Since the Swedish main army was engaged in Poland and later in Russia, Sweden was hard pressed to defend its Baltic territories.

[7] When Charles XII of Sweden refused to enter peace negotiations, Denmark and Russia drew up plans with the purpose to threaten Stockholm.

Since Peter the Great was engaged in a war against Turkey, the resulting lack of soldiers forced him to postpone the conquest of Åbo.

Significant Russian military action in Finland began in 1713, after logistical problems caused the failure of an initial foray the previous year.

Armfelt decided to locate the battle to Isokyrö, for some pressure was applied by the Swedish regime, aided by the honour of a military officer.

Most of his officers were against this decision, but Armfelt remained assured by local reserves that did not want to hand their homes and families over to Russian terror.

Before the battle Golitsyn ordered three regiments of his northern troops with cossacks to veer west, aiming to amass behind the Finnish mainforces.

The Finnish troops took the first step and started the fight with two guns on their left wing, getting an answer from the Russian artillery on their right.

The Finnish troops, especially the brigades of Maidell and Yxkull near the house of Turppala were very lucky and pushed the Russians backwards so that Armfelt thought that the battle could end up in victory.

It is more than likely that General De La Barre's 1,000 men fled without taking real part in the battle.

That is also the opinion of the local vicar Nils Aejmelaeus who was viewing the battle at a close distance - maybe on the so-called Rock of Kaam near the monument, on the other side of the road.

Almost all the women were raped, people were killed and tortured for no reason, houses were burnt, and robbing of possessions and cattle was widespread.

[11] A contemporary Swedish historian, Jonas Nordin from the University of Stockholm stated in 2000, the Finnish part of the kingdom was not properly defended.

Many of the Swedish authorities considered, as crown prince Adolf Fredrik in 1746, Finland as their storeroom and wall against Russia.

Similar views as presented above were also represented by professors Heikki Yli-Kangas, Kustaa H. J. Vilkuna and Ville Sarkamo in Napue-seminar, spring 2014.

These views will come up in a film document (containing reviews of Yli-Kangas, Vilkuna, Knaapi, Mielty, Loukola), 23 November 2014.