At the end of 1237, Pope Gregory IX announced another crusade against Russian heretics and pagan Finns. Naturally, all participants were promised forgiveness of sins, "heavenly paradise" and so on. German order forces and their allies began to prepare for a new campaign in the Novgorod border. But they were not the only ones who heard the papal appeal. The Swedes have long been looking for a convenient moment to gain a foothold in the Ladoga area and at the mouth of the Neva River once and for all and to secure their territories in the Finnish lands from Novgorodians. In 1164, the Swedes already tried to attack with large forces, besieging the city of Ladoga - now - Staraya Ladoga, but they were defeated by the Ladoga residents and the Novgorodians who came to the rescue in time. In 1187, with a reciprocal “hello”, the Novgorodians and the Karelians took and destroyed the Swedish city of Sigtuna.

As soon as the Mongol-Tatars marched with fire and sword across Russia, the Germans were clearly strengthening in the Baltic. The defense capability of Novgorod at this time could not but weaken. Both German, Danish and Swedish crusaders felt that the time had come to reckon. The Pope gave his blessing. The Swedish king Eric Kartavy (Shepelyavyy), bishops in Livonia and Scandinavia, announced the recruitment of volunteers in 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", "at least to perceive Ladoga, it's just the river and Novgorod, and the entire Novgorod region." The papal legates sailed with them to give the campaign the status of a crusade. The army was led by cousins - Jarl Ulf Fasi and the king's son-in-law, Jarl Birger Magnusson. Historical literature often indicates that Jarl Birger stood at the head of the Swedish troops during the campaign on the Neva. IP Shaskolsky convincingly proves that until 1248 Birger was simply a major Swedish feudal lord. Jarl and ruler of the Swedish state from the 1230s. and until 1248 was Birger's cousin Ulf Fasi. Birger became a 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. S. 177-178 .. In total, according to the chronicle, there were five thousand soldiers

Alexander Yaroslavich then reigned in Novgorod. The politically 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, made it possible to hope for relative calm on this side and focus on threat from the west. Just like his father, he expected the invasion of the Crusaders.

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

Understanding of the situation pushed Alexander Yaroslavich to take preventive measures. Fortifications grew on the Novgorod lands. New fortified towns along the Sheloni River were to be protected from restless Lithuania. The chronicle says: "That same summer, Prince Alexander from Novgorod, cut down the town across Shelon." There were strong garrisons in all the border fortress cities. In anticipation of the Swedes and Germans, there were permanent posts on the lines that were supposed to report the attack, give the 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 a message to Alexander Yaroslavich, where he directly declared war. "If you can, resist, but know that I am here and will capture your land!" - declared the haughty Swede to the prince. Birger calculated everything correctly. He knew that Alexander would not have time to assemble a large militia. And the Vladimir regiments of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich will not have time to help his son.

But the Swedes were spotted before they reached the end of their voyage. On the river Neva, more precisely, at the mouth of the Neva, the allies of the Novgorodians, the Izhora "watchmen", have long been located. They also noticed the Swedish fleet. Sergeant Major Pelgusiy, being on patrol, was the first to see the "Sveisk boats" and immediately sent a messenger to Novgorod. The Izhora sentinels watched closely as the Swedes, battered by a distant passage, reached the mouth of the Izhora on their ships. Confident in their superiority, Birger and Fassi decide to stop and let their people rest. On the coast, a camp was set up for noble knights and papal legates, who, more simply, remained on the ships. The sentinels, having calculated the strength of the Swedes, also reported this to Novgorod.

Having received news from Pelgusius, Alexander immediately gathers a council of boyars and noble warriors. There was no more time to argue and reason. Here begins the flowering of the genius of Alexander Yaroslavich as a skillful orator. He convinces the Novgorodians not to waste time and strike at the "guests" with all available forces, while the enemy was not waiting for them. Strike a 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.

