The Battle of the Neva took place in. Unknown Alexander Nevsky: was the massacre “on ice”, did the prince bow to the Horde and other controversial issues
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Battle of the Neva. 1240
BATTLE OF NEVSKY - the battle of the Russian army under the command of Prince of Novgorod Alexander Yaroslavich with the Swedish detachment on July 15, 1240 on the river. Neva at the confluence of Izhora.
Late 30s - early 40s. XIII century - one of the most difficult periods in the history of the Russian land. The invasion of the Mongol Khan Batu turned Rus' from a flourishing country into a huge ashes.
Taking advantage of this, the troops of the crusaders and Swedish feudal lords invaded the northwestern borders of Rus'. Their onslaught to the east began a long time ago.
The expansion of Novgorod's influence in Karelia and Finland caused widespread discontent with the papal curia, which implanted Catholicism in the Baltic states with fire and sword. Since the end of the 12th century, the Catholic Church has been closely and with growing concern following the advance of Orthodoxy here and, in contrast, provided all possible assistance to the advance of the German and Swedish conquerors to the east.
The activity of Rome especially increased with the election of Gregory IX, obsessed with the idea of world domination, to the papal throne. Already in 1229, with his direct participation, a trade blockade of Novgorod was organized. Thus, the pope tried to break the long-standing trade ties between Novgorod and northwestern Europe and deprive it of supplies of weapons and metals. And in November 1232, Gregory IX addressed a message to the Livonian Knights of the Sword, calling on them to undertake a crusade to Finland to protect its inhabitants from the infidel Russians. In his next message dated February 27, 1233, the Russians (Rutheni) are directly called “enemies” (inimici).
By the middle of the 13th century, with the active participation of Catholic Rome, an agreement was reached between three feudal-Catholic forces - the Livonian (German) Order, the Danes and the Swedes on a joint attack against Novgorod with the aim of conquering the northwestern Russian lands and introducing Catholicism there. According to the papal curia, after “Batu’s ruin,” bloodless and plundered Rus' could not offer any resistance. This was the main reason for the action of the Swedes, Teutons and Danes in 1240. The German and Danish knights were supposed to strike Novgorod from land, from their Livonian possessions, and the Swedes were going to support them from the sea through the Gulf of Finland.
Scheme of the battle on the Neva. July 15, 1240
In early July 1240, a large Swedish detachment entered the mouth of the Neva on augers. The arrival of the enemy became known almost immediately in Novgorod, where only a small squad constantly carried out military service. But the enemy’s advance had to be stopped as soon as possible, and therefore the young Novgorod prince Alexander Yaroslavich hastened to set out immediately. He formed a detachment of 300 princely warriors, 500 Novgorod horsemen and the same number of foot militias. According to the accepted custom, the soldiers gathered at the Hagia Sophia Cathedral and received a blessing from the Novgorod Archbishop Spiridon. Alexander inspired the squad with a speech, one of the phrases of which has become popular these days: “Brothers! God is not in power, but in truth!... Let us not be afraid of the multitude of warriors, for God is with us.” Then they quickly headed towards Ladoga, where 150 Ladoga mounted warriors joined the detachment.
Battle of the Neva. The battle begins. Facial chronicle vault of the 16th century.
After a long sea journey, the Swedes stopped to rest and set up camp on the left bank of the Neva, just above the confluence of the Izhora River. Swedish ships moored here, and from them gangplanks were thrown onto land. Part of the army remained on the augers, the most noble warriors settled down in a hastily constructed camp. The Swedes set up posts that controlled the Neva waterway. War horses grazed in the coastal meadows. The enemy did not expect an attack from land.
The chronicle story about the Battle of the Neva clearly recreates Alexander's plan. A strike by a foot squad along the banks of the Neva would cut off the Swedes from the ships, and the cavalry, acting from the landward side through the center of the camp, would drive the enemy into the corner formed by the banks of Izhora and the Neva, close the encirclement and destroy the enemy.
The young commander brilliantly implemented his bold plan. Early in the morning of July 15, secretly approaching the camp, the Novgorod squad attacked the enemy. Taken by surprise, the Swedes were completely demoralized and unable to give a proper rebuff. The warrior Savva made his way to the center of their camp and cut down the pillar that supported the golden-domed tent of the Swedish leader. The fall of the tent further inspired the Russian warriors. Novgorodian Zbyslav Yakunovich, “having hit many times, fights with a single ax, without fear in his heart.” The hero of the battle, Gavrilo Oleksich, pursuing the retreating Swedes, rushed onto the auger on horseback along the gangplank and there fought with the enemies. Thrown into the river, he again climbed to the shore and entered into battle with “the commander himself in the middle of their regiment, and their commander was quickly killed.” At the same time as the cavalry squad, the foot militia of the Novgorodian Misha also fought courageously. Having attacked enemy ships, the pawns sank three of them.
Battle of the Neva. Saint Alexander Nevsky inflicts a wound in the face of the Swedish leader. 1240 Artist A.D. Kivshenko
Prince Alexander was also in the thick of the battle: he gave orders like a commander and fought like a simple warrior. The chronicle notes that the prince fought with the jarl himself and “put a seal on his face with your sharp spear.”
Judging by the number of losses - 20 people died on the Russian side - it is clear that the battle cannot be classified as large-scale, although the Swedes “have laid down two ships like men, before they were a wasteland and to the sea; and what good is it, having dug a hole, I swept it into the hole in rage.”
Battle of the Neva. End of the battle. The Swedes collected the dead and wounded and loaded them onto augers. Miniature of the Front Chronicle of the 16th century.
The significance of the victory on the Neva lay in something else - the success of such forays of the Scandinavians could open the way for broad aggressive actions of the Swedes. For this victory, the young Prince Alexander received the honorary nickname Nevsky.
The Neva victory prevented Novgorod from losing the shores of the Gulf of Finland and did not interrupt the trade exchange between Rus' and the West. At a moment of general depression and confusion, the Russian people saw in the victory of Alexander Nevsky a reflection of the former glory of Russian weapons and an omen of their future liberation.
View of the Nevsky Monastery (Alexandro-Nevsky Lavra). Colorized engraving by I.A. Ivanova. 1815.
In memory of this victory, Peter I founded the Alexander Nevsky Monastery (now the Lavra) in St. Petersburg in 1710.
The Church of Alexander Nevsky in Ust-Izhora is a functioning Orthodox church in Ust-Izhora near St. Petersburg. According to legend, it was built on the site of an ancient chapel in 1798-1799 at the expense of residents of Ust-Izhora and state-owned brick factories.
