Alexander Nevsky - in art. The prince, covered with military glory, who was honored with a literary story about his deeds shortly after his death, was canonized by the church. A man whose name would continue to inspire generations many centuries later. In 2008, Alexander Nevsky became, in all fairness, a symbol of Russia. Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich was an Orthodox man and invincible in open battle. The commander had to win the highest victory over himself, to show the rarest and most difficult virtue: humble himself, drown out the voice of pride. At the cost of humiliation, he managed to protect and preserve his homeland. This is the feat of Alexander Nevsky.
Time passed, new heroes appeared, once they forgot about Alexander Nevsky ... and remembered after 700 years. The idealization of the commander reached its highest point in connection with the rise of the national self-consciousness of the Russian people before the Great Patriotic War, just as every time with an external threat through the centuries of history, we return to himOn May 18, 1937, the director of Mosfilm, Sofya Sokolovskaya, made an offer to director Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein to make a historical film.
On August 12, 1937, Eisenstein decided to make a film about Alexander Nevsky, although he knew that the surviving sources about the life of the prince were very few.
In the role of Alexander Nevsky - actor Nikolai Konstantinovich Cherkasov. In 1941 he was awarded the Stalin Prize for this role. The music for the film was written by the composer Sergei Prokofiev, who composed the cantata "Alexander Nevsky" for the occasion. The power of Prokofiev's music was such that some episodes of the film were edited according to the soundtrack. Sergei Prokofiev and Sergei Eisenstein at work on a film, 1937 The picture was released in 1938 and immediately became a hit. A few months after the release of the tape on the screens, in August 1939, a non-aggression pact was signed between Germany and the Soviet Union. The film was withdrawn from the theater because the Germans were depicted negatively in the film. With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the film was returned to the screens again in 1941 - the success was resounding. There were no films about the ongoing war yet, but heroes were already required. Alexander Nevsky, who, together with friends and associates, defended Russia from foreign invasion, was the best fit.The final words of Nevsky: “Whoever comes to us with a sword will die from the sword! On that stood and will stand the Russian land! became a slogan
cited before, during, and after the war.
Triptych "Alexander Nevsky"northern ballad
Alexander Nevskiy.
The prince went to a hard fight.
old tale
In 1942-1943, a battle unprecedented in history was in full swing near Stalingrad. " Nevsky came out as a prophet to the soldiers of our army, with what inevitable faith his face breathed. His face is stern, in the eyes of hatred, thirst for battle... "The power of the image created by Pavel Korin turned out to be such that the reproductions Alexander Nevsky decorated front-line dugouts and front-line newspapers.
Soldiers were going west, and the legendary Russian commander called them to fight for freedom.
Alexander Nevsky played an exceptional role in Russian history during that dramatic period when Russia was attacked in the 13th century, and in the 20th century, during the Great Patriotic War, he showed the Russian people that they still have the strength to defend the Motherland.
- Alexander Nevsky played an exceptional role in Russian history during that dramatic period when Russia was attacked in the 13th century, and in the 20th century, during the Great Patriotic War, he showed the Russian people that they still have the strength to defend the Motherland.
The name of the defender of the borders of Russia and the patron saint of warriors is known far beyond the borders of our Motherland.
Alexander Nevsky is one of those national heroes of the Russian people, whose names will forever remain in the people's minds as a symbol of the stability and independence of their native country.
Worked on the presentation: Fokina Svetlana, Kotkina Tatiana, Andreeva Victoria, Lochekhina Maria. Worked on the presentation: Fokina Svetlana, Kotkina Tatiana, Andreeva Victoria, Lochekhina Maria.
Alexander Nevsky Alexander Yaroslavovich Nevsky () Prince of Novgorod, Grand Duke of Vladimir with the son of Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. Victories over the Swedes (Battle of the Neva 1240) and the German knights of the Livonian Order (Battle on the Ice 1242) secured the western borders of Russia.
Family Spouse: Alexandra, daughter of Bryachislav Polotsky; Vassa. Sons: Vasily (before) Prince of Novgorod; Dmitry () Prince of Novgorod (), prince of Pereyaslavl, Grand Duke of Vladimir in and; Andrei (ok) Prince of Kostroma (,), Grand Duke of Vladimir (,), Prince of Novgorod (,), Prince Gorodets (); Daniel () the first prince of Moscow (). Daughters: Evdokia, who became the wife of Konstantin Rostislavich Smolensky.
