Battle of the Neva River: causes and consequences. Unknown Alexander Nevsky: was the massacre “on ice”, did the prince bow to the Horde and other controversial issues Alexander Nevsky’s most famous battle with whom

The Battle of the Neva is a battle between Russian and Swedish troops on the Neva River. The goal of the Swedish invasion was to capture the mouth of the Neva River, which made it possible to capture the most important section of the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks,” which was under the control of Veliky Novgorod. Taking advantage of the fog, the Russians unexpectedly attacked the Swedish camp and defeated the enemy; Only the onset of darkness stopped the battle and allowed the remnants of the Swedish army of Birger, who was wounded by Alexander Yaroslavich, to escape. Prince Alexander Yaroslavich was nicknamed Nevsky for the military leadership and courage shown in the battle. The military-political significance of the Battle of the Neva was to prevent the threat of an enemy invasion from the north and to ensure the security of Russia's borders from Sweden in the conditions of Batu's invasion.

NOVGOROD FIRST CHRONICLE OF THE SENIOR EDITION

Svea came in great strength, and Murman, and Sum, and there were many, many things in the ships; With your prince and with your scribes; and stasha in the Neva at the mouth of the Izhera, wanting to receive Ladoga, just the river and Novgorod and the entire Novgorod region. But the good, merciful and loving people of God were also protected from foreigners, as if they were working in vain without God’s command: news has come to Novgorod that they are going to Ladoza. Prince Alexander did not hesitate to come to her from Novgorod and Ladoga, and I won by the power of Saint Sophia and the prayers of our Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, on the 15th month of July, in memory of Saints Kurik and Ulita, on the week of the Gathering of the Holy Fathers 630 , like in Chalcedon; and then the slaughter of Svem was great. And their commander, named Spiridon, quickly killed her; and I did the same thing, as if the pissant killed the same thing; and many many of them fell; and after laying down the ship, two men built it, leaving the wasteland and heading to the sea; and what good was it, having dug a hole, I swept it into the hole; and there were many ulcers; and that night, without waiting for the light of Monday, he departed in shame.

Novgorodets are the same: Kostyantin Lugotinits, Gyuryata Pineshchinich, Namest, Drochilo Nezdylov the son of a tanner, and all 20 are husbands from Ladozhan, or I, God knows. Prince Oleksandr, from Novgorod and Ladoga, came to all your health, preserved by God and Saint Sophia and the prayers of all saints.

ON THE EVE OF THE BATTLE OF NEVSKY

1238 became a turning point in the fate of Alexander Yaroslavich. In the battle with the Tatars on the City River, the fate of not only the Grand Duke, the entire Russian land, but also his father and himself was decided. After the death of Yuri Vsevolodovich, it was Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, as the eldest in the family, who became the Grand Duke of Vladimir. Alexander's father assigned the same Novgorod. Then, in 1238, seventeen-year-old Alexander married Princess Praskovya, daughter of the Polotsk prince Bryachislav. Thus, Alexander acquired an ally on the western borders of Rus' in the person of the Polotsk prince. The wedding took place in the homeland of the mother and grandfather, in the city of Toropets, and the wedding dinner took place twice - in Toropets and in Novgorod. Alexander demonstrated his respect for the city, where he first set out on an independent princely path.

This year and the following were turning points for Alexander in another sense. The invasion of the Tatar-Mongols and their brutal devastation of Russian lands seemed to emphasize the long-developing political disintegration of Rus', its ever-increasing military weakness. Batu’s defeat of the Russian lands naturally coincided with the intensification of aggression against Rus' by all its neighbors. It seemed to them that now they only had to make a small effort, and they would be able to take into their own hands everything that remained beyond the line of the Tatar-Mongol conquest.

The Lithuanians captured Smolensk, the Teutonic knights, tearing apart the old world, began an attack on Pskov. First they captured the Izborsk fortress, and then besieged Pskov itself. It was not possible to take it, but the city gates were opened to the knights by their supporters from among the Pskov boyars. At the same time, the Danes attacked the lands of the Chudians (Estonians) on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, which were under the rule of Novgorod. The last stronghold of free and independent Rus' - the Novgorod lands - was brought to the brink of disaster. Essentially, Alexander Yaroslavich and the Grand Duke standing behind him were opposed by a bloc of Western countries, the striking forces of which were the “servants of God” from the German lands. In the rear lay Rus', devastated by the Tatars. The young prince found himself at the center of Eastern European politics. The decisive stage of the Russians’ struggle for the remaining independent lands was approaching.

The first to openly attack Novgorod's possessions were the Swedes, Novgorod's longtime enemies. They gave the campaign a crusading character. They loaded onto the ships while religious hymns were sung, and Catholic priests blessed them on their journey. At the beginning of July 1240, the fleet of the Swedish king Erik Lespe headed for the Russian shores. At the head of the royal army were Earl Ulf Fasi and the king's son-in-law, Earl Birger. According to some reports, several thousand people walked with both earls. Soon the Swedes dropped anchor in the place where the Izhora River flows into the Neva. Here they set up their camp and began to dig battle ditches, apparently intending to gain a foothold for a long time and later establish a fortress, their stronghold in the Izhora land, as they had already done in the lands of Emi and Sumi.

An ancient legend preserves the appeal of the Swedish leader to the Novgorod prince: “If you want to resist me, then I have already come. Come and bow down, ask for mercy, and I will give it as much as I want. And if you resist, I will captivate and destroy all and enslave your land, and you and your sons will be my slave.” It was an ultimatum. The Swedes demanded unconditional obedience from Novgorod. They were convinced of the success of their enterprise. According to their concepts, Rus', broken by the Tatars, could not offer them serious resistance. However, events did not unfold at all as the Swedish crusaders expected. Even at the entrance to the Neva, their augers were noticed by local Izhora patrols. The Izhora elder Pelgusy immediately informed Novgorod about the appearance of the enemy and later informed Alexander about the location and number of Swedes.