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An auger is a sailing and rowing vessel. It had 15-20 pairs of oars and could accommodate from 50 to 80 warriors. The auger could accommodate 8 war horses for knights.
Quote from: Novgorod first chronicle of the older and younger editions. M., 1950. P. 291.
Right there. P. 449.
Right there.
Right there. P. 293.
Right there. Thus, the total number of dead Swedes was measured in tens, or even hundreds.
The material was prepared in the Scientific Research
Institute of Military History of the Military Academy
General Staff of the Armed Forces
Russian Federation
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.
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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 into captivity.”
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 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
On July 15, 1240, the Battle of the Neva took place, which was of great strategic importance. The defeat for a long time discouraged the Swedes from seizing the northwestern lands of Rus'. The Russian land has always been generous and abundant. Mister Veliky Novgorod especially stood out for its wealth among Russian cities. The population of the Novgorod land was numerous, the cities were famous for their artisans and craftsmen. An ancient trade route to the West and East passed through the Novgorod region. The prosperous and rich Novgorod land attracted the greedy gaze of its western neighbors and, above all, the Swedish and German knighthood.
These days the Swedes are a peaceful people, but at that time the Swedish feudal lords were expanding to the East, trying to capture rich Novgorod and cut off Rus' from the Baltic Sea. The capture of the Neva and Volkhov and Novgorod territories made it possible to control trade between Eastern Europe and the West. And the cities of the Novgorod land and its industries could give the Swedish feudal lords great booty. It is also necessary to note the role of the Vatican; the Pope blessed the German and Swedish knights for the war against “pagans and heretics.” Orthodox Christians for Rome and Western feudal lords were no better than Saracens (Muslims) or pagans.
Near the mouth of the Volkhov River, along which the waterway from Veliky Novgorod to the Baltic Sea passed, was the ancient Russian city of Ladoga. It was an important defensive and trade center. Ladoga was actually a castle to Novgorod, which covered it from Sweden. Novgorod sources report early attempts by Swedish feudal lords to capture Ladoga. The first mention of the Swedes’ attack on Ladoga dates back to 1142: “That same summer, the Prince of Sweden came with the bishop,” the chronicle reports. The townspeople were able to repel the attack and the Swedes retreated. Already in 1164, the Swedes again tried to capture Ladoga, but the brave inhabitants of the city themselves burned the settlement and locked themselves in the fortress. The Swedes besieged the fortress. The residents of Ladoga managed to send for help to Novgorod. The Swedes were unable to take the city on the move, and in the meantime Novgorod squads came to the rescue of Ladoga and defeated the finders. The Novgorodians soon struck back. In 1188, Russian and Karelian troops attacked the political and economic center of Sweden, the populous city of Sigtuna, and destroyed it. This blow discouraged the Swedes from going to Rus' for a long time. However, when trouble came to Rus' from the East, the Swedish feudal lords decided to take advantage of the difficult situation of the Russian land and implement a plan to seize the Novgorod lands.
In 1238, the Swedish monarch received a “blessing” from the Pope for a crusade against the Russians. Everyone who was ready to take part in the campaign was promised remission of all sins. In 1239, the Swedes and Germans held negotiations, discussing a general plan for a campaign against Novgorod land. The Swedish feudal lords, who by this time had captured Finland, were supposed to develop an offensive against Mister Veliky Novgorod from the north, from the Neva River. German knights attack from the west - through Izborsk and Pskov. The Swedish government of King Erich Eriksson the Lisp (ruled 1222-1229 and 1234-1249) allocated an army for the campaign under the command of Jarl (Prince) Ulf Fasi and the king's son-in-law, Birger Magnusson. The best forces of the Swedish knighthood were assembled for the campaign against the Russian lands. The campaign was officially considered a “crusade”, therefore, in addition to large feudal lords and their squads, bishops and their troops also took part in it. In addition, to fully ensure the success of the crusade, the Swedish command also assembled numerous detachments from the subject Finnish population. True, the Finns, unlike the Swedes, were poorly armed - knives, bows and arrows, axes, spears.
At this time, the young prince Alexander Yaroslavich, the son of the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, ruled in the Novgorod land. Despite his youth, Alexander was already known as a skilled politician. He was an intelligent, energetic and brave warrior. It should be noted that Novgorod was very different in its system of government from other Russian lands. The prince's power was limited; he was a military leader, not a sovereign ruler. The real power was held by the boyar and merchant families, who, with the help of the veche, appointed a mayor, a thousand, and summoned the prince. The Novgorodians fought with the Swedes for control of the Izhora land and the Karelian Isthmus. In Novgorod they knew about the Swedes’ plans to seize their territories, and that they boasted of “baptizing” them into the Latin faith.
In the summer of 1240, the enemy army under the leadership of Birger, “in great strength, puffing with a military spirit,” appeared on the Neva River on ships. The Swedes set up camp at the mouth of the river. Izhora. The Crusader army consisted of Swedes, Norwegians and representatives of the Finnish tribes (Sum and Em). The Swedish command planned to first capture Ladoga and then go to Novgorod. There were also Catholic clergy in the enemy army: they planned to baptize the Russian lands “with fire and sword.” Having set up camp, Birger, completely confident in his strength and victory, sent a message to Prince Alexander: “If you can resist me, then I am already here, fighting your land.”
The Novgorod borders were guarded at that time by “watchmen”. They were also located on the sea coast, where representatives of local tribes also took part in protecting the border. In particular, in the area of the Neva River, on both banks of the Gulf of Finland, there was a “sea watchman” of the Izhorians (a Finno-Ugric people inhabiting the territory of the Izhora land). They guarded the routes to Veliky Novgorod from the Baltic Sea. The Swedish army was discovered by the elder of the Izhora land, Pelgusius, who was on patrol. Pelgusius notified Prince Alexander of the appearance of an enemy army.
The Crusaders chose an extremely opportune moment for their strike. Vladimir-Suzdal Rus', where Alexander's father ruled, was devastated and could not put up significant forces to help Novgorod. In addition, for the appearance of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich’s squads, time was required, which did not exist. Prince Alexander's personal squad was small. It took a lot of time to gather detachments of local boyars, the Novgorod militia and the forces of the cities of the Novgorod land. It was impossible to delay, the enemy could capture Ladoga and strike Novgorod.