Childhood No one knows the exact date of birth of Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich. So, the historian and author of the book about Alexander Nevsky V. Pashuto believes that Alexander was born on May 30, 1221, and the historian, author of the book N. Klepinin believes that he was born on May 13, 1220. Only the fact that he was born in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky has been accurately proven. Alexander's father - Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich - the son of Vsevolod the Big Nest and the grandson of Yuri Dolgoruky - was the prince of Suzdal. The princes of this particular kind preferred in their wars to first tire the enemy, and then finish him off. Very little is known about the mother of Alexander Yaroslavovich, Princess Feodosia. Her name is only occasionally mentioned in the annals and, moreover, in connection with Alexander Yaroslavovich or Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. Alexander Yaroslavovich is very distinguished from his kind. Until the age of three, Alexander lived in his mother's house. It was childlike silence. Upon reaching the age of three, Alexander Yaroslavovich was tonsured. After that, Alexander Yaroslavovich had his hair cut for the first time, and the father of Alexander Yaroslavovich put him on a horse for the first time and let him hold the sword. From that day on, Alexander Yaroslavovich was taken from his mother and handed over for further education to his uncle, the boyar.
Childhood (continued) After the ceremony, the uncle of Alexander Yaroslavovich taught him such things as literacy, writing, dexterity, courage, strength. Alexander Yaroslavovich was taught to hunt bears in order to kill and eat them on further campaigns. This hunt was very life-threatening. Sometimes Alexander Yaroslavovich was taken on a campaign to learn how to wield a sword and other weapons. Alexander Yaroslavovich did not miss a single church service. Alexander Yaroslavovich was a clever hunter, a brave warrior, a hero in strength and build. He had these qualities with him all his life. In 1222, Yaroslav, with Princess Theodosia and his sons Theodore and Alexander, went from Pereyaslavl to Novgorod, to reign in Novgorod. Moving to Novgorod was a big change in Alexander's life. In 1228, Yaroslav quarreled with Novgorod and left for Pereyaslavl, leaving his sons to reign in Novgorod. So nine-year-old Alexander was left alone with his brother without the support of his father. Such young princes could not rule on their own. The Tyuns ruled for them. But still it was the first independent reign of Alexander together with his brother
Youth During the reign of Alexander and Theodore, disasters in Novgorod increased. This time is marked by fires, droughts, floods, famines, plagues and heavenly signs. At this time, the mercy of Alexander was manifested. He helped the hungry in any way he could, and no one left his house hungry. In 1233, just before his wedding, Alexander's brother Theodore died, and Alexander was left alone to reign in Novgorod.
Battle of the Neva In July 1240, the Izhorian elder Pelgusius noticed the Swedish flotilla approaching the Russian shores, about which he immediately informed Alexander. The fleet was assembled by the Swedish king Eric Burr, commanded by his jarl (prince) Ulf Fasi. Presumably, the number of Swedish troops exceeded 2,000 people, including several dozen knights, on fifty augers (ships). From the Gulf of Finland along the Neva, the Swedes climbed to the mouth of the Izhora, where they landed on the shore and set up camp. Knowing that the Novgorodians could not get help from Russia bled dry by the Mongols, they planned to reach Lake Ladoga, and from it go down the Volkhov River to Novgorod. Alexander quickly gathered an army - equestrian combatants, Novgorod horsemen and foot militias, in total about 1000 soldiers. The prince was in a hurry to attack the Swedes suddenly, "from the rut". Near the city of Ladoga, Ladoga residents joined Alexander's army. Away from the Swedish camp, infantry, sent across the water in boats, came ashore and united with the rest of the army.
The Battle of the Neva (continued) On the night of July 15, 1240, Alexander's army attacked the Swedish camp with a swift blow. Taken by surprise, the Swedes were unable to put up serious resistance. According to legend, Alexander entered into a duel with the Swedish commander Birger and "placed a seal on his forehead with the tip of a spear." The Swedes were defeated, the surviving warriors loaded the fallen knights onto the ships (“They also threw them into a dug hole without a number”) and, without waiting for dawn, sailed to the Swedish shores. Ulf Fasi and the wounded Birger fled. The Novgorodians were left with trophies: abandoned augers, tents, armor, weapons, war horses. Alexander's losses amounted to 20 dead soldiers. Having concluded peace with the Novgorodians, the Swedes did not approach the Russian lands for a long time. The fame of the 19-year-old prince quickly spread throughout the Russian lands, and Alexander received an honorary nickname - Nevsky.