ALEXANDER NEVSKY DURING THE BATTLE

Prince Alexander Yaroslavich, who fought at the head of the Pereyaslavl squad, managed to spot the “prince’s son” Birger, protected by the swords of several knights, from the height of his war horse. The Russian warrior pointed his horse straight at the enemy leader. The prince's closest squad also deployed there.

“Korolevich” Birger, as a royal commander during the Battle of the Neva, confirmed, beyond any doubt, the reputation of the ancient Folkung family. There is no mention in Russian chronicles of his personal “shakyness” in the lost battle until the minute he was seriously wounded in the face. Birger managed to rally his personal squad around himself, part of the crusader knights, and tried to repel the united attack of the Russian cavalry.

The fact that the crusaders began to successfully fight off the Russian cavalry attacking them at the golden-domed tent forced Prince Alexander Yaroslavich to intensify the onslaught here. Otherwise, the Swedes, who began to receive reinforcements from the augers, could repulse the attack and then the outcome of the battle became difficult to predict.

About that hour the chronicler will say: “The battle was fierce and the slaughter of evil.” In the midst of a furious battle, two leaders of opposing forces came together - the Novgorod prince and the future ruler of the Swedish kingdom, Birger. It was a knightly duel between two medieval commanders, on the outcome of which a lot depended. This is how the wonderful artist Nicholas Roerich depicted him on his historical canvas.

Nineteen-year-old Alexander Yaroslavich boldly pointed his horse at Birger, who stood out in the ranks of the crusader knights, clad in armor, and sitting on a horse. Both were famous for their skill in hand-to-hand combat. Russian soldiers almost never wore helmets with visors, leaving their faces and eyes uncovered. Only a vertical steel arrow protected the face from a blow from a sword or spear. In hand-to-hand combat, this gave a great advantage, since the warrior had a better view of the battlefield and his opponent. Prince Alexander Yaroslavich also fought in such a helmet on the banks of the Neva.

Neither Birger's squires nor the nearby princely warriors began to interfere with the duel of the two military leaders. Skillfully repelling Birger's blow with a heavy spear, the Novgorod prince contrived and accurately hit with his spear into the viewing slot of the lowered visor of the Swedish leader's helmet. The tip of the spear pierced the “king’s son”’s face and blood began to pour into his face and eyes. The Swedish commander swayed in the saddle from the blow, but stayed on his horse.

Birger's squires and servants did not allow the Russian prince to repeat the blow. They repulsed the seriously wounded owner, the crusading knights again closed formation at the golden-domed tent and hand-to-hand fighting continued here. They hurried to take Birger to the flagship auger. The royal army was left without a proven leader. Neither Earl Ulf Fasi nor the warlike Catholic bishops in knightly armor could replace him.

The Russian chronicler described the knightly duel between the Novgorod prince Alexander Yaroslavich and the Swedish commander in the following way: “...Beat many of them mercilessly, and put a seal on the queen’s face with a sharp spear.”

ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NEVSKAYA VICTORY

The losses of the Novgorodians were very insignificant, only twenty people with the Ladoga residents. The glorious victory was so inexpensive! This news seems incredible to us, “and no wonder,” the historian notes, “contemporaries and even eyewitnesses marveled at it.” But what can’t selfless daring and selfless love for the homeland, animated by the hope of heavenly help, accomplish! The success of the Russians depended a lot on the speed and surprise of the attack. In terrible confusion and commotion, enemies of different tribes, deceived in their hope of rich booty and irritated by failure, perhaps rushed to beat each other and continued the bloody battle among themselves and on the other side of Izhora. But most of all, without a doubt, victory depended on the personal merits of the leader, who “won’t win everywhere, but is invincible nowhere.” It was not for nothing that his contemporaries and posterity gave Alexander Yaroslavich the glorious name of Nevsky. His eagle gaze, his wise intelligence, his youthful enthusiasm and discretion during battle, his heroic courage and wisely taken precautions, and most importantly, his heavenly assistance most likely ensured the success of the matter. He managed to inspire the army and the people. His very personality made a charming impression on everyone who saw him. Shortly before the glorious Neva victory, the Livonian master Andrei Velven came to Novgorod, “though to see the courage and wondrous age of blessed Alexander, just as the ancient queen of the South came to Solomon to see his wisdom. Likewise, this Andriyash, when he saw the holy Grand Duke Alexander, was greatly surprised by the beauty of his face and his wonderful age, especially seeing the wisdom and indispensable intelligence God had given him, and not knowing what to call him, he was in great bewilderment. When he returned from him, he came home and began to talk about him with surprise. Having passed, I said, many countries and languages, and seen many kings and princes, and nowhere did I find such beauty and courage, neither in the kings of the king, nor in the princes of the prince, like the Great Prince Alexander.” To explain the secret of this charm, it is not enough to point only to courage and foresight. At the same time with these qualities, there was something higher in him that irresistibly attracted him: the stamp of genius shone on his brow. Like a bright lamp, the gift of God burned in him, clearly for everyone. Everyone admired this gift of God in him. Let us add to this his sincere piety. Like the word of God about Nimrod, he was also a warrior “before the Lord.” An inspired leader, he knew how to inspire the people and the army. The bright image of the Neva hero is reflected most clearly in chronicles, written mostly by contemporaries. What a warm feeling, what, one might say, reverence, their artless stories breathe! “How dare I, thin, unworthy and sinful, write a story about the smart, meek, sensible and brave Grand Duke Alexander Yaroslavich!” - they exclaim. Depicting his exploits, they compare him with Alexander the Great, with Achilles, with Vespasian - the king who captured the land of Judea, with Sampson, with David, and in wisdom - with Solomon. This is not rhetorical embellishment. All this is prompted by a deeply sincere feeling. Suppressed by the terrible invasion of the Tatars, the Russian people instinctively sought consolation, consolation, longed for something that, at least somewhat, could lift and encourage the fallen spirit, revive hopes, show them that not everything had perished in holy Rus'. And he found all this in the person of Alexander Yaroslavich. Since the Neva victory, he has become a bright guiding star, on which the Russian people focused their gaze with ardent love and hope. He became his glory, his hope, his joy and pride. Moreover, he was still so young, he still had so much ahead of him.