Battle
Alexander did not hesitate and acted quickly; he did not even have time to inform his father about the appearance of the Swedish army. The young prince decided to launch a surprise attack on the enemy, since there was no time to gather a large army. In addition, the convening of the Novgorod Council could delay the matter and disrupt the impending operation. The prince opposed the enemy with his squad, strengthening it only with volunteers from Novgorod. According to ancient tradition, Russian soldiers gathered at the Church of St. Sophia, prayed, received a blessing from Bishop Spyridon. The prince inspired his soldiers with a speech, the phrase of which has reached modern times and become popular: “Brothers! God is not in power, but in truth! Let us remember the words of the psalmist: these are in arms, and these are on horses; but in the name of the Lord our God we will call... We will not fear the multitude of warriors, for God is with us.” The army set out on a campaign. The detachment walked along the Volkhov to Ladoga, where the Ladoga residents joined Alexander’s forces. From Ladoga, the Novgorod army moved to the mouth of the Izhora.
The Crusader camp, set up at the mouth of the Izhora River, was poorly guarded, because the Swedish command was confident in its abilities and did not suspect the proximity of the Russian army. On July 15, Russian soldiers were able to quietly approach the enemy camp and at 11 o’clock in the morning they suddenly attacked the Swedes. The attack of the Russian army was so sudden that the crusaders did not have time to prepare for battle and build their forces. The speed of Alexander's detachment negated the numerical advantage of the Swedish army. Birger's warriors were taken by surprise. The Swedes were unable to provide organized resistance. The Russian squad passed through the enemy camp and drove the Swedes to the shore. Foot militia struck along the shore. The Novgorodians made their way along the river and destroyed the bridges that connected the Swedish ships to the shore. The militia were even able to capture and destroy three enemy ships.
The battle was fierce. Alexander personally “beat up many” Swedes and wounded the enemy leader. The prince's comrade-in-arms Gavrilo Oleksich chased Jarl Birger and broke into the enemy ship on horseback. He was thrown into the water, but he remained alive and again entered the battle, killing the Swedish bishop. Sources also report about Russian soldiers who distinguished themselves in this battle: Ratmir, Sbyslav Yakunovich, Yakov Polochanin, and the youth Savva. A detachment led by Novgorodian Misha destroyed three enemy ships.
The crusaders could not withstand the fierce onslaught of the Russian knights and fled on the surviving ships. The losses of the Russian detachment were insignificant: up to 20 wealthy soldiers. Swedish losses were more significant. They loaded two ships only with the bodies of noble people, and buried the rest on the shore. In tactical terms, it is worth noting the role of the border guards (“watchmen”), which promptly detected the enemy and reported to Novgorod. The factor of speed and surprise of the strike was also of great importance. The crusaders were taken by surprise and were unable to provide organized resistance.
The brilliant victory over the Swedish army had enormous political and moral significance. It occurred after the terrible defeats that the Russian army suffered from Batu’s soldiers. Sweden failed to capture the Novgorod lands at the most convenient moment for a strike and cut off Rus' from the Baltic Sea. Having repelled the invasion from the northern direction, Alexander thwarted a possible simultaneous attack by the Swedish and German feudal lords.
However, the victory on the Neva also had a negative side. The Novgorod boyar and merchant families were jealous of Alexander's glory and were afraid of the growth of his influence in Novgorod and the love of ordinary people for him. The “Golden Belts” began to weave intrigues against the prince. As a result, the winner of the Swedes was forced to leave Novgorod and go to Vladimir-Suzdal Rus', to his destiny - Pereyaslavl-Zalessky.
On July 15, 1240, an epoch-making battle took place on the Neva River. Russian troops under the command won a crushing victory over the Swedish army. After this event, Alexander received the famous nickname Nevsky. This name is known to every Russian to this day.
Background
The Battle of the Neva River in 1240 did not start spontaneously. It was preceded by a number of important political and historical events.
In the first half of the 13th century, the Swedes, united with the Novgorodians, carried out regular raids on Finnish tribes. They called them punitive campaigns, the purpose of which was to subjugate more and more people to their will. The Sumy and Em tribes suffered the most from the Swedes. This became the cause of protracted conflicts. The Swedes feared a blow from the Finns, so they sought to baptize them and make them their allies.
The conquerors did not stop there. They periodically carried out predatory raids on the lands along the Neva, as well as directly on Novgorod territory. Sweden was significantly weakened by internal conflicts, so it sought to attract as many warriors and nobles as possible to its side. They did not hesitate to persuade those who liked easy money to win over to their side. For a long time, Finno-Karelian troops raided Swedish lands, and in 1187 they completely united with the Novgorodians. They burned Sigtuna, the ancient capital of Sweden.
This confrontation lasted for a long time. Each side, both Swedish and Russian, sought to establish its power on the Izhora land, which was located along the Neva, as well as on the Karelian Isthmus.
A significant date preceding such a famous event as the Battle of the Neva River was the proclamation of the second crusade against Finland by Pope Gregory IX in December 1237. In June 1238, King Waldemar II of Denmark and Master of the United Order Hermann von Balck agreed to divide the Estonian state, as well as to begin military operations against Rus' in the Baltic states with the involvement of the Swedes. This is what provoked the Battle of the Neva River. The date, the events of which are still known today, became the starting point in the history of Rus' and its relations with neighboring states. The battle showed the ability of our state to repel the powerful army of the enemy. It should be taken into account that the Battle of the Neva River took place at a difficult time. The Russian lands were just beginning to recover after many years of the Mongol invasion and the strength of the troops was significantly weakened.
Battle of the Neva River: sources
Historians have to collect information about such ancient events literally bit by bit. Many researchers are interested in the date of such events as the Battle of the Neva River. The battle is briefly described in chronological documents. Of course, such sources are few in number. One of the most famous can be called the Novgorod First Chronicle. Information can also be gleaned from the story about the life of Alexander Nevsky. It is assumed that it was written by contemporaries of those events no later than the eighties of the 13th century.
If we consider Scandinavian sources, they do not contain detailed information about such significant battles as the Battle of the Neva River and the Battle of the Ice. You can only read that a small Swedish detachment was defeated as part of the Finnish Crusade.
It is also not known for certain who led the Scandinavian army. Based on Russian sources, scholars say that it was the king's son-in-law Birger Magnusson.
But he became the jarl of Sweden only in 1248, and at the time of the battle he was Ulf Fasi, who most likely led the campaign. At the same time, Birger did not participate in it, although there is an opposite opinion. Thus, the results of archaeological excavations indicate that Birger was wounded in the facial part of the head during his lifetime. This coincides with information that Alexander Nevsky wounded the king himself in the eye.
Battle of the Neva River: date
Historical events until the 16th century were not recorded in certain official sources. Very often, historians cannot establish the exact day or even the approximate period when a particular battle took place. But this does not apply to such an important event as the Battle of the Neva River. In what year did it happen? Historians know the exact answer to this question. This battle dates back to July 15, 1240.