Battle on the Ice Upon returning from the banks of the Neva, due to another conflict, Alexander Nevsky was forced to leave Novgorod and go to Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. Meanwhile, a threat from the west loomed over Novgorod. In 1237, the Livonian Order was formed in the Baltic States by the Teutonic Knights, which also included the remnants of the sword-bearers. In accordance with the plan "Drag nakh Osten" ("Onslaught on the East") to capture the Eastern European states, the Pope blessed the Livonian Order to conquer Russia, weakened by the Mongol-Tatar invasion. The Livonians captured the border fortress of Izborsk, seized the settlements around Pskov, in September 1240 entered Pskov without a fight (the gates of the city were opened by the boyars - traitors led by the Pskov posadnik Tverdila Ivankovich), in the same year they built the Koporye fortress and already ruled 40 km from Novgorod walls. The Novgorod veche turned to Yaroslav for Prince Alexander Nevsky for a war against the invaders. In the spring of 1241, Alexander entered Novgorod. In the same year, the prince with a small army destroyed the fortress of Koporye, took prisoners and sent them to Novgorod. The following year, Yaroslav sent Alexander to help his youngest son Andrei with the Suzdal squad for the liberation of Pskov. The prince "from the gonom" captured the city, after that he liberated Izborsk and entered the Livonian territory.
The construction of the Russian troops approaching the enemy. Nevsky retreated to the shore of Lake Peipsi and built troops on the shallow water frozen to the bottom near the island of Voronii Kamen. The formation of the princely army looked like this: archers in front, behind them an advanced foot regiment and a “brow” (center), on the “wings” (flanks) foot regiments, reinforced with light cavalry, Alexander's squad from the rear. Alexander sent forward a guard detachment, which collided with the Livonian army and was defeated. The surviving warriors informed the prince about
The construction of the troops of the Livonian Order And the construction of the troops of the Livonian Order looked like this: the wedge (head of the column) is made up of 30-35 selected knights - Livonians, led by vice-master Andreas von Velveyom (presumably, it was he who commanded the German army). Most likely, these are mostly knights - the Teutons. They are built in five ranks, the first - three knights, the second - five, the third - seven, the fourth - nine, the fifth and last - eleven. This is just a guess, but it's more than likely. They are followed by a column of knights, eleven people in a row, in total no more than four hundred - four hundred and fifty people. That is, about forty ranks. The equestrian bollards are followed by a militia of Chud. The number of Chud is unknown, we can only assume that there are more than five hundred of them. They were supposed to be horseback. The ability to fight in close formations is practically absent here, so it is simply not possible to talk about the ranks and the number of people in them. In the German formation, this is the weakest point, therefore, a certain number of German knights, no more than 25 people, are moving directly behind the fourth echelon, including the Bishop of Dorpat with several guests and vassals. They are accompanied by mounted squires and servants. The total number of Germans closing the column is about 150 people.
Battle on the Ice (continued) On the morning of April 5, 1242, the army of the Livonian Order set out from the opposite shore of Lake Peipsi. The Novgorodians met the Livonians with a cloud of arrows from the squad of archers. "Pig" cut the Russian ranks with a wedge, they parted, letting the enemy through, and began to crush him from the flanks with the support of the regiments of the right and left hands. The Livonians bogged down in the Russian army were met by heavy Russian cavalry, located behind the advanced regiment, after which the fresh princely squad entered the battle. The Russians pushed back the Livonians to that part of the lake where the ice was thin above the flowing water. The ice could not withstand the heavy knights and horses, the heaviest knights were the first to fall, dragging the rest with them. The outcome of the battle was for Alexander Nevsky. Data on the losses of the Livonian Order: 500 dead and 50 captured Germans, not counting the large number of dead foot soldiers, mostly Chuds and Levs. The victory in the battle on Lake Peipus was of great importance, Alexander Nevsky averted the threat of the capture of Novgorod lands and the possible split of Northern Russia.