The Romans are defeated and put to shame! - the Novgorodians joyfully exclaimed, - not sveya, Murmans, sum and eat - the Romans, and in this expression, in this name of the defeated enemies by the Romans, the people's instinct correctly guessed the meaning of the invasion. The people here saw the encroachment of the West on the Russian people and faith. Here, on the banks of the Neva, the Russians gave the first glorious rebuff to the formidable movement of Germanism and Latinism into the Orthodox East, into Holy Rus'.

HISTORIANS ABOUT ALEXANDER NEVSKY

N.M. Karamzin:“Good Russians included Nevsky in the ranks of their guardian angels and for centuries attributed to him, as the new heavenly protector of the fatherland, various favorable cases for Russia: so much did posterity believe in the opinion and feeling of his contemporaries in the reasoning of this prince! The name of the Saint given to him is much more expressive than the Great: for the happy are usually called Great: Alexander, with his virtues, could only alleviate the cruel fate of Russia, and his subjects, zealously glorifying his memory, proved that the people sometimes rightly value the virtues of sovereigns and do not always believe them in external splendor of the state."

N.I. Kostomarov: “The clergy respected and valued this prince most of all. His obsequiousness to the khan, his ability to get along with him... and thereby ward off from the Russian people the disasters and devastation that would befall them in any attempt at liberation and independence - all this was completely consistent with the teaching always preached by Orthodox pastors: to consider our goal life in the afterlife, to uncomplainingly endure all sorts of injustices... to submit to any power, even if it is foreign and involuntarily recognized.”

CM. Soloviev:“The preservation of the Russian land from misfortune in the east, famous feats for faith and land in the west brought Alexander a glorious memory in Rus' and made him the most prominent historical figure in ancient history from Monomakh to Donskoy.”

Preventive war - suicide due to fear of death

Otto von Bismarck

The holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky won fame for himself during his lifetime. Legends were made about him, he was feared by his enemies and revered by his compatriots. After his death, the name of Alexander Nevsky entered Russian history as an outstanding commander who, with the sword and fortitude, preserved Orthodoxy and the identity of the Russian people on Russian soil. Thanks to the Grand Duke, the Slavic people began to unite in order, following the example of Alexander Nevsky, to fight the threat in the West and resist the mighty Horde.

In the article we will dwell in detail on the main deeds of the holy prince, thanks to which he was canonized (in 1547) and is still considered by Russians to be one of the greatest people of our Motherland in its entire history. There are 4 such events:

This happened when Prince Alexander was only 13 years old. By today's standards, he is just a child, but already at this age Alexander, together with his father, was already fighting against the German knights. In those days, incited by the Pope, Western European knights carried out crusade raids officially to convert the “infidels” to Catholicism, but in reality to plunder the local population and seize new territories.

Russian cities (Pskov, Novgorod, Izborsk) were the target of the German order for a long time, because trade and architecture were developed here. The knights are not averse to making money: selling someone into slavery, robbing someone. To protect Russian lands, Prince Yaroslav calls on the people to stand with him in defense of the Motherland. Watching the progress of the battle, young Alexander, along with adults, fights with enemies, while simultaneously analyzing the behavior of troops and defense tactics. Yaroslav Vsevolodovich bets on a protracted battle, and wins the battle. Tired knights are finished off with flank attacks, others run to the river, but the thin ice cannot withstand the heavy knights, cracks, and the knights in their armor go under the water. The Novgorodians win a victory, which went down in history under the name “Battle of Omovzha.” Alexander learned a lot in this battle and later applied the tactics of the Battle of Omovzha many times.

Battle of the Neva (1240) for the prince

In July 1240, Swedish Vikings approached the confluence of the Izhora and Neva rivers in their boats and set up camp. They arrived to attack Novgorod and Ladoga. According to the chronicles, about 5 thousand Swedish invaders arrived, but Alexander managed to gather only 1.5 thousand warriors. There was no longer any time to delay. While the Swedes are in the dark and are just preparing for an attack, it was necessary to get ahead of them by unexpectedly attacking their place of deployment.

Alexander and his small retinue settled in the forest not far from the Swedes. Even the Swedes had no sentries, and the Vikings themselves were busy setting up the camp. Alexander, after carefully studying the location of the enemies, decided to divide the army into three parts: the first was to move along the coast, the second - the cavalry, led by Alexander himself, should advance in the center of the camp, and the third - the archers, remained in ambush to block the path of the retreating Swedes.

The morning attack of the Novgorodians was a complete surprise for the Swedes. Novgorod resident Mishka managed to approach the tent where the command was seated unnoticed and sawed off the leg. The tent fell along with the generals, which caused even greater panic among the Swedes. When the Varangians rushed to their augers, they saw that they were already occupied by the Novgorodians. The path was completely cut off when the archers entered the battle.

The Novgorod Chronicle speaks of huge losses in the Swedish camp and only 20 people were killed in the Russian regiment. From that time on, Alexander began to be called Nevsky in honor of the river where he won his first significant victory. His fame and influence in Novgorod increased, which was not very to the taste of the local boyars, and young Alexander soon left Novgorod and returned to his father in Vladimir. But he doesn’t stay there for long either, and moves to Pereslavl. However, already in the next 1241, Alexander received news from the Novgorodians that the enemies had again approached their native lands. The Novgorodians called on Alexander.

