Alexander Nevsky defeated the Swedes in what year. Battle of Neva

And the Swedish army. Alexander Yaroslavich received the honorary nickname “Nevsky” for victory and personal courage in battle.

Prerequisites

Before the battle

In the summer of 1240, Swedish ships arrived at the mouth of the Neva River. Having landed on the shore, the Swedes and their allies pitched their tents in the place where Izhora flowed into the Neva. The Novgorod first chronicle of the older edition reports this as follows:

According to this message, the Swedes' army included Norwegians (Murmans) and representatives of Finnish tribes (Sum and Em), and there were also Catholic bishops in the army. The borders of the Novgorod land were guarded by “watchmen”: in the Neva area, on both banks of the Gulf of Finland, there was a “sea guard” of the Izhorians. At dawn of a July day in 1240, the elder of the Izhora land, Pelgusius, while on patrol, discovered the Swedish flotilla and hastily sent a report to Alexander about everything.

Alexander's detachment advanced by land along the Volkhov to Ladoga, then turned to the mouth of the Izhora. The army mainly consisted of mounted warriors, but there were also foot forces, which, in order not to waste time, also rode horses.

Progress of the battle

On July 15, 1240, the battle began. The message of the First Novgorod Chronicle of the older edition is quite brief:

Alexander “left the mark of his sharp spear on the face of the king himself...”. Kirpichnikov A.N. interprets this message as a violation of the order of the detachment of the Swedish king by Alexander’s squad already at the first cavalry spear clash. In the Russian army, in addition to the princely detachment, there were at least 3 detachments of noble Novgorodians who had their own squads, and a Ladoga detachment. In the “Life”, which is available in the younger edition of the First Novgorod Chronicle, six warriors are mentioned who performed feats during the battle (of which three were the prince’s warriors and three Novgorodians):

Chronicles

Some researchers question the reliability of evidence about the Battle of the Neva.

Memory of the Neva Battle

Alexander Nevsky Lavra

On August 30, 1724, the remains of Alexander Yaroslavich were transported here from Vladimir. In 1797, under Emperor Paul I, the Alexander Nevsky Monastery was awarded the degree of Lavra. The architectural ensemble of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra includes: Annunciation Church, Feodorovskaya Church, Trinity Cathedral and others. Nowadays, the Alexander Nevsky Lavra is a state reserve, on the territory of which is located the Museum of Urban Sculpture with an 18th-century necropolis (Lazarevskoye Cemetery) and a necropolis of art masters (Tikhvin Cemetery). Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov, Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin, Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin, Ivan Andreevich Krylov, Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka, Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky and many other figures who went down in Russian history are buried in the monastery.

Church of Alexander Nevsky in Ust-Izhora

In honor of the victory in the Battle of the Neva, a wooden church was built in Ust-Izhora in 1711.

Before the beginning of the new century, the church burned several times and was rebuilt several times. In 1798, at the expense of local residents, a stone temple with a bell tower and a cast-iron grating was erected.

The church is located in the Kolpinsky district of St. Petersburg at the address: village. Ust-Izhora, Shlisselburg highway, 217.

Screen adaptation

• In 2008, the feature film “Alexander. Battle of the Neva".

On coins and postage stamps

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Notes

1. Pokhlebkin V.V. Foreign policy of Rus', Russia and the USSR for 1000 years in names, dates, facts. Moscow. "International relationships". 1995
2. Pashuto V. T. Alexander Nevsky. M.: Young Guard, 1974. – 160 p.
3. . Two great battles of Alexander Nevsky. Retrieved September 21, 2008. .
4. Barsov N. P.. - Vilna: printing house of A. Syrkin, 1865. - 228 p.
5. . - St. Petersburg: printing house of V. Bezobrazov and company, 1865. - T. 2. - 898 p.
6. Uzhankov A.
9. . Church of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky in Ust-Izhora. Retrieved September 22, 2008. .
10. Anisimov E.V. History of Russia from Rurik to Putin. People. Events. Dates. Ed. 2nd, add., 2010, 592 pp., ISBN 978-5-388-00696-7
11. . PRINCE ALEXANDER YAROSLAVICH NEVSKY. .
12. Värmlandståget 1225.Ulf Sundberg. 1999. Svenskt Militärhistoriskt Bibliotek.
13. Freden i Lödöse 1249. Ulf Sundberg. 1997. Svenskt Militärhistoriskt Bibliotek
14. The image of Alexander Nevskij in the battle of Ivan IV against the infidels. Mari Mäki-Petäys. XX valtakunnallinen yleisen historian tutkijaseminaari. 2001. Tampere.
15. Tampereen ortodoksisen kirkon 100-vuotisjuhlassa pidetty juhlapuhe 6.11.1999. Jukka Korpela. Suomen ortodoksinen kirkkokunta
16. Alexander Nesterenko. "Alexander Nevsky" Publisher: Olma-Press. Series: Alternative. The story we don't know ISBN 5-224-05360-9
17. . Battle of Neva 1240. Retrieved September 21, 2008.
18. Chesnokova A. N. Grand entrance to a new page // Nevsky Prospekt. - L.: Lenizdat, 1985. - P. 7-9. - 208 p. - (To a tourist about Leningrad).
19. . Alexander Nevsky Church in Ust-Izhora. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
20. . My [email protected](inaccessible link - story) (November 12, 2008). Retrieved January 25, 2016. .

Links

Excerpt characterizing the Battle of the Neva

“It’s laughter,” he said, returning. - Two guards have arrived. One is completely frozen, and the other is so courageous, dammit! Songs are playing.
- Oh oh? go have a look... - Several soldiers headed towards the fifth company.