This is how the battle on Lake Peipsi is described in the annals: “And there would have been a fierce slash, and there was a crack from breaking spears and a ringing from the blows of swords, and it seemed that the frozen lake had moved, and no ice was visible, for it was covered with blood». Soon the German embassy arrived in Novgorod with peace proposals. Prince Alexander then said: "Whoever comes to us with a sword will die by the sword." Forever Alexander Nevsky became a hero of the Russian people. He is still revered as a defender of Orthodoxy and the Fatherland
Great reign There is information about two letters of Pope Innocent IV to Alexander Nevsky. In the first, the pope invites Alexander to follow the example of his father, who agreed to submit to the throne of Rome before his death, and also offers to coordinate actions with the Teutons in the event of an attack by the Tatars on Russia. In the second message, the pope mentions Alexander's consent to be baptized into the Catholic faith and build a Catholic church in Pskov, and also asks to receive his ambassador, the Archbishop of Prussia. According to the chronicler's story, Nevsky, after consulting with wise people, outlined the whole history of Russia and in conclusion said: "We eat everything well, but we do not accept teachings from you." Around 1251, Alexander concluded an agreement with the Norwegian king Hakon IV the Old on the settlement of border disputes and delimitations in the collection of tribute from the vast territory inhabited by Karelians and Sami. In the winter of 1256, the Swedes made a new attempt to invade Russian lands. The army of the Swedish feudal lord Dietrich von Kivel entrenched himself at the mouth of the Narva River and began to build the fortress of Narva. The approach of the squads of Alexander Nevsky forced the Swedes to retreat, leaving the unfinished fortress. The prince reached Koporye, crossed the Gulf of Finland and invaded the Finnish possessions of the Em tribe. Alexander's army defeated the Swedish garrisons, freeing them from the Swedish presence. Alexander with another victory returned to Novgorod. In 1262, Tatar tribute collectors were attacked in a number of Russian cities, after which Khan Berke demanded that military recruitment be made among the inhabitants of Russia to participate in the Mongol military campaigns. During his last visit to the Horde to Khan Berke, Alexander convinced him not to demand “tribute in people” from Russia - the expulsion of troops to participate in the Mongol campaigns, to entrust the collection of tribute to the Russian princes, saving Russia from the arbitrariness of the khan collectors. Prince Alexander Nevsky receives papal legates
Great reign (continued) In the winter of 1256, the Swedes made a new attempt to invade Russian lands. The army of the Swedish feudal lord Dietrich von Kivel entrenched himself at the mouth of the Narva River and began to build the fortress of Narva. The approach of the squads of Alexander Nevsky forced the Swedes to retreat, leaving the unfinished fortress. The prince reached Koporye, crossed the Gulf of Finland and invaded the Finnish possessions of the Em tribe. Alexander's army defeated the Swedish garrisons, freeing them from the Swedish presence. Alexander with another victory returned to Novgorod.
The death of Alexander Nevsky In 1262, in a number of Russian cities, attacks were made on Tatar tribute collectors, after which Khan Berke demanded that military recruitment be made among the inhabitants of Russia to participate in the Mongol military campaigns. During his last visit to the Horde to Khan Berke, Alexander convinced him not to demand “tribute in people” from Russia - the expulsion of troops to participate in the Mongol campaigns, to entrust the collection of tribute to the Russian princes, saving Russia from the arbitrariness of the khan collectors. Alexander fell ill there. Already being sick, he went to Russia. Having accepted the schema under the name of Alexy, he died on November 14, 1263 (there are two versions about the place of death in Gorodets Volzhsky or Gorodets Meshchersky). “The observance of the Russian land, wrote Sergei Solovyov, from trouble in the east, the famous feats for faith and land in the west, brought Alexander a glorious memory in Russia and made him the most prominent historical figure in ancient history from Monomakh to the Donskoy.” Alexander became the beloved prince of the clergy. Winning everywhere, he was not defeated by anyone. The knight, who came from the west to see Nevsky, said that he had passed through many countries and peoples, but had never seen anything like this "neither in the kings of the king, nor in the princes of the prince." The Khan Tatar himself allegedly gave the same opinion about him, and Tatar women frightened children with his name.
The main achievements of Nevsky Nevsky showed his military talent in battles with the Swedes and the Livonian knights. Rejecting the threat from the West, Nevsky for many years freed the northern borders of Russia from attacks. Nevsky was a wise diplomat, not appreciated by his contemporaries: realizing that Russia was powerless before the Horde, he established diplomatic relations with the Tatar khans. Perhaps, in this way, he prevented the final extermination of Russia by the Tatars - the Mongols. Nevsky strengthened the foundations of the Orthodox faith, refusing to cooperate with the Catholics and himself setting an example of an Orthodox warrior and prince.