Events before the battle
No battle starts spontaneously. A number of events also occurred that led to such a difficult moment as the Battle of the Neva River. The year in which it occurred began for the Swedes with their unification with the Novgorodians. In the summer, their ships arrived at the mouth of the Neva. The Swedes and their allies landed on the coast and pitched their tents. This happened in the place where Izhora flows into the Neva.
The composition of the army was varied. It included Swedes, Novgorodians, Norwegians, representatives of Finnish tribes and, of course, Catholic bishops. The borders of the Novgorod lands were protected by maritime guards. It was provided by the Izhorians at the mouth of the Neva, on both sides of the Gulf of Finland. It was the elder of this guard, Pelgusius, at dawn of a July day who discovered that the Swedish flotilla was already close. The messengers hastened to inform Prince Alexander about this.
The Livonian campaign of the Swedes against Rus' began only in August, which suggests that they took a wait-and-see attitude, as well as the immediate and lightning-fast reaction of Prince Alexander. Having received news that the enemy was already close, he decided to act independently, without resorting to the help of his father. Alexander Yaroslavovich went into battle with a small squad. The Battle of the Neva River became a chance for the young prince to prove himself as a commander. Therefore, many troops did not have time to join him. The Ladoga militias, who joined him along the way, also took Alexander’s side.
According to the customs that existed at that time, the entire squad gathered at the Hagia Sophia Cathedral, where they were blessed by Archbishop Spyridon. At the same time, Alexander delivered a parting speech, quotes from which are still known today: “God is not in power, but in truth!”
The detachment moved overland along the Volkhov all the way to Ladoga. From there he turned to the mouth of the Izhora. For the most part, the army consisted of mounted warriors, but there was also infantry. To save travel time, this part of the detachment also rode horses.
Chronology of the battle
The battle began on July 15, 1940. It is known that in the Russian army, in addition to the princely squad, at least three more detachments of noble Novgorod commanders, as well as Ladoga residents, took part.
The Life mentions the names of six warriors who committed heroic deeds during the battle.
Gavrilo Olekseich boarded an enemy ship, from where he was dropped wounded, but despite this he boarded again and continued to fight. Sbyslav Yakunovich was armed only with an ax, but nevertheless rushed into the thick of the battle. Alexander's hunter Yakov Polochanin fought no less bravely. The youth Savva burst into the enemy camp and cut down the Swedes' tent. Misha from Novgorod took part in the battle on foot and sank three enemy ships. Ratmir, the servant of Alexander Yaroslavovchia, fought bravely with several Swedes, after which he was wounded and died on the battlefield.
The battle continued from morning until evening. By nightfall the opponents dispersed. The Swedes, realizing that they had suffered a crushing defeat, retreated on their surviving ships and crossed to the opposite bank.
It is known that the Russian army did not pursue the enemy. The reason for this is unknown. Perhaps the knightly custom of not interfering with burying his fighters during a respite had an effect. Perhaps Alexander did not see the need to finish off the handful of remaining Swedes and did not want to risk his army.
The losses of the Russian detachment amounted to XX noble warriors, and their warriors should also be added here. There were many more dead among the Swedes. Historians talk about dozens, if not hundreds of soldiers killed.
Results
The Battle of the Neva River, the date of which will be remembered for centuries, made it possible to prevent the danger of an attack by Sweden and the Order on Rus' in the near future. Alexander's army decisively stopped their invasion of Ladoga and Novgorod.
However, the Novgorod boyars began to fear that Alexander’s power over them would increase. They began to plot various intrigues against the young prince, eventually forcing him to go to his father Yaroslav. However, very soon they asked him to return to continue the battle with which he approached Pskov.
Memory of the battle
In order not to forget about distant events on the Neva, Alexander's descendants sought to perpetuate the memories of them. Thus, monumental architectural monuments were created, which were restored several times. In addition, the image of Alexander Nevsky is also depicted on coins and commemorative stamps.
Alexander Nevsky Lavra
This monolithic building was erected by Peter I in 1710. The Alexander Nevsky Monastery was built at the mouth of the Black River in St. Petersburg. At that time it was mistakenly assumed that the battle took place in this very place. The inspiration and creator of the monastery was Subsequently, other architects continued the work.
In 1724, the remains of Alexander Yaroslavovich were transported here. Now the territory of the Lavra is a state national reserve. The ensemble includes several churches, a museum and a cemetery. Such famous people as Mikhail Lomonosov, Alexander Suvorov, Nikolai Karamzin, Mikhail Glinka, Modest Mussorgsky, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Fyodor Dostoevsky rest on it.
Church of Alexander Nevsky in Ust-Izhora
This building was erected in honor of the victory in the battle of 1240. Date of construction - 1711. The church burned violently several times and was rebuilt. At the end of the 18th century, a stone church with a bell tower was built by parishioners.
The church was closed in 1934 and was used as a warehouse for a long time. During the Leningrad siege, the temple tower was blown up, as it served as a landmark for German artillery.
In 1990, work began on the restoration of the church, and a few years later it was consecrated. There is a small cemetery near the temple, as well as a monument-chapel with an image of Alexander Nevsky.
Printing coins and stamps
From time to time, the image of Alexander Yaroslavovich is also used in printing. So, in 1995, a commemorative coin with his image was issued. In the anniversary years following the battle, significant stamps are also issued, which are of great interest to philatelists.
Film adaptations
The film starred such actors as Svetlana Bakulina and Director Igor Kalenov.
Prince of Novgorod (1236-1240, 1241-1252 and 1257-1259), and later the Grand Duke of Kiev (1249-1263), and then Vladimir (1252-1263), Alexander Yaroslavich, known in our historical memory as Alexander Nevsky, - one of the most popular heroes in the history of Ancient Rus'. Only Dmitry Donskoy and Ivan the Terrible can compete with him. A big role in this was played by Sergei Eisenstein’s brilliant film “Alexander Nevsky”, which turned out to be in tune with the events of the 40s of the last century, and more recently also by the “Name of Russia” competition, in which the prince won a posthumous victory over other heroes of Russian history.
The glorification of Alexander Yaroslavich by the Russian Orthodox Church as a noble prince is also important. Meanwhile, the nationwide veneration of Alexander Nevsky as a hero began only after the Great Patriotic War. Before that, even professional historians paid much less attention to him. For example, in pre-revolutionary general courses on the history of Russia, the Battle of the Neva and the Battle of the Ice are often not mentioned at all.