Near the church of St. Sophia Alexander utters his famous words: “Brothers! God is not in the power, but in the truth! Let us recall the words of the psalmist: these are in arms, and these are on horseback, but in the name of our Lord our God we will call ... We will not fear the multitude of warriors, as God is with us. " Having received the blessing of Vladyka Spiridon, a small army (about 1300 people) set off to meet the enemy.

But they did not go directly, but along the Volkhov River to Ladoga. There they were awaited by reinforcements in the form of the Ladoga militia. Foot soldiers sailed on ships along the river, and the cavalry moved parallel along the coast.

It is not known where the young prince got such confidence in his abilities. But the chronicle says that Pelgusius not only announced the arrival of the Swedes. It also speaks of the vision that the Izhora elder saw. It was a vision of the slain saints Boris Gleb in red robes, sailing in a boat on the sea. And Boris said: "Brother Gleb, lead us to row, so let us help our relative Alexander," after which the boat disappeared from sight. Maybe this vision inspired the Novgorod prince, or maybe the time has come to reveal himself to him as the Great General.

Having replenished with Ladoga and Izhorians, the one and a half thousand motley army of Alexander, hidden by the fog, approached unnoticed to the mouth of Izhora, where unsuspecting crusaders were resting before their future march to Ladoga. They were so sure that no one could disturb them that they did not set up security. 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. It remains only to close the trap that the Swedes have created for themselves.

On the morning of July 15, 1240, the Russians rushed to the Swedes. Divided into three detachments, two on horseback and one on foot, they struck at once from three sides. A detachment of cavalry spearmen Gavrila Oleksich broke through the Swedish camp and ended up at their ships. Misha Novgorodets' foot warriors attacked from the other flank, finally cutting off the path to salvation for the knights. Alexander himself with his retinue attacked the Swedes head-on, aiming at the golden-domed tent of Jarl Birger. And she went "fierce slash." The effect of surprise was achieved, but with the numerical superiority, the crusaders fought in desperation. Many feats were accomplished that day by the Novgorodians. The chronicle says so about the Neva battle:

“Six brave men like him from the Alexandrov regiment showed themselves here. The first 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 they ran with the prince; those pursued by him seized Gavrila Oleksich and threw him off the gangway together with the horse. But by God's grace, he came out of the water unharmed, and again attacked them, and fought with the governor himself in the midst of their army. The second, named Sbyslav Yasukovich, is from Novgorod. This one many times attacked their army and fought with one ax, having no fear in his soul; and many fell at his hand, and marveled at his strength and courage. The third - Yakov, a native of Polotsk, was a cunning prince. This one attacked the regiment with a sword, and the prince praised him. The fourth is a Novgorodian named Mesha. This footman with his retinue attacked ships and sank three ships. The fifth - from the younger squad, named Savva. This one burst into a large royal golden-domed tent and cut down the tent-post. Alexandrov's 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 was the Battle of the Neva from many wounds and died like that "- Military Tales of Ancient Russia pp. 130-131

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

The surviving Swedes collected the bodies of their fallen tribesmen overnight and in the morning, quickly embarking on the surviving ships, sailed to Sweden. The Russians did not persecute 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 along the Neva River, following the survivors.

Returning to Novgorod as a hero, Alexander Yaroslavich received a nickname among the people - "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 Russia. Now, in the face of German aggression by the Order, she was calm for her rear. Neither Novgorod nor Pskov could fight on two fronts.

Battle of the Neva. Feat of Gavrila Aleksich. 16th century obverse annalistic vault

1240 On July 15, the Battle of the Neva took place, in which the squad led by Prince Alexander Yaroslavich defeated the Swedish troops of Eric XI Birger.

The goal of the Swedes was to capture the mouth of the Neva, which would allow them to control the northern part of the route "from the Varangians to the Greeks." For the victory over the army of Birger, Alexander received the nickname Nevsky.

