When historians discuss the great European empires of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Sweden is sometimes not included in their conversations. Despite this omission, Sweden amassed a wealthy, prosperous empire during these years. Their territory spanned several regions of Europe and even included colonies in North America, Africa, and the Caribbean. They defeated some of the greatest militaries of their time and were widely recognized around the world by their allies and adversaries alike as an immense power and threat. The age of the Swedish Empire also left a powerful impact on Swedish history well into the twentieth century and even to the present day.