Battle of Lake Peipsi - Battle of the Ice - 1242

German knights managed to capture a number of Russian lands and settle there, erecting characteristic knightly fortifications. To liberate Russian cities, Prince Alexander Nevsky decided to unite the people and strike the invaders with a single force. He calls on all Slavs to stand under his banner to fight the Germans. And they heard him. Militia and warriors flocked from all cities, ready to sacrifice themselves to save their homeland. In total, up to 10 thousand people united under the banner of Alexander.

Kaporye is a city that has just begun to be settled by the Germans. It was located a little further from the rest of the captured Russian cities, and Alexander decided to start with it. On the way to Kaporye, the prince orders the capture of all those encountered, so as to be sure that no one will be able to inform the knights about the approach of the princely army. Having reached the walls of the city, Alexander knocks down the gates with multi-pound logs and enters Kaporye, which surrenders without a fight. When Alexander approached Pskov, the residents themselves, inspired by Alexander’s victories, opened the gates for him. The Germans are gathering their best forces for the battle.

The Battle of Lake Peipsi will go down in history as the Battle of the Ice. Alexander Nevsky, pondering the battle strategy, placed numerous militias in the center who were not very proficient in battle tactics. The main army was positioned in front of a steep bank, behind which stood carts fastened together with chains. The Novgorod regiments were located on the flanks - the strongest of the entire ten-thousand-strong Russian army. And behind a rock that stuck out of the water, Alexander hid an ambush regiment. The holy prince arranged his people in such a way as to lure the knights into the “cauldron”, understanding that, having first defeated the weak militias, even if numerous, the already tired Germans would go out to the best Russian regiment and carts, and given the weight of the knight in armor, then they will have practically no chance to get over the cart.

On April 5, 1242, the German knights fully “justified” Alexander’s calculations. The Germans advanced in a “wedge” and, having defeated the militia, went straight to the advanced detachments of Nevsky. Finding themselves in a vice, on the one hand, there were carts, over which the horses could not jump, having such weight on them in the form of a knight in armor, and on the other, Alexander’s warriors and the Novgorodians from the flanks. The knights, who wielded a spear, always hit the enemy directly, did not expect an attack from the flanks. It was not possible to turn 90 degrees with the horse thanks to the vice from the carts where the German knights ended up. The ambush regiment completed the defeat of the German knights. The Germans rushed in all directions along the thin ice of Lake Peipsi. Thin ice cracked, carrying heavy German knights under the water, just as it once carried away their ancestors on Omovzha.

It was a brilliant strategy of the young Russian commander. The Germans learned a lesson that made them forget the road to Russia for a long time. 50 prisoners of war walked bareheaded through the streets of Russian cities. For medieval knights this was considered the worst humiliation. The name of Alexander Nevsky thundered throughout Europe as the best commander of the Northern lands.

Relations with the Golden Horde

In the Middle Ages, for the Russian lands, the Horde was a real punishment. A strong state with extensive trade and a mobile army. The Russian principalities could only envy the cohesion of the Mongol-Tatars. Scattered Russian cities and principalities only paid tribute to the Horde, but could not resist it. Alexander was no exception. Even after all the brilliant battles, going against the Horde, as the Prince of Chernigov did, means signing a death sentence for yourself and your people. After the death of his father Yaroslav, who, by the way, died while “visiting” the khan, Alexander also went to Batu receive a label for the khan's service. Enlisting the support of the Horde was for the Russian princes like a ritual that was tantamount to coronation to the throne.

Could Alexander have acted differently?! Probably could. Western European powers, led by the Pope, more than once offered their assistance in the fight against the Horde in exchange for the adoption of Catholicism, but Alexander refused. The prince preferred to pay tribute to the Horde rather than betray the faith of his ancestors. The Horde treated the Gentiles quite tolerably, the main thing was that the dues regularly entered the treasury. So Alexander chose the least evil, as he believed.

In 1248, Prince Alexander Nevsky received a label for Kyiv and the entire Russian land. A little later, Vladimir also moved to Nevsky. While Rus' regularly paid tribute to Batu, the Mongol-Tatars did not attack. Accustomed to living in peace, the Russian people forgot about the Horde threat. In 1262, the Tatar ambassadors who arrived for tribute in Pereslavl, Rostov, Suzdal and other cities were killed. To calm the conflict, the prince is forced to go to the khan. In the Horde, the prince fell ill on the way home; 41-year-old Alexander died.

300 years later, the Russian Orthodox Church canonized Alexander Nevsky.

Pavel Ryzhenko. Kulikovo field. 2005

Why did the Novgorod prince Alexander Yaroslavovich receive the nickname Nevsky

On July 15, 1240, Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich won the Battle of the Neva, defeating the Swedes and receiving the nickname Nevsky.

Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich, nicknamed Nevsky, is most often remembered in the context of the Battle of the Ice in 1242. Also, the phrase “Whoever comes to us with a sword will die by the sword!” comes to mind for many. But it doesn’t belong to the prince at all, but to the screenwriter and part-time director of the film “Alexander Nevsky” Sergei Eisenstein. And the battle on Lake Peipsi, although the most famous, is far from the only victory of Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich.

Despite the fact that events of this magnitude usually take place in schools, it is often forgotten to say that the famous battle was a small episode of the Second Swedish Crusade.

In a bull issued on December 9, 1237, the Pope appealed to the Swedish archbishop to organize a crusade in Finland “against the Tavasts” - the western branch of the Finns, different from the eastern, Karelian, both in appearance and in character and language. In addition, the Pope ordered the destruction of their “close neighbors,” that is, the Karelians and Russians, in alliance with whom the Tavastes resisted Catholic expansion.

The point is that for many years preceding the crusade, the Swedes tried to persuade the nobility of the Tavasts, that is, representatives of the Finnish tribes Suomi and Heme, to accept Catholicism. In the early 1220s, they succeeded, but when expansion of a political nature began, which continued the religious one, the Finns again decided to try to find protection in Novgorod, so as not to completely lose their lands. And if the Sumy tribe ultimately remained under Swedish rule, then representatives of the Em tribe raised a real uprising against the Swedes in the mid-1230s and received support from Novgorod.