Map of the Battle of the Neva on July 15, 1240. Source - L. G. Beskrovny. Atlas of maps and diagrams on Russian military history. - M .: Military publishing house of the People's Commissariat of the Armed Forces of the USSR, 1946. Sheet 4

Battle of the Neva. Facial annalistic collection of the 16th century 4

Fight of Gavrila Aleksich with the Swedish governor. 16th century obverse annalistic vault

Flight of the Swedes to the ships. 16th century obverse annalistic vault

“Since 1236, young Alexander Nevsky, the son of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, reigned in Novgorod, or rather served as a prince (ie, the leader of the army). Generally speaking, the phrase Alexander Nevsky first appeared in the annals of the 15th century. Even in The Tale of the Life and Courage of the Blessed and Grand Duke Alexander, created 40 years after the events described, Alexander is never named Nevsky. But since our reader is accustomed to this phrase, we will continue to call Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich Nevsky.

According to "The Tale of the Life and Courage of the Great and Great Prince Alexander," Birger, having arrived with an army at the mouth of the Neva, sent his ambassadors to Novgorod to declare to the prince: "If you can resist me, then I am already here, capturing your land." However, this message is most likely an interpolation of the compiler of the "Tale of a Life ...", since the surprise of the attack was often a decisive factor in the battles in the north.

In fact, the Novgorodian "maritime guards" noticed the Swedes. This function was performed by the Izhora tribe, headed by their elder Pelugiy. According to the version of "The Story of a Life ..." Pelugiy was allegedly already Orthodox and had the Christian name Philip, and the rest of his tribe remained in paganism. The Izhora naval guards found the Swedes in the Gulf of Finland and quickly reported them to Novgorod. Surely there was a system of operational communications from the mouth of the Neva to Novgorod, otherwise the very existence of the sea guard becomes meaningless. Perhaps these were the signal lights on the mounds; possibly an equestrian relay; but, in any case, the warning system worked quickly.

Subsequently, the naval guards conducted covert surveillance of the Swedish ships that entered the Neva. In the "Tale of a Life ..." it is described as follows: "He (Pelugius) stood on the seashore, watching both paths, and spent the whole night without sleep. When the sun began to rise, he heard a loud noise on the sea and saw one embankment floating on the sea, and the holy martyrs Boris and Gleb in red robes, standing in the middle of the embankment, holding their hands on each other's shoulders. Alexander. "Seeing such a vision and hearing these words of the martyrs, Pelugius stood trembling, until the nozzle disappeared from his eyes."

Prince Alexander, who was about 20 years old, quickly gathered a squad and moved on boats along the Volkhov to Ladoga, where he was joined by the Ladoga squad.

Jarl Birger was completely unaware of the movement of the Novgorod army and decided to give the army a rest on the southern bank of the Neva, not far from the place where the Izhora river flows into it.

On July 15, 1240, "at six o'clock in the afternoon," the Russian army suddenly attacked the Swedes. According to "The Tale of a Life ...", Alexander Yaroslavovich personally wounded Jarl Birger in the face with a spear. The suddenness of the attack and the loss of the commander decided the matter. The Swedes began to retreat to the ships.

The "Tale of a Life ..." describes the exploits of six Russian soldiers. The first of them, Gavrila Oleksich, rode on a horse along the gangplank onto a Swedish ship (auger) and began to chop down the enemy there. The Swedes threw him from his horse into the water, but he came out of the water unharmed and again attacked the enemy. The second, by the name of Sbyslav Yakunovich, a Novgorodian, many times attacked the army of the Swedes and fought with one ax, having no fear, and many fell at his hand, and marveled at his strength and courage. The third, Yakov, a Polotsk resident, was a cunning prince. He attacked the regiment with a sword, and the prince praised him. The fourth, Mesha, a Novgorodian, on foot with his retinue, attacked the ships and sank three ships. The fifth, Sava, from the younger squad, burst into the jarl's golden-domed tent and cut down the tent pole. The sixth, Ratmir, one of Alexander's servants, fought on foot at the same time with several Swedes, fell from multiple wounds and died.