The fifth company stood near the forest itself. A huge fire burned brightly in the middle of the snow, illuminating the tree branches weighed down with frost.
In the middle of the night, soldiers of the fifth company heard footsteps in the snow and the crunching of branches in the forest.
“Guys, it’s a witch,” said one soldier. Everyone raised their heads, listened, and out of the forest, into the bright light of the fire, two strangely dressed human figures stepped out, holding each other.
These were two Frenchmen hiding in the forest. Hoarsely saying something in a language incomprehensible to the soldiers, they approached the fire. One was taller, wearing an officer's hat, and seemed completely weakened. Approaching the fire, he wanted to sit down, but fell to the ground. The other, small, stocky soldier with a scarf tied around his cheeks, was stronger. He raised his comrade and, pointing to his mouth, said something. The soldiers surrounded the French, laid out an overcoat for the sick man, and brought porridge and vodka to both of them.
The weakened French officer was Rambal; tied with a scarf was his orderly Morel.
When Morel drank vodka and finished a pot of porridge, he suddenly became painfully cheerful and began to continuously say something to the soldiers who did not understand him. Rambal refused to eat and silently lay on his elbow by the fire, looking at the Russian soldiers with meaningless red eyes. Occasionally he would let out a long groan and then fall silent again. Morel, pointing to his shoulders, convinced the soldiers that it was an officer and that he needed to be warmed up. The Russian officer, who approached the fire, sent to ask the colonel if he would take the French officer to warm him up; and when they returned and said that the colonel had ordered an officer to be brought, Rambal was told to go. He stood up and wanted to walk, but he staggered and would have fallen if the soldier standing next to him had not supported him.
- What? You will not? – one soldier said with a mocking wink, turning to Rambal.
- Eh, fool! Why are you lying awkwardly! It’s a man, really, a man,” reproaches to the joking soldier were heard from different sides. They surrounded Rambal, lifted him into his arms, grabbed him, and carried him to the hut. Rambal hugged the necks of the soldiers and, when they carried him, spoke plaintively:
- Oh, nies braves, oh, mes bons, mes bons amis! Voila des hommes! oh, mes braves, mes bons amis! [Oh well done! O my good, good friends! Here are the people! O my good friends!] - and, like a child, he leaned his head on the shoulder of one soldier.
Meanwhile, Morel sat in the best place, surrounded by soldiers.
Morel, a small, stocky Frenchman, with bloodshot, watery eyes, tied with a woman's scarf over his cap, was dressed in a woman's fur coat. He, apparently drunk, put his arm around the soldier sitting next to him and sang a French song in a hoarse, intermittent voice. The soldiers held their sides, looking at him.
- Come on, come on, teach me how? I'll take over quickly. How?.. - said the joker songwriter, who was hugged by Morel.
Vive Henri Quatre,
Vive ce roi vaillanti –
[Long live Henry the Fourth!
Long live this brave king!
etc. (French song) ]
sang Morel, winking his eye.
Se diable a quatre…
- Vivarika! Vif seruvaru! sit-down... - the soldier repeated, waving his hand and really catching the tune.
- Look, clever! Go go go go!.. - rough, joyful laughter rose from different sides. Morel, wincing, laughed too.
- Well, go ahead, go ahead!
Qui eut le triple talent,
De boire, de batre,
Et d'etre un vert galant...
[Having triple talent,
drink, fight
and be kind...]
– But it’s also complicated. Well, well, Zaletaev!..
“Kyu...” Zaletaev said with effort. “Kyu yu yu...” he drawled, carefully protruding his lips, “letriptala, de bu de ba and detravagala,” he sang.
- Hey, it’s important! That's it, guardian! oh... go go go! - Well, do you want to eat more?
- Give him some porridge; After all, it won’t be long before he gets enough of hunger.
Again they gave him porridge; and Morel, chuckling, began to work on the third pot. Joyful smiles were on all the faces of the young soldiers looking at Morel. The old soldiers, who considered it indecent to engage in such trifles, lay on the other side of the fire, but occasionally, raising themselves on their elbows, they looked at Morel with a smile.
“People too,” said one of them, dodging into his overcoat. - And wormwood grows on its root.
- Ooh! Lord, Lord! How stellar, passion! Towards the frost... - And everything fell silent.
The stars, as if knowing that now no one would see them, played out in the black sky. Now flaring up, now extinguishing, now shuddering, they busily whispered among themselves about something joyful, but mysterious.