The result of this uprising was an appeal to the Pope. And Gregory IX disliked Rus' for a long time: back in 1232, he called for “defending the new planting of the Christian faith against the infidel Russians.”

At the same time, the Russian princes had enough problems even without a crusade: in 1237, the Mongol invasion of Rus' began.

At the beginning of 1238, the Danish crusaders, led by King Valdemar II the Victorious, agreed with the united Livonian and Teutonic orders, as well as the Swedish knights, on how they would divide the lands that they managed to capture. Then Pope Gregory IX blessed the Swedish Jarl Birger for a crusade against the Novgorod lands, and promised absolution to all participants in this campaign.

“The Swedish authorities took upon themselves to strike from the sea across the Neva on Ladoga and Novgorod, the German knights began to strike by land - on Pskov and Novgorod... for the only time in history, three forces of Western European knighthood united: the Swedes, the Germans and the Danes - for an attack to Russian lands,” Soviet historian Igor Shaskolsky wrote about these events.

According to the historian, “if their campaign was successful, the Swedish knights hoped to capture the banks of the Neva - the only access to the sea for Novgorod and all of Rus' - and take control of all Novgorod foreign trade.” In general, the Swedes hoped to conquer the entire Novgorod land and complete the conquest of Finland.

Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich, who received news of the approach of the enemy, decided to act with lightning speed, without waiting for help from his father, the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. According to Igor Shaskolsky, “the surprise of the attack on the Swedish camp was the most important condition for the success of the Russian army,” since Alexander Nevsky needed to stop the enemy advance on the Neva.

Thus, the prince had to fight with a Swedish army that was numerically superior to his forces, which was also better armed.

Most likely, Russian ships entered the Tosna River, which flows into the Neva above the mouth of the Izhora River, and walked up 6 km to the point of closest approach to the flow of the Izhora tributary - the Bolshaya Izhorka River, reached the Bolshaya Izhorka River by land and descended along the wooded bank to its mouth , located near the confluence of the Izhora and the Neva.

“Thus, the Russian army managed to unexpectedly attack the Swedish camp not from the Neva, from where the Swedes could most likely expect an attack, but from land. The surprise of the blow provided the Russian army with an important strategic advantage and made it possible to end the battle with complete victory,” argued Igor Shaskolsky.

Historians agree on one thing: the Battle of the Neva, like other battles of the Middle Ages, did not take place in the form of a continuous confrontation between two warring military masses, but in the form of clashes between individual detachments.

“After that, Alexander hastened to attack the enemies at six o’clock in the afternoon, and there was a great slaughter with the Romans, and the prince killed countless numbers of them, and on the face of the king himself he left the mark of his sharp spear,” says the life of Alexander Nevsky.

According to the historian Anatoly Kirpichnikov, the “mark on the face” can be interpreted as a sign, mark, damage inflicted on the Swedish army by a blow from mounted spearmen. Consequently, already in the first attack the Novgorodians caused damage to the Swedes’ formation.

According to him, the battle, as was usual at that time, began with an attack by mounted spearmen. During the protracted hand-to-hand combat, the ranks of the Swedes were upset and broken, and their individual detachments did not fight together, but were perhaps partly separated.

“The battle at the mouth of the Izhora River apparently dragged on until the evening. By nightfall the hosts separated. Judging by the chronicle notes, the Swedish army, despite the defeat, was not destroyed. By morning, the enemy was unable to continue the fight and completely cleared the battlefield, sailing away on ships. The departure of the remnants of the Swedish army was not prevented.

“Whether it was the knightly methods of warfare that made it possible to bury their own during a respite, or whether the Novgorodians considered further bloodshed in vain, or Alexander Yaroslavich did not want to risk his army that had suffered losses - none of these explanations can be ruled out,” writes Anatoly Kirpichnikov.

Despite the fact that Alexander Nevsky defeated the Swedes, he simply did not have the forces at his disposal to repel the invasion of the late Germans from the west. In addition, the Novgorod boyars soon expelled the victorious prince, fearing that his influence would begin to grow and he would try to rule alone. Meanwhile, the Germans captured the Izborsk fortress, took Pskov and approached Novgorod. In addition, they occupied the banks of the Neva, the Ladoga lands and Karelia, and also erected the Koporye fortress in the immediate vicinity of the Gulf of Finland. And if the Mongol-Tatars simply devastated the Russian lands, taking away everything that could be taken with them, then the Germans settled in the occupied territories and established their own order on them

Residents of Novgorod had no choice but to once again call for help from Alexander Yaroslavovich, nicknamed Nevsky.

Battle of the Neva (July 15, 1240) - a battle on the Neva River between the Novgorod army under the command of Prince Alexander Yaroslavich and the Swedish detachment. Alexander Yaroslavich received the honorary nickname “Nevsky” for victory and personal courage in battle.

On December 9, 1237, Pope Gregory IX announced a crusade against the pagan Finns and Russians. The Pope, in the name of the Almighty, promised forgiveness of sins to all participants in the campaign, and eternal bliss to those who fell in battle. Preparations continued for more than two years.

Swedish feudal lords sought to capture Novgorod, cut off Rus' from the sea, and take possession of the river routes connecting the Baltic Sea with Russian land. The most important water artery was the route along the Neva and Volkhov rivers. With the capture of the river routes, all trade between Eastern Europe and the West would pass into Swedish hands. Near the mouth of the Volkhov, along which the waterway from Novgorod to the Baltic Sea passed, was located the oldest Russian city - Ladoga. It was an important trading and storage point. Novgorodians built a fortress here. It was like a castle to Novgorod, covering it from the Swedes.