With the onset of darkness, most of the Swedish ships left downstream of the Neva, and some were captured by the Russians. By order of Alexander, two trophy augers were loaded with the bodies of the killed Swedes, and they were let downstream into the sea, and "drowned in the sea", and the rest of the killed enemies, "dug a hole, sweeping them into nudes without number."

The losses of the Russians turned out to be negligible, only 20 people. This fact, as well as the absence of any mention of the Battle of the Neva in the Swedish chronicles, gave rise to a number of Russophobic historians to reduce the battle to the level of a small skirmish. In my opinion, the death of 20 elite warriors in a surprise attack is not such a small loss. In addition, Izhora was to participate in the battle on the side of the Russians. After the battle, Orthodox Russians and pagans were buried in different places and according to different rituals. The Izhorians burned the bodies of their fellow tribesmen. Therefore, the Russian participants in the battle hardly knew how many were killed among the Izhora.

Another thing is that the number of Swedes who came with Birger could have been much less than our patriotic historians assumed. There could well have been about a thousand people. But, in any case, the Battle of the Neva became a good lesson for the Swedes.

The Novgorodians greeted Alexander and his squad with a bell ringing. However, not even a few weeks had passed when the power-hungry prince and the restless citizens of free Novgorod fell out. Alexander Yaroslavovich, together with his squad, went home to his Pereslavl-Zalessky. "

Quoted from: Shirokorad A.B. Northern Wars of Russia. - M .: ACT; Minsk: Harvest, 2001. p. 65-67

History in faces

Novgorod first chronicle of the older edition:
About 6748. The coming of Sv - power - great, and Murman, and Sum, and there are a lot of evil in ships; Take the prince and eat your bishops; and stasha at the Neva - the mouth of the Izhera, even though you can see Ladoga, just the river and Novgorod. and the entire Novgorod region. But still good, gracious and human lover God is bastard and protect us from foreigners, as if working in vain without God's command: when you come to Novgorod, as if you are going to Ladoz. Prince Oleksandr didn’t hesitate a little from Novgorodians and people from Ladies to come to nya, and I won through the power of St. Sophia and prayers, our mistress of the Mother of God and the ever-present Mary, from the month of July to 15, in memory of St. Kyurik and Ulita, I’m not going to Gathering the saints father 630 , others like Chalcedon €; and that byst is great Svaem. And that one was killed by their governor, named Spiridon; but the creatures of the world, as if the bishop would be killed the same; and many. there are many pade; and overlaid the ship two vyathih husband, before himself empty and to the sea; and their prok, who had dug a hole, brought the metasha into nyu beshis; but there were many ulcers; and on that night, not awaiting the Monday night, shame the otidosh.

Novgorod is the same pad: Kostyantin Lugotinits, Gyuryata Pineschinich, Namirst, Jerk Nizdylov is the son of a tanner, and all 20 is a husband from Ladoga, or to me, God is. Prince Oleksandr from Novgorodians and from Ladoga came all healthy in his si, save God and Saint Sophia and prayers of all saints.

Quoted from: Novgorod First Chronicle of the older and younger versions. - M.-L., 1950.

The world at this time

“Throughout the centuries, the personality of Genghis Khan (1155 - 1227) has attracted constant interest. Assessments of his deeds are controversial. In Russian historiography, the image of this commander and statesman is generally negative: it is believed that the formation of his state was accompanied by special cruelty, that the "Mongol-Tatar yoke" slowed down the socio-economic development of the conquered countries, and the dispersal of the Mongols over a large territory led to their assimilation by other peoples , undermining the potential of Mongolia itself and its weakness after the collapse of the empire. In part, these estimates are fair. At the same time, one should not forget that the Middle Ages (in general) were not distinguished by humanity - neither in Europe, nor in Asia. Suffice it to recall the history of the Arab Caliphate, the Western European Inquisition, the princely feuds in Russia and Japan during the period of feudal fragmentation, etc. Against this background, the cruelty of the Mongols was not something out of the ordinary. And the subsequent "yoke" was hardly anything other than the usual feudal domination, especially since it was not aimed at destroying social traditions and structures. Moreover, the Mongols showed exceptional religious and national tolerance. Unlike many conquerors who came before and after, they did not set out to impose their religion or way of life with fire and sword, destroying the historical and cultural heritage of other peoples. The Khans of the Mongol Empire patronized all religions equally, without imposing any of them. In this they were far ahead of their time. And, although the top of the ruling class of the state was formed from the Mongols, there was no nationalism or national oppression.