X
The French troops gradually melted away in a mathematically correct progression. And that crossing of the Berezina, about which so much has been written, was only one of the intermediate stages in the destruction of the French army, and not at all a decisive episode of the campaign. If so much has been and is being written about the Berezina, then on the part of the French this happened only because on the broken Berezina Bridge, the disasters that the French army had previously suffered evenly here suddenly grouped together at one moment and into one tragic spectacle that remained in everyone’s memory. On the Russian side, they talked and wrote so much about the Berezina only because, far from the theater of war, in St. Petersburg, a plan was drawn up (by Pfuel) to capture Napoleon in a strategic trap on the Berezina River. Everyone was convinced that everything would actually happen exactly as planned, and therefore insisted that it was the Berezina crossing that destroyed the French. In essence, the results of the Berezinsky crossing were much less disastrous for the French in terms of the loss of guns and prisoners than Krasnoe, as the figures show.
The only significance of the Berezina crossing is that this crossing obviously and undoubtedly proved the falsity of all plans for cutting off and the justice of the only possible course of action demanded by both Kutuzov and all the troops (mass) - only following the enemy. The crowd of Frenchmen fled with an ever-increasing force of speed, with all their energy directed towards achieving their goal. She ran like a wounded animal, and she could not get in the way. This was proven not so much by the construction of the crossing as by the traffic on the bridges. When the bridges were broken, unarmed soldiers, Moscow residents, women and children who were in the French convoy - all, under the influence of the force of inertia, did not give up, but ran forward into the boats, into the frozen water.
This aspiration was reasonable. The situation of both those fleeing and those pursuing was equally bad. Remaining with his own, each in distress hoped for the help of a comrade, for a certain place he occupied among his own. Having given himself over to the Russians, he was in the same position of distress, but he was on a lower level in terms of satisfying the needs of life. The French did not need to have correct information that half of the prisoners, with whom they did not know what to do, despite all the Russians’ desire to save them, died from cold and hunger; they felt that it could not be otherwise. The most compassionate Russian commanders and hunters of the French, the French in Russian service could not do anything for the prisoners. The French were destroyed by the disaster in which the Russian army was located. It was impossible to take away bread and clothing from hungry, necessary soldiers in order to give it to the French who were not harmful, not hated, not guilty, but simply unnecessary. Some did; but this was only an exception.
Behind was certain death; there was hope ahead. The ships were burned; there was no other salvation but a collective flight, and all the forces of the French were directed towards this collective flight.
The further the French fled, the more pitiful their remnants were, especially after the Berezina, on which, as a result of the St. Petersburg plan, special hopes were pinned, the more the passions of the Russian commanders flared up, blaming each other and especially Kutuzov. Believing that the failure of the Berezinsky Petersburg plan would be attributed to him, dissatisfaction with him, contempt for him and ridicule of him were expressed more and more strongly. Teasing and contempt, of course, were expressed in a respectful form, in a form in which Kutuzov could not even ask what and for what he was accused. They didn't talk to him seriously; reporting to him and asking his permission, they pretended to perform a sad ritual, and behind his back they winked and tried to deceive him at every step.
All these people, precisely because they could not understand him, recognized that there was no point in talking to the old man; that he would never understand the full depth of their plans; that he would answer with his phrases (it seemed to them that these were just phrases) about the golden bridge, that you cannot come abroad with a crowd of vagabonds, etc. They had already heard all this from him. And everything he said: for example, that we had to wait for food, that people were without boots, it was all so simple, and everything they offered was so complex and clever that it was obvious to them that he was stupid and old, but they were not powerful, brilliant commanders.
Especially after the joining of the armies of the brilliant admiral and the hero of St. Petersburg, Wittgenstein, this mood and staff gossip reached its highest limits. Kutuzov saw this and, sighing, just shrugged his shoulders. Only once, after the Berezina, he became angry and wrote the following letter to Bennigsen, who reported separately to the sovereign:
“Due to your painful seizures, please, Your Excellency, upon receipt of this, go to Kaluga, where you await further orders and assignments from His Imperial Majesty.”
But after Bennigsen was sent away, Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich came to the army, making the beginning of the campaign and being removed from the army by Kutuzov. Now the Grand Duke, having arrived at the army, informed Kutuzov about the displeasure of the sovereign emperor for the weak successes of our troops and for the slowness of movement. The Emperor himself intended to arrive at the army the other day.
An old man, as experienced in court affairs as in military affairs, that Kutuzov, who in August of the same year was chosen commander-in-chief against the will of the sovereign, the one who removed the heir and the Grand Duke from the army, the one who, with his power, in opposition the will of the sovereign, ordered the abandonment of Moscow, this Kutuzov now immediately realized that his time was over, that his role had been played and that he no longer had this imaginary power. And he understood this not just from court relationships. On the one hand, he saw that military affairs, the one in which he played his role, was over, and he felt that his calling had been fulfilled. On the other hand, at the same time he began to feel physical fatigue in his old body and the need for physical rest.
On November 29, Kutuzov entered Vilna - his good Vilna, as he said. Kutuzov was governor of Vilna twice during his service. In the rich, surviving Vilna, in addition to the comforts of life that he had been deprived of for so long, Kutuzov found old friends and memories. And he, suddenly turning away from all military and state concerns, plunged into a smooth, familiar life as much as he was given peace by the passions seething around him, as if everything that was happening now and was about to happen in the historical world did not concern him at all.
Chichagov, one of the most passionate cutters and overturners, Chichagov, who first wanted to make a diversion to Greece, and then to Warsaw, but did not want to go where he was ordered, Chichagov, known for his courage in speaking to the sovereign, Chichagov, who considered Kutuzov benefited himself, because when he was sent in the 11th year to conclude peace with Turkey in addition to Kutuzov, he, making sure that peace had already been concluded, admitted to the sovereign that the merit of concluding peace belonged to Kutuzov; This Chichagov was the first to meet Kutuzov in Vilna at the castle where Kutuzov was supposed to stay. Chichagov in a naval uniform, with a dirk, holding his cap under his arm, gave Kutuzov his drill report and the keys to the city. That contemptuously respectful attitude of the youth towards the old man who had lost his mind was expressed to the highest degree in the entire address of Chichagov, who already knew the charges brought against Kutuzov.
While talking with Chichagov, Kutuzov, among other things, told him that the carriages with dishes captured from him in Borisov were intact and would be returned to him.
- C"est pour me dire que je n"ai pas sur quoi manger... Je puis au contraire vous fournir de tout dans le cas meme ou vous voudriez donner des diners, [You want to tell me that I have nothing to eat. On the contrary, I can serve you all, even if you wanted to give dinners.] - Chichagov said, flushing, with every word he wanted to prove that he was right and therefore assumed that Kutuzov was preoccupied with this very thing. Kutuzov smiled his thin, penetrating smile and, shrugging his shoulders, answered: “Ce n"est que pour vous dire ce que je vous dis. [I want to say only what I say.]
In Vilna, Kutuzov, contrary to the will of the sovereign, stopped most of the troops. Kutuzov, as his close associates said, had become unusually depressed and physically weakened during his stay in Vilna. He was reluctant to deal with the affairs of the army, leaving everything to his generals and, while waiting for the sovereign, indulged in an absent-minded life.
Having left St. Petersburg with his retinue - Count Tolstoy, Prince Volkonsky, Arakcheev and others, on December 7, the sovereign arrived in Vilna on December 11 and drove straight up to the castle in a road sleigh. At the castle, despite the severe frost, stood about a hundred generals and staff officers in full dress uniform and an honor guard from the Semenovsky regiment.
The courier, who galloped up to the castle in a sweaty troika, ahead of the sovereign, shouted: “He’s coming!” Konovnitsyn rushed into the hallway to report to Kutuzov, who was waiting in a small Swiss room.
A minute later, the thick, large figure of an old man, in full dress uniform, with all the regalia covering his chest, and his belly pulled up by a scarf, pumping, came out onto the porch. Kutuzov put his hat on the front, picked up his gloves and sideways, stepping with difficulty down the steps, stepped down and took in his hand the report prepared for submission to the sovereign.
Running, whispering, the troika still desperately flying by, and all eyes turned to the jumping sleigh, in which the figures of the sovereign and Volkonsky were already visible.
All this, out of a fifty-year habit, had a physically disturbing effect on the old general; He hurriedly felt himself with concern, straightened his hat, and at that moment the sovereign, emerging from the sleigh, raised his eyes to him, cheered up and stretched out, submitted a report and began to speak in his measured, ingratiating voice.
The Emperor glanced quickly at Kutuzov from head to toe, frowned for a moment, but immediately, overcoming himself, walked up and, spreading his arms, hugged the old general. Again, according to the old, familiar impression and in relation to his sincere thoughts, this hug, as usual, had an effect on Kutuzov: he sobbed.
The Emperor greeted the officers and the Semenovsky guard and, shaking the old man’s hand again, went with him to the castle.
Left alone with the field marshal, the sovereign expressed his displeasure to him for the slowness of the pursuit, for the mistakes in Krasnoye and on the Berezina, and conveyed his thoughts about the future campaign abroad. Kutuzov made no objections or comments. The same submissive and meaningless expression with which, seven years ago, he listened to the orders of the sovereign on the Field of Austerlitz, was now established on his face.
When Kutuzov left the office and walked down the hall with his heavy, diving gait, head down, someone’s voice stopped him.
“Your Grace,” someone said.
Kutuzov raised his head and looked for a long time into the eyes of Count Tolstoy, who stood in front of him with some small thing on a silver platter. Kutuzov did not seem to understand what they wanted from him.
Suddenly he seemed to remember: a barely noticeable smile flashed on his plump face, and he, bending low, respectfully, took the object lying on the platter. This was George 1st degree.