For the campaign against Rus', very significant forces were assembled, the entire “color” of the knighthood of Sweden. Since the campaign was considered a “crusade”, in addition to large feudal lords and their troops, bishops and their knights also took part in it. To fully ensure success, the Swedes also recruited numerous troops from the Finnish tribes subordinate to them and Norwegian knights. The crusade against Orthodoxy was led by the most powerful feudal lord of Sweden - Jarl (Duke) Birger. Having gathered a large army, as if against the Turks in the Holy Land, with the singing of sacred psalms, with a cross in front, the militia boarded the ships. The passage across the Baltic Sea to the mouth of the Neva was completed quite safely, and the enemy fleet proudly entered its waters.

Crusaders

Hoping for a large army, the Swedish Jarl Birger hoped first of all to attack Ladoga and, having established a firm foot here, strike at Novgorod. Conquest of Novgorod land and conversion of Russians to Latinism was the final goal of the campaign. The performance of the Swedish crusaders, no doubt, was coordinated with the actions of the Livonian knights, when in 1240, contrary to custom, they launched an attack on Izborsk and Pskov not in winter, but in summer. As a result, in the summer of 1240, Novgorod was attacked from two directions: German knights invaded from the southwest, and the Swedes pressed from the north.

At this time, a young, 19-year-old prince Alexander Yaroslavich ruled in Novgorod...

Sharabarov A.V. Alexander Nevskiy. Road to the future

The moment for the invasion was chosen well for the invaders: Rus' lay in ruins after the terrible invasion of the Mongol-Tatars and was going through difficult times. Rus' was fragmented into a number of principalities. Along a vast stretch from Kyiv to Vladimir, many cities and villages were destroyed, a significant part of the population was exterminated or taken captive. The remaining residents hid in the forests. Only the northwestern outskirts of Rus' - the Novgorod land, which Batu’s hordes did not reach - escaped general devastation. If, following the defeat of the northeastern and southern Russian principalities by the Mongols, Pskov and Novgorod had fallen under the attacks of the Swedes and Germans, this would have meant the end of the existence of the Russian land.

But Alexander Yaroslavich did not waste any time. From the very beginning of his reign, he built defensive lines. In three years, a line of fortifications was built along the Sheloni River, which protected Novgorod from the invasion of the troops of the Teutonic Order.

In the north, things were much worse: there was only one powerful fortress - Ladoga. But this was not enough - the enemy could simply bypass this fortress. But the prince had neither the strength nor the time to build new fortifications, so he sharply increased patrol service in the lower reaches of the Neva, charging the elders of the Izhora tribe with constant patrol over the sea. A system for transmitting important messages to Novgorod was also established. However, the beginning of the Swedish invasion was an unpleasant surprise for the prince.

In the first half of July 1240, patrols noticed a fleet moving along the bay. Approaching the mouth of the Neva, it lined up in an endless line and began to be drawn into the Neva fairway.

Swedish Navy

At the same hour, the patrol sent a messenger to Novgorod. The journey from the Neva to Novgorod took the rider a whole day, but by nightfall in Novgorod they knew about the invasion. Young and impetuous Alexander began to act immediately.

Having landed at the mouth of the Neva, Earl Birger sent a letter to the young prince: “Resist if you can, but I am already here and will take your land captive.”

The Russian detachment was far inferior to the Swedes not only in numbers, but also in weapons. The warriors still had horses, swords, shields and armor, but most of the volunteers were armed only with axes and spears. 19-year-old Alexander Yaroslavich did not long indulge in grief over the small number of his squad. According to accepted custom, the soldiers gathered at the Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod and received a blessing from Archbishop Spiridon. After this, Alexander addressed his squad with words that became popular: "Brothers! God is not in power, but in truth!" The prince’s holy inspiration was transmitted to the people and the army, and everyone had confidence in the triumph of the just cause.

Having set out from Novgorod, the army moved to Izhora. We walked along the Volkhov and Ladoga. Here a detachment of Ladoga residents joined, then Izhorians joined. By the morning of July 15, the entire army, having covered 150 km of travel, approached the Swedes’ landing site.

Alexander needed a sudden blow, a double blow along the Neva and Izhora, according to the prince’s plan, it was supposed to corner the most important part of the enemy army formed by these rivers and at the same time cut off the knights’ path to retreat and deprive them of their ships.

The battle began at eleven o'clock in the morning, having formed from marching to battle formation, the Russian army suddenly attacked the enemy from the riverine forest. The entry of the regiments into the battle was not a chaotic attack. Knowing the location of the Swedish camp in detail, Alexander developed a clear battle plan. His main idea was to combine the main attack on the knightly part of the Swedish army located on the shore with cutting off the remaining forces remaining on the ships. Following this plan, the main forces of the Russians - the squad cavalry - struck the center of the Swedish camp, where its command and the best part of the crusader knighthood were located.

Soon the Novgorod prince found himself in the very heart of the battle, not far from the golden-domed tent in which the jarl and the prince slept that night. Here, surrounded by several dense rings of bodyguards, they retreated, fighting off the Novgorodians, to the royal ship. During the battle, the foot and horse armies, having united, must throw the enemy into the water. It was then that the famous duel between Prince Alexander and Earl Birger took place.

The jarl rushed with his sword raised, the prince with his spear pointed forward. Birger was sure that the spear would either break on his armor or slide to the side. But he won’t give away his sword. But Alexander, at full gallop, hit the Swede in the bridge of his nose under the visor of his helmet, the visor fell back and the spear plunged deep into the jarl’s cheek. The slain knight fell into the hands of his squires.