Thus, even centuries later, in our time of increasing religious and national intolerance, there is something to take an example from Genghis Khan and his successors.

We must not forget that it was during the short period of existence of the united Mongol Empire, thanks to the strict order, that the paths from West to East became safe, trade and missionary ties expanded, which contributed to mutual understanding and mutual enrichment of cultures. And one of the consequences of the "Mongol-Tatar yoke" was the centralization and consolidation of the Russian principalities, without which it would have been impossible to form the Muscovy and, on its basis, the great Eurasian states - the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union (...)

Since the 13th century, an extensive literature has appeared on the biography of Genghis Khan and the Mongol conquests. But the most important source remains the "Secret Legend" (or "Secret History"), written in 1240, shortly after the death of the commander. This ancient chronicle has been known in Russia since the 19th century, when the head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Beijing, Palladiy Kafarov, for the first time transcribed a Mongolian text written in Chinese characters in Russian letters and translated the Chinese text into Russian, and also published a translation in 1866. The second, more accurate and a commented translation from Mongolian with a transcription of the original was published by one of the leading Soviet orientalists S.A. Kozin (1879 - 1956).

Chinese edition of the 1908 Secret Tale of the Mongols

Genghis Khan, 13th century image. Taipei National Palace Museum

Fragment of the "Secret Legend":

"The night sky is covered with clouds,
You are on duty, my faithful guard:
You guard my yurt with a chimney,
You fit tightly around her -
You make me sleep strong.
After all, you also elevated me to the rank of tsar.

Stars, the night sky is burning.
You are my serene sleep in bed
You watch carefully, my night guard,
Surrounding my yurt-palace.
To my high rank now
You, the announcing guard, lifted up!

The rains will intertwine in a network in bad weather,
Or all living things freeze frost,
Is it a rainstorm pouring in a continuous stream -
You are all around my netted yurt,
O faithful night guard.
You are a joy to your heart, my light-winged one,
My night guard, Kebteul!
You raised me to a joyful rank.
In a military storm
A yurt with a hem surrounded my
You, in the blink of an eye, get up,
My faithful guard, Kebteul!

Birch bark sideak
Just touch your hand -
All in the blink of an eye rises
My vigorous guard, Kebteul.

A sonorous willow quiver
Only the hit is barely audible -
You will not hesitate,
My fast guard,
Oh, you are my Annunciation, Kebteul!

Praise the old guardians of her!
And call me a great turhaut
Seventy of those turhouts that are together
They entered the service with a black sheep.

Glorify the old heroes
Warriors under the leadership of Arkhay!
Also call the Great Horchin
Esunteye with Bugiday archers! "

Quoted from: Secret Legend. Mongolian chronicle of 1240 titled Mongrol-un Niruca tobciyan. Yuan Chao Bi Shi. Mongolian everyday collection. M-L. 1941

At the beginning of the 13th century, Russia found itself between two fires: the Tatar-Mongols came from the East, and the Germans, Swedes, Danes and armies of other countries came from the West, who wanted to conquer new lands, taking advantage of the weakness of Kievan Rus. In this article we will talk about the invasion from the West, in particular, we will briefly consider the Battle of the Neva. This is an important historical event, which is as important as it is controversial. But let's talk about everything in order ...

Reasons for the battle

In 1240, the invasion of Batu began. Taking advantage of these events, the Swedish king decided to attack Russia, capturing the large trading city of Novgorod. There were a huge number of prerequisites for this:

The enemy got bogged down in heavy battles, suffering heavy losses. The Mongols destroyed most of the male population of Russia.
Novgorod, despite not seeing the invasion, remained alone, without the support of other principalities.
Novgorod was ruled by the young prince Alexander Yaroslavich, who had not been glorified by any great deeds before.