Interesting facts from the life of Nevsky During his life, Alexander Nevsky did not lose a single battle. Descended from the Rurik dynasty, Alexandra, Nevsky's wife, was 16 years old when Grand Duke Yaroslav ordered them to get married. In 1725, Empress Catherine I established the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, which was awarded to both military and civilians. In 1942, the Soviet Order of Alexander Nevsky was established - a military award that was awarded to army commanders. It was the only award named after an Orthodox saint in the USSR. In 2010, the Imperial Order of Alexander Nevsky was restored
Important dates in the biography of Nevsky 1220 birth 1225 initiation into warriors 1234 first participation in the battle on the Omovzha River 1239 marriage to Alexander 1240 birth of son Vasily, victory over the Swedes in the Battle of the Neva 1242 victory over the Livonian knights at Lake Peipsi 1245 victory over the Lithuanians in the battle at Lake Zhiztsa 1246 death of his father 1247 trip to the Horde 1248 trip to Mongolia 1249 return to Russia 1251 second trip to the Horde 1258 third trip to the Horde 1262 last trip to the Horde 1263 death
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Personality of Alexander Nevsky
Alexander was born in November 1220 (according to another version, May 30, 1220) in the family of Prince Yaroslav II Vsevolodovich and the Ryazan princess Feodosia Igorevna. Yaroslav II Vsevodovich, father of Alexander
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Epoch
Alexander Nevsky reigned in the years that were critical in the fate of Russia: 1) a threat was approaching from the Catholic West; 2) the Tatar yoke was established; 3) the usual forms of relations between the authorities have changed.
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The opinion of historians about Alexander Nevsky
M. V. Lomonosov noted the foresight of Nevsky's policy, emphasized his merits in appeasing the Golden Horde and stopping aggression from the West. M. M. Shcherbatov was unable to truly appreciate the military art of Prince Alexander and paid attention mainly to the personal courage of Nevsky; he believed that in relation to the Horde, Alexander Yaroslavich pursued a peaceful policy
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In N. M. Karamzin's narrative, Alexander Nevsky appears as one of the most remarkable heroes of Russian history - a brave warrior, a talented commander, a wise ruler of the country, who cares about the welfare of the people and is capable of self-sacrifice for the sake of the Fatherland.
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S. M. Solovyov attached particular importance to the struggle for the great reign of Vladimir and the establishment of a new right to inherit the throne. He traced the stages of the struggle for power between the brother and sons of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, noting several cases of seizing the great reign not by the right of seniority (thanks only to superior strength) and accusing Alexander Nevsky of using Tatar help in the struggle for power.
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Major Acts
Battle on the Neva River in 1240
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Battle on Lake Peipsi ("Battle on the Ice") in 1242
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Canonization of Alexander Nevsky
Already in the 1280s, the veneration of Alexander Nevsky as a saint began in Vladimir, later he was officially canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church. Alexander Nevsky was the only Orthodox secular ruler not only in Russia, but throughout Europe, who did not compromise with the Catholic Church in order to maintain power. Icon of Alexander Nevsky
The Grand Russian Prince Alexander was born into the family of Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich and Princess Feodosia, daughter of Prince Mstislav Udatny. On the paternal side, he was the grandson of Vsevolod the Big Nest. The first information about Alexander dates back to 1228, when Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, who reigned in Novgorod, came into conflict with the townspeople and was forced to leave for Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, his ancestral inheritance. Despite this, he left two young sons Fedor and Alexander in the care of trusted boyars in Novgorod. After the death of Fedor, Alexander becomes the senior heir to Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. In 1236 he was appointed to the reign of Novgorod, and in 1239 he married the Polotsk princess Alexandra Bryachislavna.
Years of reign. Neva battle. In the first years of his reign, he had to deal with the fortification of Novgorod, which was threatened from the east by the Mongols-Tatars. Alexander built several fortresses on the Sheloni River. Glory to the young prince was brought by a victory won on the banks of the Neva, at the mouth of the Izhora River on July 15, 1240, over the Swedish detachment, which, according to legend, was commanded by the future ruler of Sweden, Jarl Birger. This campaign is not mentioned in Swedish sources about Birger's life. After the landing of the Swedes, Alexander with a small retinue, joining with the Ladoga residents, suddenly attacked the Swedes and completely defeated their detachment, showing exceptional courage in battle “put a seal on the king’s face with your sharp spears.”