The Novgorodian Sbyslav Yakunovich also fought not far from Alexander. His strength and courage amazed many in Novgorod. And in this battle he showed himself to be a fearless fighter. Sbyslav had neither a spear nor a sword. In his strong hand a powerful battle ax sparkled, and with it he chopped right and left, crushing the advancing enemies. Shields cracked and broke from powerful blows, combat helmets split, swords knocked out of hands fell to the ground... Through the meager chronicle line, the bright character of this warrior emerges: “He also ran over many times, fighting with a single axe, having no fear in his heart. And he fell a little by his hand, and marveled at his strength and courage.”

Along the Neva, Novgorod foot soldiers cut down bridges, repelling the Swedes both from land and from water, capturing and sinking enemy augers. The left wing, led by Yakov Polochanin, captured the horses and cut through almost to the mouth of the Izhora. And in the center of the camp there was a difficult battle, here the Swedes fought to the death.

The Swedish army was dismembered by a sudden attack into several large and small units, which the Novgorodians destroyed, pressing them to the shore one by one. Panic gripped the Swedes. And then suddenly the golden-topped tent of the jarl collapsed! It was the young Novgorodian Sava, having scattered the Swedes, burst into it and in a few blows cut down the tent pillar. The entire Novgorod army greeted the fall of the Swedish tent with a cry of victory. There is a separate, albeit brief, story about this in the chronicle: “The fifth of his young men, named Sava. Having run over the great and golden-topped tent, he cut down the tent pillar. And Alexander’s regiments saw the fall of the tent and rejoiced.”

Soon the Russians reached the Neva along the entire length of the camp, finishing off the Swedes pinned to the water one by one, some started swimming, but quickly sank in heavy armor. Several groups of Swedes managed to reach the ships. Throwing the gangplank into the sea, not paying attention to the wounded who were calling for help, they pushed off from the shore of Izhora, rushed to the middle of this small river, and then to the wide expanse of the Neva. But not everyone managed to get through to the augers. The lone stragglers, and there were many of them, rushed into the river, swam across it and rushed into the forest, hoping to hide there. But few succeeded. On the left bank of the Izhora, where Alexander’s regiment did not reach, detachments of Izhora soldiers operated and completed the defeat of the invaders.

The swiftly fought battle brought a brilliant victory to the Russian army. The talent and courage of the young commander, the heroism of the Russian soldiers ensured a quick and glorious victory with the least losses. Alexander's squad returned to Novgorod with glory. For the courage shown in the battle, the people nicknamed Alexander Yaroslavich “Nevsky”. This battle began the struggle of Rus' to maintain access to the sea, so important for the future of the Russian people. The victory prevented the loss of the shores of the Gulf of Finland and prevented the interruption of trade exchanges with other countries, and thereby made it easier for the Russian people to overthrow the Tatar-Mongol yoke.

Thus ended the decisive battle for the life of our country, in which Russian soldiers, under the leadership of a very young prince, defended their Orthodox faith, their country, their independence. In two years, on the ice of Lake Peipus, the final point will be put in the anti-Slavic, anti-Orthodox crusade, launched by the Swedish and German invaders with the “blessing” of the Pope.

In response to the knightly expansion, Alexander Nevsky turned to the Golden Horde for help, entered into an alliance with it and fraternized with Batu’s son Sartak, who may have converted to Christianity.

Material prepared by Sergey Shulyak

The legendary Russian commander Alexander Nevsky gained military glory in several battles, which will be discussed in this article. An entire literary story was written about his life and deeds, and he also received the honor of being canonized by the church after his death. The name of this man inspired many generations living several centuries later. It can be assumed that the commander’s talent was passed on to Prince Dmitry Donskoy, whose great-grandfather was Alexander Nevsky. The Battle of Kulikovo, where his great-grandson won a brilliant victory, became the first serious defeat of the Tatar-Mongol troops and the complete defeat of Mamai’s hordes.

Background

The exact date of birth of Alexander Yaroslavich, whom people later nicknamed Nevsky, is still unknown. According to one version, he was born in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky in May, and according to another - in November 1220. He was the second son of Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, who was the great-grandson of Monomakh. Almost all of Alexander’s childhood and youth were spent in Novgorod.

In 1225, Prince Yaroslav performed the rite of princely tonsure, or initiation into warriors, over his sons. After this, his father left Alexander and his older brother in Veliky Novgorod, and he himself went to Pereyaslavl-Zalessky on urgent matters. His children were placed in a great reign, which took place under the supervision of trusted boyars led by Fyodor Danilovich.

In 1233, an unexpected event occurred. The eldest son of Prince Yaroslav, Fedor, died. Soon, Alexander’s first military campaign against Dorpat, which at that time was in the hands of the Livonians, took place. The march, led by his father, ended with the victory of Russian weapons on the Omovzha River.

3 years after the death of his eldest son, Yaroslav left to rule in Kyiv, the capital of all Rus'. It was from this moment that Alexander became a full-fledged prince of Novgorod. At the beginning of his reign, he was exclusively concerned with strengthening his city. In 1239, his father married him to the daughter of Bryachislav, the Prince of Polotsk, and the very next year Alexander had his first child, who was named Vasily.

Reasons for the attack

It must be said that the Pskov and Novgorod lands were practically free from Tatar-Mongol rule. Therefore, they were famous for their wealth: fur-bearing animals were found in abundance in the forests, merchants were extremely enterprising, and artisans were known as great craftsmen. It is not surprising that these territories were constantly encroached upon by greedy neighbors: Lithuania, Swedish feudal lords and German crusading knights. The latter constantly went on military campaigns, either to the promised land or to Palestine.

Gregory IX, the then Pope, blessed the European knights for the war with the pagans, which, in their opinion, included the inhabitants of the Novgorod and Pskov lands. He absolved the soldiers in advance of all the sins they committed during their campaigns.

Enemy plans

Alexander Nevsky's first battle as a commander took place in 1240. He was only 20 years old then. It should be noted that the Swedes began to prepare for war 2 years before it began. They were the first to attempt to conquer Russian lands. To do this, in 1238, King Erich Burr of Sweden enlisted the support and blessing of the Pope to begin a Crusade against the Principality of Novgorod. And according to established tradition, those who took part in hostilities were guaranteed remission of all sins.