As a result, in July 1240, the Swedish army led its fleet to the mouth of the Neva. The command of the army was taken over by the son-in-law of the Swedish king - Birger. Moving inland, his army stopped on the left bank of the Neva, near the mouth of the Izhora. The Swedes were so confident in their victory that, according to some sources, they sent a message to the young Prince Alexander, which said "We are here and we will capture you and your land."

As for Alexander's actions, he had accurate information about the movement of the Swedish army, since intelligence activities were well established in Novgorod. The young prince decided to use the surprise factor, gathering the city militia and making a rapid march to the place where the Swedish army stopped. During the movement of troops, more and more detachments joined him.

Map of the Battle of the Neva

The battle of the Neva took place on July 15, 1240. In this battle, the Rus and the Swedes came together. On this day, Alexander's troops secretly approached the camp where the Swedes were staying.

The young prince's plan was as follows:

The militias were supposed to cut off the way for the Swedes to retreat to the ships.
A sudden and powerful blow from the cavalry was to inflict a decisive defeat on the enemy.

The Russian army struck a surprise blow against the developed plan. The Swedes did not expect such a turn of events, as a result of which panic began in their ranks. This panic was aggravated by the fact that in a short time after the start of the battle, the Swedish bishop was killed, Birger's tent was destroyed, and the militia destroyed 3 Swedish ships. The surprise of the strike, as well as the major successes of the Russian troops, forced the Swedes to retreat.

The battle of the Neva lasted until evening. During the battle, the Russian army lost 20 people killed. There is no exact information about how many Swedes died. But if you believe historical sources, then most of the troops were destroyed and the count goes to tens and hundreds of dead. In some chronicles, there is a mention of the fact that the day after the battle on the other side of the Neva River, the Swedes buried those who died in the battle. After that, they left the Russian land on ships that survived after the battle.

Participants in the battle

The problem in studying the Neva battle is that very few historical sources have survived, where this battle is described in full. In fact, it remains for us to study this historical event only on the basis of chronicles, which are very contradictory. In particular, there is very little information about the historical figures who took part in this battle.

In addition to Alexander, who as a result of this battle received the nickname Nevsky, the following people took part in the battle:

Gavrilo Oleksich - fought on ships, several times he was thrown off the ships, but he returned.
Sbyslav Yakunovich - fought in the center of events with one ax, but, skillfully using his weapon, brought panic into the ranks of the enemy.
Yakov Polochanin - also fought in the very center of events, but wielded a sword.
Sawa - noted that he cut down the tent of the Swedish commander Birger.
Misha - commanded a detachment of militias, with whom he sank 3 ships.
Ratmir is the personal servant of Prince Alexander, who fought in the battle, but was killed.

There is no other information about the individuals who took part in this battle.

The historical significance of the Battle of the Neva

The historical significance of the Battle of the Neva, which we briefly reviewed in this article, is very contradictory. The main thing that should be said is that the young Prince Alexander was able to defeat the Swedes, thereby securing Novgorod from attempts to seize by Western countries. On the other hand, there is an absolute contradiction in the actions of the Novgorodians themselves. Despite the brilliant victory of the prince, and also despite the fact that the significance of his victory was recognized by everyone, which is expressed, for example, in giving him the nickname "Nevsky", the Novgorodians expelled Alexander from the city almost immediately after the battle. He returned only a year later, when Novgorodkovka was threatened by a military threat in the person of the Livonian Order.