It is believed that it was for this victory that the prince began to be called Nevsky, but for the first time this nickname is found in sources from the 14th century. Some descendants of the prince also bore the nickname Nevsky. Perhaps, in this way, possessions near the Neva were assigned to them. It is traditionally believed that the battle of 1240 prevented the loss of the shores of the Gulf of Finland by Russia, stopped the Swedish aggression on the Novgorod-Pskov lands. The victory on the Neva strengthened the political influence of Alexander, but at the same time contributed to the aggravation of his relations with the boyars, as a result of clashes with which the prince was forced to leave Novgorod and go to Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. Meanwhile, a threat from the west loomed over Novgorod. The Livonian Order, having gathered the German crusaders of the Baltic states, the Danish knights from Revel, enlisting the support of the papal curia and longtime rivals of the Novgorodians of Pskov, invaded the Novgorod lands.
An embassy was sent from Novgorod to Yaroslav Vsevolodovich asking for help. He sent an armed detachment to Novgorod, led by his son Andrei Yaroslavich, who was replaced by Alexander in the spring of 1241. Having gathered a powerful army, he recaptured the Koporye and Vodsk land occupied by the knights, and then drove the Livonian detachment out of Pskov. Inspired by the successes, the Novgorodians invaded the territory of the Livonian Order and began to ravage the settlements of the Estonians, tributaries of the Crusaders. A large cavalry army led by the master of the order came out against Alexander Nevsky. The knights who left Riga destroyed the advanced Russian regiment of Domash Tverdislavich, forcing Alexander to withdraw his troops to the border of the Livonian Order, which passed along Lake Peipus. Both sides began to prepare for a decisive battle.
The victory on the Neva strengthened the political influence of Alexander, but at the same time contributed to the aggravation of his relations with the boyars, as a result of clashes with which the prince was forced to leave Novgorod and go to Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. Meanwhile, a threat from the west loomed over Novgorod. The Livonian Order, having gathered the German crusaders of the Baltic states, the Danish knights from Revel, enlisting the support of the papal curia and longtime rivals of the Novgorodians of Pskov, invaded the Novgorod lands.
It happened on the ice of Lake Peipus, at the Raven Stone on April 5, 1242, and went down in history as the Battle of the Ice. The German troops suffered a crushing defeat. The Livonian Order was forced to make peace, according to which the crusaders renounced their claims to Russian lands, and also transferred part of Latgale to the Russians. In the history of military art, the victory of Alexander Nevsky on Lake Peipus was of exceptional importance: the Russian foot army surrounded and defeated the knightly cavalry and foot bollards, long before the infantry in Western Europe learned to defeat the mounted knights. The victory in this battle put Alexander Nevsky among the best commanders of his time.
Battle on the Ice. BATTLE ON ICE April 5, 1242, a battle on ice in the southern part of Lake Peipus between Russian troops led by Alexander Nevsky and the German Livonian crusader knights, which ended in the complete defeat of the knights. In 1237, in the Eastern Baltic, on the territory inhabited by the tribes of Levs and Estonians, the Livonian Order was formed by German knights. In the years, the German crusaders, Danish and Swedish invaders stepped up their aggressive actions, taking advantage of the weakening of Russia, the lands of which at that time were being ravaged by the Mongol-Tatars of Batu Khan. In 1240, after a short siege, the crusaders of the Livonian Order captured Izborsk. The Pskov militia approached Izborsk, but was defeated by the knights. The Pskovites alone lost more than eight hundred people. The Germans crossed the Velikaya River, pitched tents under the very walls of the Pskov Kremlin, burned the settlement and began to ravage the surrounding villages. Without waiting for the assault, the Pskov governor Tverdilo Ivankovich opened the gates of the Kremlin to the Germans. Having captured Pskov, the Livonian knights took hostages and placed their garrison in the city. Having taken the Koporsky churchyard (1240), the crusaders built a fortress here.