A year later, the Germans and the Swedes were engaged in intensive negotiations regarding the offensive plan. It was decided that the first would go to Novgorod through Pskov and Izborsk, and the second, who had already captured Finland, would come from the north, from the Neva River. The Swedish warriors were commanded by the king's son-in-law, Jarl (Prince) Birger, who later founded Stockholm, and Ulf Fasi. In addition, the crusaders were also going to convert the Novgorodians to the Catholic faith, and this was considered worse than the Mongol yoke. Alexander Nevsky also knew about these plans. The Battle of the Neva was thus a foregone conclusion.

Offensive

Summer 1240. Birger's ships appeared on the Neva and stopped at the mouth of the Izhora River. His army consisted not only of Swedes. It also included Norwegians and representatives of Finnish tribes. In addition, the conquerors took with them Catholic bishops, who carried a cross in one hand and a sword in the other. Birger intended to get to Ladoga, and from there go down to Novgorod.

The Swedes and their allies landed on the shore and set up camp in the area where Izhora flows into the Neva. After this, Birger sent a message to the Novgorod prince declaring war on him. It turned out that Alexander Yaroslavich learned about the arrival of the Swedes before this message was delivered to him. He decides to suddenly attack the enemy. There was no time to gather a large army, so the prince set out against the enemy with his army, supplementing it a little with Novgorod volunteers. But before setting off on a campaign, he, according to ancient custom, visited St. Sophia Cathedral, where he received a blessing from Bishop Spyridon.

Birger was completely confident in his military superiority and did not even suspect that he might be subject to a surprise attack, so the Swedes' camp was not guarded. On the morning of July 15, he was attacked by the Russian army. It was commanded by Alexander Nevsky himself. The Battle of the Neva, which began so suddenly, took Birger by surprise. He did not even have time to line up his army for battle and provide organized resistance.

Battle of Alexander Nevsky with the Swedes

Immediately, Russian troops, using the element of surprise, began to push the enemy back to the river. Meanwhile, foot militia were cutting down the bridges that connected the Swedish ships to the shore. They even managed to capture and destroy several enemy ships.

It must be said that the Russian troops fought selflessly. According to the chronicle, countless Swedes were killed by Prince Alexander himself. The Battle of Neva showed that Russian warriors were strong and very brave warriors. Numerous facts testify to this. For example, Novgorodian Sbyslav Yakunovich, with only one ax in his hands, boldly rushed into the midst of his enemies, while mowing them down left and right. Another of his compatriots, Gavrilo Oleksich, chased Birger himself to the ship, but he was thrown into the water. He rushed into battle again. This time he managed to kill the bishop, as well as one of the noble Swedes.

Results of the battle

During the battle, Novgorod volunteers sank Swedish ships. The surviving remnants of the troops, led by Birger, fled on the surviving ships. Russian losses were very insignificant - only 20 people. After this battle, the Swedes loaded three ships with the bodies of only some nobles, and abandoned the rest on the shore.

The victory won during the battle showed everyone that the Russian army had not lost its former valor and would be able to adequately defend its land from the attacks of an external enemy. Success in this battle also contributed to the increase in military authority that Alexander Nevsky gained for himself. The Battle of the Neva also had enormous political significance. The plans of the German and Swedish conquerors at this stage were thwarted.

Battle of Alexander Nevsky - Battle of the Ice

The Knights of the Livonian Order invaded Russian lands in the summer of that year. They approached the walls of Izborsk and took the city by storm. After that, they crossed the Velikaya River and set up camp right under the walls of the Pskov Kremlin. They besieged the city for a whole week, but it didn’t come to an assault: the residents themselves surrendered it. After this, the knights took hostages and left their garrison there. But the Germans' appetites were growing, and they were not going to stop there. The crusaders gradually approached Novgorod.

Prince Alexander gathered an army and in March 1242 went on a campaign again. Soon he was already near Pskov with his brother Andrei Yaroslavich and his Suzdal squad. They surrounded the city and captured the knightly garrison. The Novgorod prince decided to transfer military operations to enemy territory. In response to this, the Order assembled a large army, which included almost all of its knights and bishops, as well as Swedish soldiers.

The two warring parties met on April 5 of the same year near Lake Peipsi. The Germans chose a poor position for attack. In addition, they expected that the Russian troops would deploy in the usual order, but Alexander Nevsky was the first to decide to break such a stereotype. The Battle of the Lake ended with the complete victory of the Russians and the encirclement of the Germans. Those who managed to escape from the ring ran across the ice, and on the opposite bank they fell under it, since the warriors were wearing heavy knightly armor.

Consequences

The result of this battle is the conclusion of a peace treaty between the Order and the Novgorod principality. The Germans were forced to return all previously conquered territories. In addition, the battle of Alexander Nevsky with the crusader troops on Lake Peipsi was unique in its own way. For the first time in the history of military art, troops consisting largely of infantry alone were able to defeat the heavy knightly cavalry.

Canonization and veneration

In November 1283, returning from the Golden Horde, Prince Alexander suddenly fell ill and soon died within the walls of the Gorodets Monastery. But before that, he managed to accept the monastic schema under the name Alexia. His remains were supposed to be transported to Vladimir. The journey from the monastery to the city lasted 9 days, during which the body remained incorrupt.

The merits of Prince Alexander Yaroslavich were appreciated. The Russian Orthodox Church canonized him in 1547. And under Catherine I, the Order of Alexander Nevsky was established - one of the highest awards in Russia.

The battle of Alexander Nevsky with the Swedish conquerors, and then with the knights of the Livonian Order, made it possible to preserve not only the cultural heritage of Rus', but also the Orthodox faith, preventing the establishment of the Catholic Church led by the Pope on this land.