Kings & rulers > History of Charles XII, King of Sweden

BOOK II. CHARtES XII. 77
called Lieven, who was dressed in a blue coat trim¬
med with gold, and fearing lest the General should be
too easily distinguished, he ordered him to walk be¬
hind him. To this he was prompted by that greatness
of soul which 'was so natural to him, that it even pre¬
vented his reflecting on the imminent danger to which
he exposed his own life, in order to preserve that of
his subject. Lieven perceiving his error too late, in
having put on a remarkable dress, which endangered
all those who were near him, and being equally con¬
cerned for the king wherever he was, hesitated for a
moment whether or not he should obey him. In the
midst of this contest the king takes him by the arm,
puts himself before him, and screens him with his body.
At ibis instant, a cannon-ball taking them in flank,
struck the general dead upon the very spot which the
king had hardly quitted. The death of this man, killed
exactly in his stead, and because he had endeavoured
to save him, contributed not a little to confirm him in
the opinion, which he always entertained, of absolute
predestination; and made him believe that his fate,
which had preserved him in such a singular manner,
reserved him for greater undertakings.
Every thing succeeded with him; his negociations
and his arms were equally fortunate. He was present,
as it were, in every part of Poland. His grand Gen¬
eral Renschild was in the heart of the kingdom with
a large body of troops. About thirty thousand Swedes;
under different generals, were posted towards the
north and east upon the frontiers of Muscovy, and
withstood the united efforts of the whole Russian em¬
pire; and Charles was in the west, at the other end of
Poland, with the flower of his army.
The King of Denmark, tied up by the treaty of
Travendal, which his weakness had hindered him from