Battle of Helsinki (1713)

The Battle of Helsinki (Russian: Битва на реке Хельсинки) was fought between the Russian army under Tsar Peter the Great and Admiral Fyodor Apraksin and the defending Finnish army of Sweden under General Carl Gustaf Armfeldt between 8 and 11 May 1713, as part of the Great Northern War. It resulted in a Russian victory, leading to the Swedes commanded by Armfelt burning the entire city of Helsinki when retreating. Destroyed after the actual battle, the city changed hands twice more in the following months until it remained permanently in the hands of the Russians.