Nowadays, a critical and even neutral attitude towards a hero and a saint is perceived by many in society (both in professional circles and among history buffs) as very painful. However, active debate continues among historians. The situation is complicated not only by the subjectivity of each scientist’s view, but also by the extreme complexity of working with medieval sources.
All information in them can be divided into repetitive (quotes and paraphrases), unique and verifiable. Accordingly, you need to trust these three types of information to varying degrees. Among other things, the period from approximately the middle of the 13th to the middle of the 14th century is sometimes called “dark” by professionals precisely because of the scarcity of the source base.
In this article we will try to consider how historians evaluate the events associated with Alexander Nevsky, and what, in their opinion, is his role in history. Without delving too deeply into the arguments of the parties, we will nevertheless present the main conclusions. Here and there, for convenience, we will divide part of our text about each major event into two sections: “for” and “against”. In reality, of course, there is a much greater range of opinions on each specific issue.
Battle of Neva
The Battle of the Neva took place on July 15, 1240 at the mouth of the Neva River between the Swedish landing force (the Swedish detachment also included a small group of Norwegians and warriors of the Finnish tribe Em) and the Novgorod-Ladoga squad in alliance with the local Izhora tribe. Estimates of this collision, like the Battle of the Ice, depend on the interpretation of the data from the First Novgorod Chronicle and the “Life of Alexander Nevsky”. Many researchers treat information in life with great distrust. Scientists also differ on the question of the dating of this work, on which the reconstruction of events greatly depends.
Behind
The Battle of the Neva is a fairly large battle that was of great importance. Some historians even talked about an attempt to blockade Novgorod economically and close access to the Baltic. The Swedes were led by the son-in-law of the Swedish king, the future Earl Birger and/or his cousin Earl Ulf Fasi. The sudden and quick attack of the Novgorod squad and Izhora warriors on the Swedish detachment prevented the creation of a stronghold on the banks of the Neva, and, possibly, a subsequent attack on Ladoga and Novgorod. This was a turning point in the fight against the Swedes.
6 Novgorod warriors distinguished themselves in the battle, whose exploits are described in the “Life of Alexander Nevsky” (there are even attempts to connect these heroes with specific people known from other Russian sources). During the battle, the young Prince Alexander “put a seal on his face,” that is, he wounded the Swedish commander in the face. For his victory in this battle, Alexander Yaroslavich subsequently received the nickname “Nevsky”.
Against
The scale and significance of this battle are clearly exaggerated. There was no talk of any kind of blockade. The skirmish was clearly minor, since, according to sources, 20 or less people died in it on the Russian side. True, we can only talk about noble warriors, but this hypothetical assumption is unprovable. Swedish sources do not mention the Battle of the Neva at all.
It is characteristic that the first large Swedish chronicle - “Eric's Chronicle”, which was written much later than these events, mentioning many Swedish-Novgorod conflicts, in particular the destruction of the Swedish capital of Sigtuna in 1187 by Karelians incited by the Novgorodians, is silent about this event.
Naturally, there was no talk of an attack on Ladoga or Novgorod either. It is impossible to say exactly who led the Swedes, but Magnus Birger, apparently, was in a different place during this battle. It is difficult to call the actions of Russian soldiers fast. The exact location of the battle is unknown, but it was located on the territory of modern St. Petersburg, and from it to Novgorod it is 200 km in a straight line, and it takes longer to walk over rough terrain. But it was still necessary to gather the Novgorod squad and connect somewhere with the Ladoga residents. This would take at least a month.
It is strange that the Swedish camp was poorly fortified. Most likely, the Swedes were not going to go deeper into the territory, but to baptize the local population, for which they had clergymen with them. This determines the great attention paid to the description of this battle in The Life of Alexander Nevsky. The story about the Battle of the Neva in the life is twice as long as about the Battle of the Ice.
For the author of the life, whose task is not to describe the deeds of the prince, but to show his piety, we are talking, first of all, not about military, but about spiritual victory. It is hardly possible to talk about this clash as a turning point if the struggle between Novgorod and Sweden continued for a very long time.
In 1256, the Swedes again tried to strengthen themselves on the coast. In 1300 they managed to build the Landskrona fortress on the Neva, but a year later they abandoned it due to constant enemy raids and the difficult climate. The confrontation took place not only on the banks of the Neva, but also on the territory of Finland and Karelia. Suffice it to recall the Finnish winter campaign of Alexander Yaroslavich in 1256-1257. and campaigns against the Finns by Earl Birger. Thus, at best, we can talk about stabilizing the situation for several years.
The description of the battle as a whole in the chronicle and in the “Life of Alexander Nevsky” should not be taken literally, since it is full of quotations from other texts: “The Jewish War” by Josephus, “The Acts of Eugenius”, “Trojan Tales”, etc. As for the duel between Prince Alexander and the leader of the Swedes, almost the same episode with a wound to the face appears in “The Life of Prince Dovmont,” so this plot is most likely transferable.
Some scientists believe that the life of the Pskov prince Dovmont was written earlier than the life of Alexander and, accordingly, the borrowing came from there. Alexander’s role is also unclear in the scene of the death of part of the Swedes on the other side of the river - where the prince’s squad was “impassable.”
Perhaps the enemy was destroyed by Izhora. The sources speak of the death of the Swedes from the angels of the Lord, which is very reminiscent of an episode from the Old Testament (the 19th chapter of the Fourth Book of Kings) about the destruction by an angel of the Assyrian army of King Sennacherib.
The name “Nevsky” appears only in the 15th century. More importantly, there is a text in which the two sons of Prince Alexander are also called “Nevsky”. Perhaps these were proprietary nicknames, meaning the family owned land in the area. In sources close in time to the events, Prince Alexander bears the nickname “Brave”.
Russian-Livonian conflict 1240 - 1242 and Battle on the Ice
The famous battle, known to us as the “Battle of the Ice,” took place in 1242. In it, troops under the command of Alexander Nevsky and German knights with their subordinate Estonians (Chud) met on the ice of Lake Peipsi. There are more sources for this battle than for the Battle of the Neva: several Russian chronicles, “The Life of Alexander Nevsky” and the “Livonian Rhymed Chronicle,” reflecting the position of the Teutonic Order.
Behind
In the 40s of the 13th century, the papacy organized a crusade to the Baltic states, in which Sweden (Battle of the Neva), Denmark and the Teutonic Order took part. During this campaign in 1240, the Germans captured the Izborsk fortress, and then on September 16, 1240, the Pskov army was defeated there. According to the chronicles, between 600 and 800 people died. Next, Pskov was besieged, which soon capitulated.
As a result, the Pskov political group led by Tverdila Ivankovich submits to the Order. The Germans rebuild the Koporye fortress and raid the Vodskaya land, controlled by Novgorod. The Novgorod boyars ask the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yaroslav Vsevolodovich to return to their reign the young Alexander Yaroslavich, expelled by “lesser people” for reasons unknown to us.
Prince Yaroslav first offers them his other son Andrei, but they prefer to return Alexander. In 1241, Alexander, apparently, with an army of Novgorodians, Ladoga residents, Izhorians and Karelians, conquered the Novgorod territories and took Koporye by storm. In March 1242, Alexander with a large army, including Suzdal regiments brought by his brother Andrei, expelled the Germans from Pskov. Then the fighting moves to enemy territory in Livonia.
The Germans defeat the advance detachment of Novgorodians under the command of Domash Tverdislavich and Kerbet. Alexander's main troops retreat to the ice of Lake Peipsi. There, on Uzmen, at the Raven Stone (the exact place is unknown to scientists, discussions are ongoing) on April 5, 1242, a battle takes place.
The number of Alexander Yaroslavich's troops is at least 10,000 people (3 regiments - Novgorod, Pskov and Suzdal). The Livonian Rhymed Chronicle says that there were fewer Germans than Russians. True, the text uses rhetorical hyperbole that there were 60 times fewer Germans.
Apparently, the Russians carried out an encirclement maneuver, and the Order was defeated. German sources report that 20 knights died and 6 were captured, and Russian sources tell of German losses of 400-500 people and 50 prisoners. Countless people died. The Battle of the Ice was a major battle that significantly influenced the political situation. In Soviet historiography it was even customary to talk about “the largest battle of the early Middle Ages.”
Against
The version of a general crusade is doubtful. The West at that time did not have sufficient forces or a general strategy, which is confirmed by the significant difference in time between the actions of the Swedes and the Germans. In addition, the territory, which historians conventionally call the Livonian Confederation, was not united. Here were the lands of the archbishoprics of Riga and Dorpat, the possessions of the Danes and the Order of the Sword (since 1237, the Livonian Landmaster of the Teutonic Order). All these forces were in very complex, often conflicting relationships with each other.
The knights of the order, by the way, received only a third of the lands they conquered, and the rest went to the church. There were difficult relations within the order between the former swordsmen and the Teutonic knights who came to reinforce them. The policies of the Teutons and former Swordsmen in the Russian direction were different. Thus, having learned about the beginning of the war with the Russians, the head of the Teutonic Order in Prussia, Hanrik von Winda, dissatisfied with these actions, removed the Landmaster of Livonia, Andreas von Woelven, from power. The new Landmaster of Livonia, Dietrich von Gröningen, after the Battle of the Ice, made peace with the Russians, freeing all occupied lands and exchanging prisoners.
In such a situation, there could be no talk of any united “Onslaught on the East”. Clash 1240-1242 - this is the usual struggle for spheres of influence, which either intensified or subsided. Among other things, the conflict between Novgorod and the Germans is directly related to Pskov-Novgorod politics, first of all, with the history of the expulsion of the Pskov prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich, who found refuge with the Dorpat Bishop Herman and tried to regain the throne with his help.
The scale of the events appears to have been somewhat exaggerated by some modern scholars. Alexander acted carefully so as not to completely ruin relations with Livonia. So, having taken Koporye, he executed only the Estonians and the leaders, and released the Germans. Alexander's capture of Pskov is actually the expulsion of two knights of the Vogts (that is, judges) with their retinue (hardly more than 30 people), who were sitting there under an agreement with the Pskovites. By the way, some historians believe that this treaty was actually concluded against Novgorod.
In general, Pskov’s relations with the Germans were less conflictual than those of Novgorod. For example, Pskovites took part in the Battle of Siauliai against the Lithuanians in 1236 on the side of the Order of the Swordsmen. In addition, Pskov often suffered from German-Novgorod border conflicts, since German troops sent against Novgorod often did not reach Novgorod lands and plundered closer Pskov possessions.
The “Battle of the Ice” itself took place on the lands not of the Order, but of the Dorpat Archbishop, so most of the troops most likely consisted of his vassals. There is reason to believe that a significant part of the Order’s troops were simultaneously preparing for war with the Semigallians and Curonians. In addition, it is usually not customary to mention that Alexander sent his troops to “disperse” and “live”, that is, in modern language, to plunder the local population. The main method of conducting a medieval war was to inflict maximum economic damage on the enemy and capture booty. It was during the “dispersal” that the Germans defeated the advance detachment of the Russians.
Specific details of the battle are difficult to reconstruct. Many modern historians believe that the German army did not exceed 2,000 people. Some historians speak of only 35 knights and 500 foot soldiers. The Russian army may have been somewhat larger, but it was unlikely to be significant. The Livonian Rhymed Chronicle only reports that the Germans used a “pig”, that is, a wedge formation, and that the “pig” broke through the Russian formation, which had many archers. The knights fought bravely, but they were defeated, and some of the Dorpatians fled to save themselves.
As for losses, the only explanation why the data in the chronicles and the Livonian Rhymed Chronicle differ is the assumption that the Germans counted only losses among full-fledged knights of the Order, and the Russians counted the total losses of all Germans. Most likely, here, as in other medieval texts, reports about the number of dead are very conditional.
Even the exact date of the “Battle on the Ice” is unknown. The Novgorod Chronicle gives the date April 5, the Pskov Chronicle – April 1, 1242. And whether it was “ice” is unclear. In the “Livonian Rhymed Chronicle” there are the words: “On both sides the dead fell on the grass.” The political and military significance of the Battle of the Ice has also been exaggerated, especially in comparison with the larger battles of Siauliai (1236) and Rakovor (1268).
Alexander Nevsky and the Pope
One of the key episodes in the biography of Alexander Yaroslavich is his contacts with Pope Innocent IV. Information about this is in two bulls of Innocent IV and “The Life of Alexander Nevsky”. The first bull is dated January 22, 1248, the second – September 15, 1248.
Many believe that the fact of the prince’s contacts with the Roman Curia greatly harms his image as an irreconcilable defender of Orthodoxy. Therefore, some researchers even tried to find other recipients for the Pope's messages. They offered either Yaroslav Vladimirovich, an ally of the Germans in the 1240 war against Novgorod, or the Lithuanian Tovtivil, who reigned in Polotsk. However, most researchers consider these versions to be unfounded.