Then, having gathered the German crusaders of the Baltic states, the Danish knights from Revel, with the support of the papal curia, the Livonian Order invaded the Novgorod lands. In 1241, it was planned to capture Veliky Novgorod, Karelia and lands in the Neva region. An embassy was sent from Novgorod to the Grand Duke Yaroslav Vsevolodovich of Vladimir with a request for help. He sent armed detachments to Novgorod, led by his sons Andrei Yaroslavich, and Prince Alexander Nevsky, who was expelled from Novgorod in the winter of 1240. In 1241, the Novgorodian army, led by Alexander Nevsky, liberated Koporye and the Vodsk land occupied by the knights. After this success, the Russian squads invaded the lands of the Livonian Order and began to ravage the settlements of the Estonians, tributaries of the Crusaders. Alexander tried to provoke the knights to march, and not wait for the gathering of all the forces of the Livonian Order. The knights who left Riga, near the village of Khammast, defeated the advanced Russian regiment of Domash Tverdislavich. Alexander himself at that time was near Izborsk. Here he learned that the knights sent insignificant forces to Izborsk, and their main forces were moving straight to Lake Pskov. Alexander's army also went there.
The armies of the opponents converged on the shores of Lake Peipus at the Voronye stone and the Uzmen tract. Here, on April 5, 1242, a battle took place, which went down in history as the Battle of the Ice. Before the battle, the Germans had an army of thousands of people, Alexander Nevsky in thousands. The camp of the knights was located on the western shore of the lake, the Russians settled on the eastern shore. At dawn, the crusading army (Livonian and Danish knights, bollards of the bishoprics) formed a “wedge” (or “pig”) and moved against the Russians along the spring, not too strong ice of the lake. By this time, Alexander had already lined up the Novgorodians with a “heel”, the rear of which rested on the steep, steep eastern shore of the lake. Equestrian squads were located on the flanks of the Russians, infantry armed with spears lined up at the base of the "heel", and archers were in front. The princely squad was hidden in ambush, playing the role of a general reserve. The German knights and their infantry were met with a cloud of arrows, which forced the flanks of the "wedge" to press closer to the center. The Germans managed to break through the center of the battle order of the Novgorodians. Part of the Russian infantry even fled. But, having stumbled upon the steep shore of the lake, the system of inactive knights mixed up and could not develop their success. At this time, the flank squads of the Novgorodians squeezed, like ticks, the German "pig" from the flanks. Alexander with his retinue struck from the rear. The Russian infantry pulled the knights off their horses with hooks and destroyed them.
The Germans could not stand the tension of the battle and rushed to flee. Alexander organized the pursuit, which was carried out for seven kilometers, to the western shore of Lake Peipus. The ice broke under the fugitives, many drowned, many were taken prisoner. The Livonians suffered a complete defeat. About fifty knights were captured, about five hundred were killed. Much more knechts, warriors from Chud and Estonians died. Order knights in 1243 "sent (ambassadors) with a bow" to Novgorod, abandoning their conquests in the Russian lands; in the same year a peace treaty was concluded between Novgorod and the Livonian Order. The victory on Lake Peipus was of great historical significance. She stopped the advance of the crusaders to the east, which had as its goal the conquest and colonization of Russian lands. The battle on the ice also occupies an outstanding place in the history of Russian military art. In the summer of 1242, Alexander defeated the Lithuanian detachments that attacked the northwestern Russian lands, in 1245 recaptured Toropets, captured by Lithuania, destroyed the Lithuanian detachment at Lake Zhiztsa, and finally defeated the Lithuanian militia near Usvyat. Alexander Nevsky continued to strengthen the northwestern borders of Russia in the future: he sent embassies to Norway, which resulted in the first agreement between Russia and Norway (1251), made a successful campaign in Finland against the Swedes, who made a new attempt to close the Russian access to the Baltic Sea (1256 ).
Alexander and the Horde Successful military actions of Alexander Nevsky ensured the security of the western borders of Russia, but in the east, the Russian princes had to bow their heads to a much stronger enemy, the Mongol-Tatars. In 1243, Batu Khan, the ruler of the western part of the Mongolian state of the Golden Horde, presented the label of the Grand Duke of Vladimir to Alexander's father, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. The Great Khan of the Mongols Guyuk summoned Yaroslav to his capital Karakorum, where on September 30, 1246, the Grand Duke died (according to the generally accepted version, he was poisoned). Then his sons Alexander and Andrei were summoned to Karakorum. While the Yaroslavichs were getting to Mongolia, Khan Guyuk himself died, and the new mistress of Karakorum, Khansha Ogul-Gamish, decided to appoint Andrei as Grand Duke, while Alexander received the devastated South Russia and Kyiv in control.