Weaknesses and criticism

Above, we have already partially considered the issues of the fact that even a cursory study of the Battle of the Neva indicates that this is a very controversial event. In particular, a number of modern historians say that it was not some kind of general and super important historical battle, but a simple border conflict. It is quite difficult to verify this, but this statement is not devoid of logic, since it is difficult to imagine an important historical confrontation and an important historical battle in which less than 100 people died. No, we have no precise information about the losses of the Swedes. This figure, depending on the sources, varies from a few dozen people to a hundred. But this is just one of the aspects to consider. There are other important factors as well:

Controversy in the annals. If we consider Western sources, then they have no mention at all of the battle that took place in 1240. If we consider the Russian chronicles, then in the Ipatiev Chronicle there is also no mention of the battle, and the Laurentian Chronicle describes very briefly the Neva battle in 1263, and not in 1240.
The illogical behavior of the Swedes. It is absolutely incomprehensible why the army, which came with the aim of conquest, did not move in the direction of Novgorod, and also did not build a fortified camp. If we consider the classical idea of what happened, then one gets the impression that the Swedes did not come to the war, but to a picnic. It is also unclear why, after the defeat, the Swedes remained at the battle site for another day, having managed to save all the dead.
Swedish historical sources say that Birger did not leave the country in 1240. Also this year, none of the lists of this country died, and if you believe the generally accepted version, the Swedish bishop died in the battle.

These conflicting sides are presented in order to form a clear idea that this historical event is not as unambiguous as it is customary to talk about it. The fact is that the Battle of the Neva really took place, but all the details of this event are described very little, and a huge number of questions remain, the answers to which, most likely, no one will give. But in any case, we talked about the victory of the Russian troops over the Vedas from various points of view, and each reader makes his own conclusions.

On July 15, 1240, an epochal battle took place on the Neva River. Russian troops under the command won a crushing victory over the Swedish army. After this event, Alexander received the famous nickname Nevsky. This name is known to every Russian to this day.

Background

The Battle of the Neva River in 1240 did not start spontaneously. It was preceded by a number of important political and historical events.

In the first half of the 13th century, the Swedes, united with the Novgorodians, made regular raids on the Finnish tribes. They called them punitive campaigns, the purpose of which was to subordinate more and more people to their will. The Sum and Em tribes suffered the most from the Swedes. This has become the cause of protracted conflicts. The Swedes feared a blow from the Finns, so they tried to christen them and make them their allies.

The conquerors did not stop there. They periodically carried out predatory raids along the lands along the Neva, as well as directly on the Novgorod territory. Sweden was significantly weakened by internal conflicts, so she sought to attract as many warriors and nobility to her side. They did not disdain by persuasion to win over to their side and lovers of easy money. For a long time, the Finno-Karelian troops raided the Swedish lands, and in 1187 they completely united with the Novgorodians. They burned down Sigtuna, the ancient capital of Sweden.

This confrontation continued for a long time. Each of its sides, both Swedish and Russian, sought to establish their power on the Izhora land, which was located along the Neva, as well as on the Karelian Isthmus.

A significant date preceding such a famous event as the Battle of the Neva River was the proclamation of the second crusade against Finland by Pope Gregory IX in December 1237. In June 1238, the King of Denmark Voldemar II and the master of the united order Hermann von Balk agreed on the division of the Estonian state, as well as on the beginning of hostilities against Russia in the Baltic region with the involvement of the Swedes. This is what provoked the battle on the Neva River. The date, the events of which are known now, became the starting point in the history of Russia and its relations with neighboring states. The battle showed the ability of our state to repel the powerful army of the enemy. It should be borne in mind that the battle on the Neva River took place at a difficult time. The Russian lands had just begun to recover after the long-term Mongol invasion and the forces of the troops were significantly weakened.

Battle on the Neva River: sources

Historians have to collect information about such long-standing events literally bit by bit. Many researchers are interested in such an event as the battle on the Neva River, date. The battle is briefly described in chronological documents. Of course, such sources are few and far between. One of the most famous is the Novgorod First Chronicle. Also, information can be gleaned from the story of the life of Alexander Nevsky. It is assumed that it was written by contemporaries of those events no later than the eighties of the XIII century.

If we consider the Scandinavian sources, then they do not contain detailed information about such significant battles as the battle on the Neva River and the Battle of the Ice. You can only read that a small Swedish detachment was defeated as part of the Finnish crusade.

It is also not known for certain who led the Scandinavian army. Based on Russian sources, scientists say that it was the son-in-law of the king Birger Magnusson.

But he became the Jarl of Sweden only in 1248, and at the time of the battle he was Ulf Fasi, who, most likely, led the campaign. At the same time, Birger did not participate in it, although there is an opposite opinion. Thus, the results of archaeological excavations indicate that Birger was wounded in the facial part of the head during his lifetime. This coincides with information that Alexander Nevsky wounded the king himself in the eye.

Battle on the Neva River: date

Historical events up to the 16th century were not recorded in certain official sources. Very often historians cannot establish the exact day or even an approximate period when a particular battle took place. But this does not apply to such an important event as the battle on the Neva River. What year did it happen? Historians know the exact answer to this question. This battle is dated July 15, 1240.

Events before the battle

No battle starts spontaneously. There were also a number of events that led to such a difficult moment as the battle on the Neva River. The year in which it took place began for the Swedes by uniting with the Novgorodians. In the summer, their ships arrived at the mouth of the Neva. The Swedes and their allies landed on the coast and pitched their tents. This took place in the place where Izhora flows into the Neva.

The composition of the army was motley. It included Swedes, Novgorodians, Norwegians, representatives of Finnish tribes and, of course, Catholic bishops. The borders of the Novgorod lands were protected by the sea guard. It was provided by the Izhorians at the mouth of the Neva, on both sides of the Gulf of Finland. It was the elder of this guard, Pelgusius, at dawn on a July day, who discovered that the Swedish flotilla was already close. The messengers hastened to inform Prince Alexander about this.

The Livonian campaign of the Swedes against Russia began only in August, which indicates that they took a wait-and-see attitude, as well as the immediate and lightning-fast reaction of Prince Alexander. Having received the news that the enemy was already close, he decided to act independently, without resorting to the help of his father. Alexander Yaroslavovich fought with a small squad. The battle on the Neva River became a chance for the young prince to prove himself as a commander. Therefore, many troops did not have time to join him. On the side of Alexander were the Ladoga militias, who joined him on the way.

According to the customs that existed at that time, the entire squad gathered at the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia, where they were blessed by Archbishop Spiridon. Then Alexander made a parting speech, quotes from which are known even now: "God is not in power, but in truth!"

The detachment moved overland along the Volkhov to Ladoga. From there he turned to the mouth of Izhora. For the most part, the army consisted of mounted warriors, but there was also an infantry. To save travel time, this part of the squad also traveled on horseback.

Chronology of the battle

The battle began on July 15, 1940. It is known that, in addition to the princely squad, at least three more detachments of noble Novgorod commanders, as well as Ladoga residents, participated in the Russian army.

The Life mentions the names of six soldiers who performed heroic deeds during the battle.

Gavrilo Olekseich climbed onto an enemy ship, from where he was thrown wounded, but despite this he again climbed aboard and continued to fight. Sbyslav Yakunovich was armed only with an ax, but nevertheless rushed into the thick of the battle. No less bravely fought Alexander's huntsman Yakov Polochanin. The boy Savva burst into the enemy camp and cut down the Swedes' tent. Misha from Novgorod took part in the foot battle and sank three enemy ships. Ratmir, a servant of Alexander Yaroslavovchia, bravely fought with several Swedes, after which he was wounded and died on the battlefield.

The battle lasted from morning to evening. By nightfall, the opponents dispersed. The Swedes, realizing that they had suffered a crushing defeat, retreated on their surviving ships and crossed to the opposite shore.

It is known that the Russian army did not pursue the enemy. The reason for this is unknown. Perhaps the knightly custom had an effect not to interfere with the burial of their fighters during a respite. Perhaps Alexander did not see the need to finish off the handful of the remaining Swedes and did not want to risk his army.

The losses of the Russian detachment amounted to XX noble warriors, and their warriors should also be added here. Among the Swedes, the death toll was much higher. