About the book: 1866 / Count Genning Friedrich von Bassevich (1680–1749) over a number of years had great influence on the political affairs of the North, which gave him the opportunity to portray them in the proper light and provide the key to explaining court secrets. Bassevich's notes take us into the very middle of the Northern War, when Charles XII was inactive in Bendery, and his commanders suffered defeats from the Russians. Russia's superiority was already clear, but instead of decisive events, an uncertain time of diplomatic rapprochement began. Bassevich's notes are especially important because they lay out before us this cunning network of agreements and transactions that was spread out to catch Peter the Great. Edition of 1866, brought to modern spelling.