Only in 1249 the brothers were able to return to their homeland. Alexander did not go to Kyiv, but returned to Novgorod, where he fell seriously ill. Around this time, Pope Innocent IV sent an embassy to Alexander Nevsky with a proposal to accept Catholicism, allegedly in exchange for help in the fight against the Mongols. This proposal was rejected by Alexander in the most categorical form. He rejected the attempts of the papal curia to provoke a war between Russia and the Golden Horde, as he understood the futility of the war with the Tatars at that time. Thus, Alexander Nevsky showed himself to be a cautious and far-sighted politician, managed to gain the trust of Batu Khan. In 1252, Ogul-Gamish was overthrown by the new Great Khan Munke. Taking advantage of this, Batu decided to remove Andrei Yaroslavich from the great reign and handed the label of the Grand Duke of Vladimir to Alexander Nevsky. But Alexander's younger brother, Andrei Yaroslavich, supported by his brother Yaroslav of Tverskoy and Daniil Romanovich Galitsky, refused to obey the decision of Batu. To punish the recalcitrant, Batu sent a Mongol detachment under the command of Nevryuy ("Nevryuev's army"). Andrei and Yaroslav were forced to flee outside North-Eastern Russia.
Later, in 1253, Yaroslav Yaroslavovich was invited to reign in Pskov, and in 1255 in Novgorod. At the same time, the Novgorodians "kicked out" the former Prince Vasily, the son of Alexander Nevsky. When Alexander imprisoned Vasily in Novgorod again, he severely punished the combatants who failed to protect the rights of their son, they were blinded. The political line of Alexander contributed to the prevention of devastating invasions of the Tatars in Russia. Several times he went to the Horde, achieved the release of the Russians from the obligation to act as an army on the side of the Tatar khans in their wars with other peoples. Alexander Nevsky made many efforts to strengthen the grand ducal power in the country. The new Golden Horde ruler, Khan Berke (since 1255), introduced in Russia a system of tribute taxation common to the conquered lands. In 1257, "numerals" were sent to Novgorod, like other Russian cities, to conduct a per capita census. This caused indignation among the Novgorodians, who were supported by Prince Vasily. An uprising began in Novgorod, which lasted about a year and a half, during which the Novgorodians did not submit to the Mongols. Alexander personally pacified the Novgorodians, executing the most active participants in the unrest. Vasily Alexandrovich was captured and taken into custody. Novgorod was forced to send tribute to the Golden Horde. Prince Dmitry Alexandrovich became the new Novgorod posadnik in 1259.
Alexander's last journey. In 1262 unrest broke out in the cities of Suzdal, where the Khan's Baskaks were killed and the Tatar merchants were expelled. To appease Khan Berke, Alexander Nevsky personally went with gifts to the Horde. Khan kept the prince at his side all winter and summer; only in the autumn did Alexander get the opportunity to return to Vladimir, but on the way he fell ill and died on November 14, 1263 in Gorodets. His body was buried in the Vladimir Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin. In the conditions of trials that hit the Russian lands, Alexander Nevsky managed to find the strength to resist the Western conquerors, gaining fame as a great Russian commander, and also laid the foundations for relations with the Golden Horde. Already in the 1280s, the veneration of Alexander Nevsky as a saint began in Vladimir, and later he was officially canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church. He is credited with refusing to compromise with the Catholic Church in order to maintain power. With the participation of his son Dmitry Alexandrovich and Metropolitan Kirill, a hagiographic story was written at the end of the 13th century, which became widespread at a later time. Fifteen editions of this life have been preserved, in which Alexander Nevsky is shown as an ideal warrior prince, defender of the Russian land.
Historical legacy of Alexander Nevsky. In 1724, Peter I founded a monastery in St. Petersburg in honor of the noble prince (now the Alexander Nevsky Lavra) and ordered his remains to be transported there. He also decided to celebrate the memory of Alexander Nevsky on August 30, the day of the conclusion of the victorious peace of Nystadt with Sweden. On May 21, 1725, Empress Catherine I instituted the Order of Alexander Nevsky, one of the highest awards in Russia that existed before. parts.