The next day the field marshal had dinner and a ball, which the sovereign honored with his presence. Kutuzov was awarded George 1st degree; the sovereign showed him the highest honors; but the sovereign’s displeasure against the field marshal was known to everyone. Decency was observed, and the sovereign showed the first example of this; but everyone knew that the old man was guilty and no good. When, at the ball, Kutuzov, according to Catherine’s old habit, upon the Emperor’s entrance into the ballroom, ordered the taken banners to be laid down at his feet, the Emperor frowned unpleasantly and uttered words in which some heard: “old comedian.”
The sovereign's displeasure against Kutuzov intensified in Vilna, especially because Kutuzov obviously did not want or could not understand the significance of the upcoming campaign.
When the next morning the sovereign said to the officers gathered at his place: “You saved more than just Russia; you saved Europe,” everyone already understood that the war was not over.
Only Kutuzov did not want to understand this and openly expressed his opinion that a new war could not improve the situation and increase the glory of Russia, but could only worsen its position and reduce the highest degree of glory on which, in his opinion, Russia now stood. He tried to prove to the sovereign the impossibility of recruiting new troops; spoke about the difficult situation of the population, the possibility of failure, etc.
In such a mood, the field marshal, naturally, seemed to be only a hindrance and a brake on the upcoming war.
To avoid clashes with the old man, a way out was found by itself, which consisted in, as at Austerlitz and as at the beginning of the campaign under Barclay, to remove from under the commander-in-chief, without disturbing him, without announcing to him that the ground of power on which he stood , and transfer it to the sovereign himself.
For this purpose, the headquarters was gradually reorganized, and all the significant strength of Kutuzov’s headquarters was destroyed and transferred to the sovereign. Tol, Konovnitsyn, Ermolov - received other appointments. Everyone said loudly that the field marshal had become very weak and was upset about his health.

A brief summary of which will be given in this article. His resounding victories are deservedly recognized as the historical heritage of Orthodox Rus'.

Victories and gallant deeds have been sung more than once by writers, artists and filmmakers. All historians of the world recognize his majestic figure and great importance in the struggle for Rus' and its inhabitants.

The Battle of the Neva, a brief summary of which will be given later in the article, seems to have been dismantled up and down. Facts and events have been studied by many famous historians and assessed. But, like all historical events so long ago, the Battle of the Neva left many questions. But first things first.

Background and reasons for the attack

In those distant times (1240), Kievan Rus was divided into separate principalities. And if the southern principalities, due to their location, suffered from the onslaught of the Mongols, the northern ones faced other problems.

So, next to the Novgorod principality there was the Levon Order. He tried with all his might to acquire profitable lands and convert local residents to the “true faith.” Catholicism was considered such, and, as you know, Rus' adopted Orthodoxy.

Thus, the Order received the support of the Pope himself and the Swedes. The latter had another reason - the capture of Ladoga. They tried to get this city back in 1164. The attempt failed. And of course, Novgorod itself was a tasty pie.