What was written in these two documents? In the first message, the Pope asked Alexander to notify him through the brothers of the Teutonic Order in Livonia about the offensive of the Tatars in order to prepare for resistance. In the second bull to Alexander “the most serene prince of Novgorod,” the Pope mentions that his addressee agreed to join the true faith and even allowed the construction of a cathedral in Pleskov, that is, in Pskov, and, perhaps, even the establishment of an episcopal see.
No reply letters have been preserved. But from the “Life of Alexander Nevsky” it is known that two cardinals came to the prince to persuade him to convert to Catholicism, but received a categorical refusal. However, apparently, for some time Alexander Yaroslavich maneuvered between the West and the Horde.
What influenced his final decision? It is impossible to answer precisely, but the explanation of the historian A. A. Gorsky seems interesting. The fact is that, most likely, the second letter from the Pope did not reach Alexander; at that moment he was on his way to Karakorum, the capital of the Mongol Empire. The prince spent two years on the trip (1247 - 1249) and saw the power of the Mongol state.
When he returned, he learned that Daniel of Galicia, who received the royal crown from the Pope, did not receive the promised help from the Catholics against the Mongols. In the same year, the Catholic Swedish ruler Jarl Birger began the conquest of Central Finland - the lands of the Em tribal union, which was previously part of the sphere of influence of Novgorod. And finally, the mention of the Catholic Cathedral in Pskov was supposed to evoke unpleasant memories of the conflict of 1240 - 1242.
Alexander Nevsky and the Horde
The most painful point in discussing the life of Alexander Nevsky is his relationship with the Horde. Alexander did travel to Sarai (1247, 1252, 1258 and 1262) and Karakorum (1247-1249). Some hotheads declare him almost a collaborator, a traitor to the fatherland and Motherland. But, firstly, such a formulation of the question is a clear anachronism, since such concepts did not even exist in the Old Russian language of the 13th century. Secondly, all the princes went to the Horde for labels to reign or for other reasons, even Daniil Galitsky, who offered direct resistance to it for the longest time.
The Horde people, as a rule, received them with honor, although the chronicle of Daniil Galitsky stipulates that “Tatar honor is worse than evil.” The princes had to observe certain rituals, walk through lit fires, drink kumis, worship the image of Genghis Khan - that is, do things that desecrated a person according to the concepts of a Christian of that time. Most of the princes and, apparently, Alexander too, submitted to these demands.
Only one exception is known: Mikhail Vsevolodovich of Chernigov, who in 1246 refused to obey and was killed for it (canonized according to the rank of martyrs at the council of 1547). In general, events in Rus', starting from the 40s of the 13th century, cannot be considered in isolation from the political situation in the Horde.
One of the most dramatic episodes of Russian-Horde relations occurred in 1252. The course of events was as follows. Alexander Yaroslavich goes to Sarai, after which Batu sends an army led by commander Nevryuy (“Nevryuev’s army”) against Andrei Yaroslavich, Prince Vladimirsky - Alexander’s brother. Andrei flees from Vladimir to Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, where their younger brother Yaroslav Yaroslavich rules.
The princes manage to escape from the Tatars, but Yaroslav’s wife dies, the children are captured, and “countless” ordinary people are killed. After Nevryuy's departure, Alexander returns to Rus' and sits on the throne in Vladimir. There are still discussions about whether Alexander was involved in Nevruy’s campaign.
Behind
The English historian Fennell has the harshest assessment of these events: “Alexander betrayed his brothers.” Many historians believe that Alexander specifically went to the Horde to complain to the khan about Andrei, especially since similar cases are known from a later time. The complaints could be the following: Andrei, the younger brother, unfairly received the great reign of Vladimir, taking for himself his father’s cities, which should belong to the eldest of the brothers; he does not pay extra tribute.
The subtlety here was that Alexander Yaroslavich, being the Great Prince of Kiev, formally had more power than the Grand Duke of Vladimir Andrei, but in fact Kiev, devastated in the 12th century by Andrei Bogolyubsky and then by the Mongols, had by that time lost its significance , and therefore Alexander sat in Novgorod. This distribution of power was consistent with the Mongol tradition, according to which the younger brother receives the father's property, and the older brothers conquer the lands for themselves. As a result, the conflict between the brothers was resolved in such a dramatic way.
Against
There are no direct references to Alexander’s complaint in the sources. The exception is Tatishchev’s text. But recent research has shown that this historian did not use, as previously thought, unknown sources; he did not distinguish between the retelling of the chronicles and his comments. The statement of complaint appears to be the writer's commentary. Analogies with later times are incomplete, since later princes who successfully complained to the Horde themselves took part in punitive campaigns.
Historian A. A. Gorsky offers the following version of events. Apparently, Andrei Yaroslavich, relying on the label for the reign of Vladimir, received in 1249 in Karakorum from the khansha Ogul-Gamish, hostile to Sarai, tried to behave independently of Batu. But in 1251 the situation changed.
Khan Munke (Mengu) comes to power in Karakorum with the support of Batu. Apparently, Batu decides to redistribute power in Rus' and summons the princes to his capital. Alexander is going, but Andrey is not. Then Batu sends Nevryu’s army against Andrei and at the same time Kuremsa’s army against his rebellious father-in-law Daniil Galitsky. However, for a final resolution of this controversial issue, as usual, there are not enough sources.
In 1256-1257, a population census was carried out throughout the Great Mongol Empire in order to streamline taxation, but it was disrupted in Novgorod. By 1259, Alexander Nevsky suppressed the Novgorod uprising (for which some in this city still do not like him; for example, the outstanding historian and leader of the Novgorod archaeological expedition V.L. Yanin spoke very harshly about him). The prince ensured that the census was carried out and that the “exit” was paid (as tribute to the Horde is called in sources).
As we see, Alexander Yaroslavich was very loyal to the Horde, but then this was the policy of almost all princes. In a difficult situation, compromises had to be made with the irresistible power of the Great Mongol Empire, about which the papal legate Plano Carpini, who visited Karakorum, noted that only God could defeat them.
Canonization of Alexander Nevsky
Prince Alexander was canonized at the Moscow Council of 1547 among the faithful.
Why did he become revered as a saint? There are different opinions on this matter. So F.B. Schenk, who wrote a fundamental study on the changing image of Alexander Nevsky over time, states: “Alexander became the founding father of a special type of Orthodox holy princes who earned their position primarily through secular deeds for the good of the community...”.
Many researchers prioritize the prince’s military successes and believe that he was revered as a saint who defended the “Russian land.” Also interesting is the interpretation of I.N. Danilevsky: “Under the conditions of terrible trials that befell the Orthodox lands, Alexander was perhaps the only secular ruler who did not doubt his spiritual righteousness, did not waver in his faith, and did not renounce his God. Refusing joint actions with Catholics against the Horde, he unexpectedly becomes the last powerful stronghold of Orthodoxy, the last defender of the entire Orthodox world.
