July 15, 1240, Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich won the battle on the Neva River, defeating the Swedes and was nicknamed Nevsky. Department of Science “Gazety.Ru” recalls the glorious pages of the history of Russia.
Prince Alexander Nevsky Yaroslavovych nicknamed often remembered in the context of the Battle on the Ice in 1242. Also, many comes to mind the phrase “who comes to us with a sword coming, perish by the sword!”. That’s just it does not belong to the prince, and screenwriter and part-time director of the film “Alexander Nevsky” Sergei Eisenstein. A battle on the Lake Peipus is though the most famous, but not the only victory of Prince Alexander Yaroslavovych.
The nickname he received after the Nevsky Battle of the Neva, held July 15, 1240.
Despite the fact that the events of this magnitude are usually held in the school, often forget to say that the famous battle was a small episode in the Second Swedish Crusade.
The bull, published December 9, 1237, the Pope appealed to the Swedish archbishop calling to organize a crusade to Finland “against Tavastia” – the western branch of the Finns, different from eastern Karelia, both in appearance and in character and language . In addition, the Pope ordered to destroy their “nearest neighbors”, ie, Russian Karelia and in alliance with which Tavastia resisted Catholic expansion.
It is a fact that for many years before the Crusade, the Swedes tried persuade know Tavastia, ie representatives of the Finnish tribes sum (suomi) and Em (heme), to adopt Catholicism. In the early 1220′s they did it, but, when the expansion of a political nature, continued the religious, the Finns decided to try again to find a refuge in Novgorod, in order not to lose their land. And if the family sum in the end remained under Swedish rule, the representatives of the tribe Em raised in the mid 1230′s the present uprising against the Swedes and received support from Novgorod.
The result of this uprising was an appeal to the Pope. And Gregory IX dislike Russia for a long time: in 1232, he called to “protect the new planting of the Christian faith against the infidel Russian.”
At the same problems in the Russian princes and without missing a crusade: in 1237 started the Mongol invasion of Russia.
At the beginning of 1238 , Danish crusaders led by King Valdemar II agreed to a victorious and united the Livonian Teutonic Order, as well as the Swedish knights on how they will divide the land which they will be able to capture. Then Pope Gregory IX blessed the Swedish Birger Jarl in the crusade against Novgorod lands, and all the participants of this campaign promised absolution.
«The Swedish authorities took the striking from the sea across the Neva River on Lake Ladoga and Novgorod, German knights began to strike on land – in the Pskov and Novgorod … the only time in the history of the united forces of the three Western European Chivalry: the Swedes, Germans and Danes – to attack the Russian land “- wrote about these events Soviet historian Igor Shaskolsky.
According to the historian, “the Swedish knights in the event of the success of his campaign hoped to seize the banks of the Neva – only to Novgorod and the whole of Russia access to the sea – and take control of the entire foreign trade of Novgorod” . In general, the Swedes hoped to conquer all the land of Novgorod and complete the conquest of Finland.
Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich, received the news of the approach of the enemy, he decided to act speedily, without waiting for reinforcements from his father – the Grand Duke Vladimir Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. According to Igor Shaskolsky “surprise attack on the Swedish camp was the most important condition for the success of the Russian army”, as Alexander Nevsky was necessary to stop the advancement of the enemy still on the Neva.
Thus, the prince had to fight with his numerically superior forces of the Swedish army, which also was better armed.
Most all Russian ships entered the river Tosno, which flows into the Neva River above the mouth of the river Izhora, and went up 6 km to the place closest approach over the influx of Izhora – Large Izhorki river, by land reached Big Izhorki and down along the wooded shore to its mouth, It is located near the confluence of the Izhora and Neva.
«Thus, the Russian army succeeded unexpectedly attack the Swedish camp is not with the Neva, where the Swedes could likely expect an attack, and from the land. Surprise strike provided the Russian army an important strategic advantage and allowed to finish the battle in complete victory, “- says Igor Shaskolsky.
Historians agree on one thing: Battle of the Neva, as well as other battles of the Middle Ages, was not conducted in a continuous confrontation between the two opposing military masses, but in the form of collisions of individual sections.
«After Alexander hastened to attack the enemies in the sixth hour of the day, and there was a great slaughter with the Romans, and killed their prince countless, and on the face of the king left his mark spearhead his” – told in the Life of Alexander Nevsky.
According to historian Anatoly Kirpichnikova, “mark on the face” can be interpreted as a sign, mark, damage caused by a blow to the Swedish army mounted lancers. Consequently, in the first attack caused damage to the construction of Novgorod Swedes.
According to him, the battle is usually adopted at the time, it began with an attack mounted lancers. During prolonged melee ranks Swedes were upset and broke through and their individual units did not fight together, and may have been part of the disconnected.
«Battle at the mouth of the river Izhora, apparently, was delayed until the evening. By nightfall ratification parted. Judging by the comments of the chronicles, the Swedish army, despite the defeat, it was not destroyed. By morning, the enemy was not able to continue the struggle and to completely clear the field of battle, sailed on ships. Child residues Swedish army did not interfere.
Lee said here knightly combat techniques that allowed during the break to bury his or Novgorod considered further bloodshed in vain, or Alexander of Kostroma did not want to risk his army suffered losses – can not be excluded None of these explanations, “- says Anatoly Kirpichnikov.
Despite the fact that Alexander Nevsky defeated the Swedes at its disposal are simply not had the strength to repel the invasion of the Germans from the west was late. In addition, the Novgorod boyars soon drove the victorious Prince, fearing that its influence starts to grow, and he will try to rule alone. Meanwhile, the Germans captured the fortress Izborsk, Pskov and have come to Novgorod. In addition, they took the banks of the Neva, Ladoga Karelia and the earth, and was erected in the vicinity of the Gulf of Finland, the fortress was. And if the Mongol-Tatars simply devastated Russian land, taking all that one could take home with them, the Germans settled in the occupied territories and set their own rules on them
Residents of Novgorod could do nothing but to reiterate its call on Help Alexander Yaroslavovych nicknamed Nevsky.
References:
Shaskolsky IP The fight against Russia crusading aggression on the shores of the Baltic in XII-XIII centuries. L .: Science, 1978
IP Shaskolsky Battle of the Neva in 1240 in light of modern science // Prince Alexander Nevsky and his era: Studies and Materials / Ed. JK Begunova and AN Kirpichnikova. SPb., 1995.
AN Kirpichnikov Two great battles of Alexander Nevsky // Alexander Nevsky and the history of Russia. St. Petersburg. S. 29-41.
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