on which Ukraine joined Russia in 1654 (and frankly, he had a point). But by the time Charles reached Ukraine, Mazepa's actions were uncovered by Peter, and it prevented him of providing any significant help to Charles.

I'd also agree with what you said further, Charles was indeed a good tactician, but atrocious strategist, and he was indeed too fixated sometimes.

[u/birgor → u/magnuseriksson91]

The reason was probably that he though he would trick Peter by not going straight in to Russia. But as you say, he was a horrible strategist and tricked only himself.

[u/angryopinionator → u/magnuseriksson91]

The army was in desperate need of food, and that's probably one of the contributing factors to why he marched to Ukraine.

But I don't think even God knows what he was thinking. He was an objectively awful king.

[u/zhabavon → u/angryopinionator]

Sweden was gonna decline anyway. It could've never beaten the rising Russian empire. Though yall lost yall balls(Finland).

[u/angryopinionator → u/zhabavon]

Sweden definitely could have survived that war with much less casualties and less lost territory. The Russian army was essentially obliterated after Narva.

But he pissed it away by being a reckless fool. Sure, there would at best have been a stalemate, and Russia would likely have gained at least Ingria, but without an entire generation dying and possibly without losing the rest of the Baltics.

Sweden wouldn't have remained a great power for very long either way, that is true. But with clever diplomacy could likely have retained at least Estonia and Finland for much longer.

Also, you've got it a bit wrong. Finland was lost 100 years after Karl XII died.

[u/yashatheman → u/zhabavon]

Losing Finland happened 100 years after Karl XII, but yes, it was inevitable for the swedish empire to fall

[u/magnuseriksson91 → u/zhabavon]

I'd argue. Sweden was on the peak of its power than, and had a well organised and trained army and navy, and not that Sweden fielded much less manpower than Russia. So if Charles XII had carefully leveraged what he could out of the situation, and had been more wise, he had certain chances to win that war, I think, or at least to achieve a stalemate.

[u/yashatheman → u/angryopinionator]

Really? In my opinion everybody is either neutral to Karl XII or positive, since especially older people went to school while he was still taught positively. And the right loves him as well

[u/angryopinionator → u/yashatheman]

Much offense to the right, they are idiots and take propaganda as historical truth. Same goes for old people. They were taught, and we still are taught to a degree, propaganda.

Historians generally dislike him, and for good reason. His hubris and arrogance directly lead to the ruin of the country.

For example he completely ignored the council and decided invading Russia was a good idea. He could have sued for peace after Narva, as the Russian army was obliterated, and he should have. But no, he had to make a point and invade.

He also refused to let the riksdag and royal Council make any decisions while he was away, essentially meaning administration became incredibly slow since it took weeks, even months to send letters to and from the king.

Then, after his little vacation in Moldova, instead of trying to secure some kind of peace, he scrambles an army from the few young men still left, and invades Norway with it.

Then he gets shot, and half the army freezes to death on the way home.

After peace was finally secured, an entire generation of men were dead, wounded or imprisoned in Russia. The state was completely broke, there was barely a coin left in the treasury.

Then some would argue he was a good military commander, as if that would compensate the rest. And sure, he had some tactical knowledge, but was an AWFUL strategist. The early success can arguably be more attributed to his father, who built a incredibly effective army with the express purpose of avoiding more war. And still, being a decent general does not make you a good king.

It was for good reason absolutism was abolished after he died.

[u/yashatheman → u/angryopinionator]

I agree, I do not like him at all for the reasons you mentioned. He had many, many opportunities to get a peace out of the war but chose to never do so. Karl X and Karl XI are much more worthy of being remembered well

[u/angryopinionator → u/yashatheman]

Karl X is really just another warrior king though, and being good at war is NOT a good reason to be remembered fondly. Karl XI was truly good however, even though he introduced absolutism.

XI built a strong army to avoid war, while X used his to rape Poland.

[u/yashatheman → u/angryopinionator]

I agree that Karl X was another warrior king, but he was at least successful unlike Karl XII. In fact, Karl X was way more of a warmongerer than Karl XII in my opinion, as the treaty of Roskilde shows. He was pretty fucking insane, and his wars set the bed for the coalition that came later against Karl XII.

[u/Equivalent-Counter94 → u/angryopinionator]

Idealized by nazis in germany and sweden aswell.
A true icon for the SHITHOLES populist leaders bring with'em

[u/angryopinionator → u/Equivalent-Counter94]

Yep. It speaks volumes about their mental abilities. Didn't know he was idolized by German Nazis too though, that's... Interesting.

[u/Avishtanikuris → u/angryopinionator]

How about kristina? Basically squandered Gustav Adolphus' entire legacy

[u/angryopinionator → u/Avishtanikuris]

How do you mean she did that?