Could the Orthodox Church not recognize such a ruler as a saint? Apparently, this is why he was canonized not as a righteous man, but as a faithful (listen to this word!) prince. The victories of his direct heirs in the political field consolidated and developed this image. And the people understood and accepted this, forgiving the real Alexander for all the cruelties and injustices.”
And finally, there is the opinion of A.E. Musin, a researcher with two educations - historical and theological. He denies the importance of the prince’s “anti-Latin” policy, loyalty to the Orthodox faith and social activities in his canonization, and tries to understand what qualities of Alexander’s personality and features of life became the reason for his veneration by the people of medieval Rus'; it began much earlier than the official canonization.
It is known that by 1380 the veneration of the prince had already taken shape in Vladimir. The main thing that, according to the scientist, was appreciated by his contemporaries is “the combination of the courage of a Christian warrior and the sobriety of a Christian monk.” Another important factor was the very unusualness of his life and death. Alexander may have died of illness in 1230 or 1251, but he recovered. He was not supposed to become a Grand Duke, since he initially occupied second place in the family hierarchy, but his older brother Fedor died at the age of thirteen. Nevsky died strangely, having taken monastic vows before his death (this custom spread to Rus' in the 12th century).
In the Middle Ages they loved unusual people and passion-bearers. The sources describe miracles associated with Alexander Nevsky. The incorruptibility of his remains also played a role. Unfortunately, we don’t even know for sure whether the prince’s real relics have been preserved. The fact is that in the lists of the Nikon and Resurrection Chronicles of the 16th century it is said that the body burned down in a fire in 1491, and in the lists of the same chronicles for the 17th century it is written that it was miraculously preserved, which leads to sad suspicions.
The choice of Alexander Nevsky
Recently, the main merit of Alexander Nevsky is considered not to be the defense of the northwestern borders of Rus', but, so to speak, the conceptual choice between the West and the East in favor of the latter.
Behind
Many historians think so. The famous statement of the Eurasian historian G.V. Vernadsky from his journalistic article “Two Labors of St. Alexander Nevsky": "...with his deep and brilliant hereditary historical instinct, Alexander understood that in his historical era the main danger to Orthodoxy and the originality of Russian culture came from the West, and not from the East, from Latinism, and not from Mongolism."
Further, Vernadsky writes: “Alexander’s submission to the Horde cannot be assessed otherwise than as a feat of humility. When the times and deadlines were fulfilled, when Rus' gained strength, and the Horde, on the contrary, was crushed, weakened and weakened, and then Alexander’s policy of subordination to the Horde became unnecessary... then the policy of Alexander Nevsky naturally had to turn into the policy of Dmitry Donskoy.”
Against
Firstly, such an assessment of the motives of Nevsky’s activities - an assessment based on the consequences - suffers from the point of view of logic. He could not have foreseen the further development of events. In addition, as I. N. Danilevsky ironically noted, Alexander did not choose, but he was chosen (Batu chose), and the choice of the prince was “a choice for survival.”
In some places Danilevsky speaks out even more harshly, believing that Nevsky’s policy influenced the duration of Rus'’s dependence on the Horde (he refers to the successful struggle of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with the Horde) and, along with the earlier policy of Andrei Bogolyubsky, on the formation of the type of statehood of the North-Eastern Rus' as a “despotic monarchy”. Here it is worth citing a more neutral opinion of the historian A. A. Gorsky:
“In general, it can be stated that in the actions of Alexander Yaroslavich there is no reason to look for some kind of conscious fateful choice. He was a man of his era, acting in accordance with the worldview of the time and personal experience. Alexander was, in modern terms, a “pragmatist”: he chose the path that seemed most beneficial to him for strengthening his land and for him personally. When it was a decisive battle, he fought; when an agreement with one of Rus'’s enemies seemed most useful, he agreed.”
"Favorite Childhood Hero"
This is what historian I.N. called one of the sections of a very critical article about Alexander Nevsky. Danilevsky. I confess that for the author of these lines, along with Richard I the Lionheart, he was a favorite hero. The “Battle on the Ice” was “reconstructed” in detail with the help of soldiers. So the author knows exactly how it all really happened. But if we speak coldly and seriously, then, as mentioned above, we do not have enough data for a holistic assessment of the personality of Alexander Nevsky.
As is most often the case in the study of early history, we more or less know that something happened, but often we do not know and will never know how. The author’s personal opinion is that the argumentation of the position, which we conventionally designated as “against,” looks more serious. Perhaps the exception is the episode with “Nevryuev’s Army” - nothing can be said for sure there. The final conclusion remains with the reader.
Soviet Order of Alexander Nevsky, established in 1942.
Bibliography
Lyrics
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2. Bakhtin A.P. Internal and foreign policy problems of the Teutonic Order, in Prussia and Livonia in the late 1230s - early 1240s. Battle of the ice in the mirror of the era // Collection of scientific works dedicated to. 770th anniversary of the Battle of Lake Peipsi. Comp. M.B. Bessudnova. Lipetsk. 2013 pp. 166-181.
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12. Egorov V.L. Alexander Nevsky and the Genghisids // Domestic History. 1997. No. 2.
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17. Rudakov V.N. “He worked hard for Novgorod and for the whole Russian land” Book review: Alexander Nevsky. Sovereign. Diplomat. Warrior. M. 2010.
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21. Khrustalev D.G. Rus' and the Mongol invasion (20-50s of the 13th century) St. Petersburg. 2013.
22. Khrustalev D.G. Northern Crusaders. Rus' in the struggle for spheres of influence in the Eastern Baltics in the 12th – 13th centuries. vol. 1, 2. St. Petersburg. 2009.
23. Schenk F. B. Alexander Nevsky in Russian cultural memory: Saint, ruler, national hero (1263–2000) / Authorized trans. with him. E. Zemskova and M. Lavrinovich. M. 2007.
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Video
1. Danilevsky I.G. Historical reconstruction between text and reality (lecture)
2. Hour of Truth - Golden Horde - Russian Choice (Igor Danilevsky and Vladimir Rudakov) 1st episode.
3. Hour of Truth - Horde Yoke - Versions (Igor Danilevsky and Vladimir Rudakov)
4. Hour of Truth - Frontiers of Alexander Nevsky. (Petr Stefanovich and Yuri Artamonov)
5. Battle on the ice. Historian Igor Danilevsky about the events of 1242, about Eisenstein’s film and the relationship between Pskov and Novgorod.