Of course, historians, as best they could, collected all kinds of information about the Battle of the Neva. But, given how long ago the events were, they are very scarce. It is well known that the Swedish army also consisted of Finns and Norwegians. Of course, representatives of the Catholic Church were also present. After all, this campaign (as well as many in those days) was positioned from the point of view of the conversion of infidels.

Most historians agree that the future king of Sweden B. Magnusson also took part in the campaign. During the battle, Alexander Nevsky wounded him in the eye.

As soon as the Swedish army landed near the Izhora River, our Grand Duke found out about it. And not without reason, because these lands were allies of Novgorod.

Interesting fact. They say that Alexander Nevsky knew that sooner or later the Swedes would attack the Novgorod lands, and ordered the local residents - the Izhorians - to continuously monitor the sea.

It is no wonder that Rus' learned in advance about the plans of the Swedes and reacted to them with lightning speed.

The Battle of Neva and the Battle of the Ice. Summary

Alexander Nevsky gathered an army in a short time. It should be noted that he did not even ask for help from the Vladimir Principality. He only secured the full support of the militia from Ladoga.

To ensure high mobility, the Russian army consisted mainly of cavalry. The enemy warriors, not expecting such a lightning-fast response, calmly positioned themselves along the seashore.

Of course, those warriors that the Grand Duke gathered were not enough for a full-fledged battle. But the weather itself helped here. There was a very heavy fog, and thanks to this, Nevsky’s army was able to get very close to the enemy and suddenly attack.

Fight for Rus'

The Battle of the Neva, a summary of which we present in this article, began on July 15, 1240. In the place where the battle took place, the Neva River and the Izhora River form an angle. Alexander had a plan to pin the enemy there in order to cut off all escape routes and give his army a head start.

And this plan led to success. After all, the enemy was completely isolated from his ships, and besides, the enemy army had little room for maneuver.

Of course, it is unfortunately impossible to describe the battle itself in all details. Too few reliable sources have survived. But historians still managed to draw up a brief outline of those distant days.

Battle of the Neva

Early in the morning of July 15, when fog shrouded the entire land where the enemy was located, Prince Nevsky gave the order to shoot fire arrows. Of course, at such an inopportune time, most people were asleep. The attack caused real panic. The unimaginable began to happen around: noise, confusion, confusion. Everything around was burning.

Taking advantage of all this, the Russian army began to storm the enemy, driving him to the water. During the battle, many ships of the enemies of Kievan Rus were set on fire and scuttled.

By evening, the Swedish army was forced to leave the Novgorod land in disgrace. The enemy fled on those few ships that were still intact.

Someone tried to escape by swimming along the Neva River. But even those lucky ones who were able to swim to the other side found themselves in the hands of the allies of the Prince of Novgorod.

The meaning of the Neva Battle. Battle of the Neva: summary for children

The victory in the Battle of the Neva was so impressive and was of such great importance in strengthening Rus' that Prince Alexander was given the name Nevsky. This victory so divided the Swedes and the Teutons that all subsequent attempts to attack were eradicated in the bud.

All historians recognize that the Battle of the Neva, a brief summary of which we reviewed during the article, or rather its result, greatly strengthened the Novgorod lands and, as many believe, turned the possible course of historical events. After all, Russian lands remained untouched.

Alexander did not allow the enemy to invade deep into the country and devastate the already suffering lands. And, perhaps, liberation from the Mongol-Tatar yoke would have become completely impossible if the enemy had set foot on our lands.

But the main thing is that this victory raised the spirit and spirit of the Russian people. Legends began to be composed and chronicles were written about this battle. Even now, in the modern world, people who have watched films about those events are revived patriotic feelings.

This day in history:

Battle of Neva(July 15, 1240) - battle on the Neva River between the Novgorod militia 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.

Sources

Sources telling about the Battle of the Neva are very few. This is the Novgorod First Chronicle of the older edition, several versions of the hagiographic Tale of the Life of Alexander Nevsky, written no later than the 80s. XIII century, as well as the later Novgorod first chronicle of the younger edition, dependent on the two sources indicated above. There is no mention of a major defeat in Scandinavian sources, although in 1240 a small Scandinavian detachment actually took a campaign against Rus' (as part of the crusade to Finland).

Battle

Background

In the first half of the 13th century, the Swedes and Novgorodians carried out campaigns of conquest against the Finnish tribes Sumy and Em, which was the cause of their protracted conflicts. The Swedes tried to baptize these tribes, converting them to the Catholic faith.

In this confrontation, both sides sought to bring Ingria - the territory adjacent to the Neva River, as well as the Karelian Isthmus - under their control.

Before the battle

In the summer of 1240, Swedish ships arrived at the mouth of the Izhora River. Having landed on the shore, the Swedes and their allies pitched their tents in the place where Izhora flowed into the Neva. The Novgorod first chronicle of the older edition reports this as follows:

Svea came in great strength, and Murman, and Sum, and there was a great multitude in the ships; With your prince and with your scribes; and stasha in the Neva at the mouth of the Izhera, wanting to absorb Ladoga, just the river and Novgorod and the entire Novgorod region.

According to this message, the Swedes' army included Norwegians (Murmans) and representatives of Finnish tribes (Sum and Em); There were also Catholic bishops in the army. According to N.I. Kostomarov, the Swedish army could be led by the king’s son-in-law Birger Magnusson. However, Swedish sources do not contain any mention of either the battle itself or Birger’s participation in it. It is interesting that Birger’s wife was Alexander Nevsky’s at least fourth cousin.

The borders of the Novgorod land were guarded by “watchmen”: in the Neva area, on both banks of the Gulf of Finland, there was a “sea guard” of the Izhorians. At dawn of a July day in 1240, the elder of the Izhora land, Pelgusius, while on patrol, discovered the Swedish flotilla and hastily sent a report to Alexander about everything.

The “Life of Alexander Nevsky” talks about a vision of Pelgusius, in which he recognized the holy martyrs Boris and Gleb sailing on the sea on a ship, and heard Boris say: “Brother Gleb, tell us to row, and let us help our relative Prince Alexander.”

Having received such news, Prince Alexander Yaroslavich decided to suddenly attack the enemy. There was no time to wait for reinforcements, and Alexander began gathering his own squad. Novgorod militias also joined the army.

According to accepted custom, the soldiers gathered at the Hagia Sophia and received a blessing from Archbishop Spyridon. Alexander inspired the squad with a speech, the phrase of which has survived to this day 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.

Alexander's detachment advanced along the Volkhov to Ladoga, then turned to the mouth of the Izhora. Along the way, local residents joined the detachment. The army mainly consisted of mounted warriors, but there were also foot forces, which, in order not to waste time, also rode horses.

The Swedish camp was not guarded, since the Swedes did not think about the possibility of an attack on them. Taking advantage of the fog, Alexander's troops secretly approached the enemy and took him by surprise: without the ability to create a battle formation, the Swedes could not offer full resistance.

Progress of the battle

On July 15, 1240, the battle began. The message of the First Novgorod Chronicle of the older edition is quite brief:

And their commander, named Spiridon, quickly killed her; and I did the same thing, as if the pissant killed the same thing; and many many of them fell; and after laying down the ship, two men built it, leaving the wasteland and heading to the sea; and what good was it, having dug a hole, I swept it into the hole; and there were many ulcers; and that night, without waiting for the light of Monday, he left in shame.

The insertion made in the Biography of Alexander Nevsky according to the Laurentian Chronicle mentions six warriors who performed feats during the battle: Russian mounted spearmen attacked the center of the Swedish camp, and the foot army struck the flank along the coast and captured three ships. As the battle progressed, Alexander’s army had the initiative, and the prince himself, according to chronicle information, “left the mark of his sharp spear on the face of the king himself...”

Gavrilo Oleksich, “seeing the prince being dragged by the arms, rode all the way to the ship along the gangplank along which they were running with the prince,” climbed aboard, was thrown down, but then entered the battle again. Sbyslav Yakunovich, armed with only one ax, rushed into the very center of the enemy army, followed by Alexander’s hunter; Yakov Polochanin waved his long sword. The youth Savva penetrated into the center of the Swedish camp, “burst into the large royal golden-domed tent and cut down the tent pole”; Having lost its support, the tent fell to the ground. Novgorodian Mesha and his squad sank three enemy ships. The sixth warrior mentioned, the servant of Alexander Yaroslavich Ratmir, fought on foot against several Swedes, was wounded and died.

The battle lasted until evening; By nightfall the opponents dispersed. The Swedes were defeated, and by morning they retreated to the surviving ships and crossed to the other side. It is known that the Russian soldiers did not interfere with the escape. The losses of the Novgorod army were insignificant. They amounted to twenty people, while the Swedes loaded the bodies of their dead soldiers on their remaining three ships, and left the rest on the shore. Reports of further developments are conflicting. On the other bank of the Neva the next day, local residents discovered many unburied bodies of the Swedes, although it is indicated that they sank two ships with the dead, after which the remnants of the army sailed to Sweden.

Result of the battle

Having won, the Russian troops did not allow the Swedes to cut off Novgorod from the sea and capture the coast of the Neva and the Gulf of Finland. In addition, the plan for joint actions of the Swedish and German knights was destroyed: now, after the victory, Novgorod could not be surrounded on both sides.

However, out of fear that after the victory, Alexander’s role in the conduct of affairs might increase, the Novgorod boyars began to plot all sorts of intrigues against the prince. Alexander Nevsky went to his father, but a year later the Novgorod residents again invited the prince to continue the war with the Livonian Order, which had approached Pskov.

Memory of the Neva Battle

Architecture

Alexander Nevsky Lavra

In 1710, Peter I, in memory of the Battle of the Neva, founded the Alexander Nevsky Monastery at the mouth of the Black River (now the Monastyrka River) in St. Petersburg. At that time it was mistakenly believed that the battle took place at this very place. The construction of the monastery was carried out according to the design of Domenico Trezzini. Subsequently, the monastery ensemble developed according to the plans of other architects.

On August 30, 1724, the remains of Alexander Yaroslavich were transported here from Vladimir. In 1797, under Emperor Paul I, the Alexander Nevsky Monastery was awarded the degree of Lavra. The architectural ensemble of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra includes: the Annunciation Church, the Feodorovskaya Church, the Trinity Cathedral and others. Now the Alexander Nevsky Lavra is a state reserve, on the territory of which is located the Museum of Urban Sculpture with an 18th-century necropolis (Lazarevskoye Cemetery) and a necropolis of art masters (Tikhvin Cemetery). Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov, Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin, Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin, Ivan Andreevich Krylov, Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka, Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky and many other figures who went down in Russian history are buried in the monastery.

In honor of the victory in the Battle of Neva in Ust-Izhora in 1711, a wooden church was built.

Before the beginning of the new century, the church burned several times and was rebuilt several times. In 1798, at the expense of local residents, a stone temple with a bell tower and a cast-iron grating was erected.

In 1934 the temple was closed and used as a warehouse. During the siege of Leningrad, the church bell tower was blown up because it served as a landmark for German artillery.

In 1990, work began on the restoration of the temple, and in 1995, on September 12, it was consecrated. At the temple there is a small cemetery near the church, where on December 6, 2002, a monument-chapel with a half-length (bronze) image of Alexander Nevsky was installed and consecrated.

The church is located in the Kolpinsky district of St. Petersburg at the address: Ust-Izhora, 9th January Ave., 217.

Screen adaptation

In 2008, the feature film “Alexander. Battle of the Neva".

• Currently, in the place where the Swedish ships stopped and the knights set up their camp, the village of Ust-Izhora is located.

Criticism

Currently, the reliability of evidence about the Battle of the Neva is questioned. The following arguments are given:

• There is no mention of the battle in the Ipatiev Chronicle, as well as in Swedish sources.
• In the Laurentian Chronicle, the mention of the battle is placed in the records for 1263 and is borrowed from the Life. For 1240 g there is no mention of the battle.
• Swedish sources claim that Birger did not leave Sweden during the year of the battle.
• Swedish sources do not mention the death of any bishop in the year of the battle.
• The description of the wound to the face may have been borrowed from the Life of Dovmont of Novgorod.
• There is no explanation for the contradictory behavior of the Swedes, who did not advance deep into enemy territory and did not build a fortified camp.
• There is no explanation for the strange behavior of Alexander, who did not notify of Yaroslav’s attack and did not gather the Novgorod militia.
• It is not clear why the Swedes remained on the battlefield after the battle and were able to bury the dead.
• There is no information about the captured Swedes.
• The information about the sinking of three Swedish ships looks implausible.
• It is not clear who killed the Swedes on the other side of the river.
• The deceased Swedish military leader bears the Russian name Spiridon.
• A hypothesis is put forward about a joint attack by Alexander and the Karelians on the camp of Swedish merchants.

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

NOVGOROD FIRST CHRONICLE OF THE SENIOR EDITION

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

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

ON THE EVE OF THE BATTLE OF NEVSKY

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

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

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

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

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

ALEXANDER NEVSKY DURING THE BATTLE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NEVSKAYA VICTORY

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

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

HISTORIANS ABOUT ALEXANDER NEVSKY

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

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

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

At the end of 1237, Pope Gregory IX declared another crusade against the heretical Russians and pagan Finns. Naturally, all participants were promised forgiveness of sins, “heavenly paradise” and all that. The German order forces and their allies began to prepare for a new campaign to the Novgorod border. But they were not the only ones who heard the papal call. The Swedes have long been looking for an opportune moment to once and for all gain a foothold in the Ladoga region and at the mouth of the Neva River and secure their territories in the Finnish regions from the Novgorodians. In 1164, the Swedes already tried to attack with large forces, besieging the city of Ladoga - now Staraya Ladoga, but were defeated by the Ladoga residents and the Novgorodians who came to the rescue. In 1187, with a return greeting, the Novgorodians and Karelians took and destroyed the Swedish city of Sigtuna.

The Mongol-Tatars had just swept through Rus' with fire and sword, the Germans were clearly gaining strength in the Baltic states. The defense capability of Novgorod at this time could not help but weaken. And the German, Danish, and Swedish crusaders considered that the time for reckoning had come. The Pope gave his blessing. The Swedish king Eric Kartavy (Lisping), bishops in Livonia and Scandinavia, announced the recruitment of volunteers for the “Army of Christ”.

They struck in the summer of 1240 at the same time.

The Swedish fleet entered the mouth of the Neva in mid-July 1240. As it is said in the chronicle “The Life of Alexander Nevsky,” “if you want to perceive Ladoga, just the river and Novgorod, and the entire Novgorod region.” Papal legates sailed with them to give the campaign the status of a crusade. The army was led by cousins ​​- Earl Ulf Fasi and the king's son-in-law, Earl Birger Magnusson - Historical literature often indicates that Earl Birger was at the head of the Swedish troops during the campaign on the Neva. I. P. Shaskolsky convincingly proves that until 1248 Birger was simply a large Swedish feudal lord. Jarl and ruler of the Swedish state from the 1230s. and before 1248 there was Birger's cousin Ulf Fasi. Birger became jarl and de facto ruler of the Swedish state in 1248. Therefore, most likely, Ulf Fasi was at the head of the Swedish troops. Cm.: Shaskolsky I. P. Decree. Op. P. 177-178.. In total, according to the chronicle, there were five thousand warriors

Alexander Yaroslavich then reigned in Novgorod. The necessarily loyal policy of his father, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, towards the Mongols - in 1238, Yaroslav, after the death of his brother Yuri, as the eldest of the family, with the approval of the khan, took the Vladimir grand-ducal throne, allowed us to hope for relative calm on this side and focus on threat from the west. Just like his father, he expected the Crusaders to invade.

Despite the fact that Alexander Yaroslavich was still quite a young man - in 1240, Alexander Yaroslavich was 19 years old. , he possessed qualities important for the prince, such as foresight and foresight. In alliance with wisdom, prudence and love for the Motherland, at all times they make a person indispensable for his fatherland. And even more so during a time of constant military threat.

Understanding the situation pushed Alexander Yaroslavich to take preventive measures. Fortifications grew on Novgorod lands. New fortified towns along the Sheloni River were to be protected from restless Lithuania. The chronicle says: “That same summer, Prince Alexander and the Novgorodians cut down the towns along Shelona.” All border fortified cities had strong garrisons. In anticipation of the Swedes and Germans, there were permanent posts on the lines that were supposed to report the attack, provide an opportunity to prepare for defense and gather forces for a retaliatory strike.

However, the self-confident Swedes did not hide their intentions. Birger Magnusson sent Alexander Yaroslavich a message directly declaring war. “If you can, resist, but know that I am here and will take your land captive!” - said the arrogant Swede to the prince. Birger calculated everything correctly. He knew that Alexander would not have time to gather a large militia. And the Vladimir regiments of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich will not have time to help his son.

But the Swedes were noticed before they reached the end of their voyage. On the Neva River, more precisely, at the mouth of the Neva, there had long been allies of the Novgorodians - the Izhora “watchmen”. They noticed the Swedish fleet. Sergeant Major Pelgusy, while on patrol, was the first to see the “Svei boats” and immediately sent a messenger to Novgorod. The Izhora watchmen closely watched as the Swedes, battered by the long journey, reached the mouth of the Izhora on their ships. Confident in their superiority, Birger and Fasi decide to stop and give their people a rest. A camp was set up on the shore for noble knights and papal legates, those who were simpler remained on the ships. The watchmen, having calculated the strength of the Swedes, also reported this to Novgorod.

Having received news from Pelgusius, Alexander immediately assembles a council of boyars and noble warriors. There was no longer time to argue and reason. Here begins the flowering of the genius of Alexander Yaroslavich as a skilled speaker. He convinces the Novgorodians not to waste time and strike at the “guests” with all available forces before the enemy waits for them. Strike with the small princely squad and the Novgorod militia against a stronger enemy. Surprisingly, the irreconcilable boyar council approved the prince's plan. The Novgorod militia was hastily assembled.

At the Church of St. Sophia Alexander pronounces his famous words: “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.” Having received the blessing of Bishop Spiridon, a small army (about 1300 people) set off to meet the enemy.

But they did not go the direct route, but along the Volkhov River to Ladoga. Reinforcements awaited them there in the form of the Ladoga militia. Foot soldiers sailed on ships along the river, and cavalry moved parallel along the shore.

It is unknown where the young prince got such confidence in his abilities. But the chronicle says that Pelgusius not only reported the arrival of the Swedes. They also talk about the vision that the Izhora elder saw. It was a vision of the slain saints Boris Gleb in red robes, sailing on a boat on the sea. And Boris said: “Brother Gleb, let’s row, let’s help our relative Alexander,” after which the boat disappeared from sight. Maybe this vision inspired the Novgorod prince, or maybe the time has simply come for him to reveal himself as a Great Commander.

Having been replenished with Ladoga residents and Izhora residents, Alexander’s 1,500-strong variegated army, hidden by fog, approached unnoticed to the mouth of the Izhora River, where the unsuspecting crusaders were resting before their future campaign against Ladoga. They were so sure that no one could disturb them that they did not post a guard. Some of the Swedes were on the ships.

The talent of a commander is to make the only correct decision before and during the battle. And it was accepted by Alexander Yaroslavich. He, secretly looking around the camp of the crusaders, immediately noted the weak point of their location. All that remains is to slam the trap that the Swedes have created for themselves.

On the morning of July 15, 1240, the Russians rushed at the Swedes. Divided into three detachments, two mounted and one on foot, they struck at once from three sides. A detachment of mounted spearmen of Gavrilo Oleksich broke through the Swedes' camp and ended up at their ships. The foot warriors of Misha Novgorod struck from the other flank, finally cutting off the knights’ path to salvation. Alexander himself and his squad attacked the Swedes head-on, aiming at the golden-domed tent of Earl Birger. And the “fierce slaughter” began. The effect of surprise was achieved, but having numerical superiority, the crusaders fought with despair. Many feats were accomplished that day by the Novgorodians. The chronicle says this about the Battle of the Neva:

“Six brave men like him from Alexandrov’s regiment showed themselves here. The first one is named Gavrilo Oleksich. He attacked the auger and, seeing the prince being dragged by the arms, rode all the way to the ship along the gangplank along which he and the prince were running; those pursued by him grabbed Gavrila Oleksich and threw him off the gangplank along with his horse. But by God's mercy he emerged from the water unharmed, and again attacked them, and fought with the commander himself in the midst of their army. The second, named Sbyslav Yasukovich, is from Novgorod. This one attacked their army many times and fought with one ax, having no fear in his soul; and many fell by his hand, and they marveled at his strength and courage. The third - Yakov, a native of Polotsk, was a hunter for the prince. This one attacked the regiment with a sword, and the prince praised him. The fourth is a Novgorodian named Mesha. This man on foot and his retinue attacked the ships and sank three ships. The fifth is from the younger squad, named Savva. This one burst into the large royal golden-domed tent and cut down the tent pole. The Alexandrov regiments, seeing the fall of the tent, rejoiced. The sixth is from the servants of the Alexandrovs, named Ratmir. This one fought on foot, and many enemies surrounded him. He fell from many wounds and died at the Battle of the Neva” - Military Tales of Ancient Rus' pp. 130-131

The battle continued all day and ended by nightfall. Many Swedes were beaten that day - about 200 noble knights, and others - “without number” (Life of Al. Nevsk.). Earl Birger was wounded in the face by Alexander and was carried to the ship.

During the night, the surviving Swedes collected the bodies of their fallen fellow tribesmen and in the morning, quickly boarding the surviving ships, sailed to Sweden. The Russians did not pursue them, which was probably very humane on their part. It is mentioned that the Russians collected the bodies of the killed Scandinavians, whom their fellow countrymen did not have time to pick up, and, having loaded several ships with them, sent them down the Neva, following the survivors.

Returning to Novgorod as a hero, Alexander Yaroslavich received the popular nickname “Nevsky”.

So, the Swedish crusaders failed to capture the fortress of Ladoga and Novgorod. Having received a powerful rebuff, they left the Russian lands alone for a while. This was very important for Northern Rus'. Now, in the face of German order aggression, she was calm about her rear. Neither Novgorod nor Pskov could fight on two fronts.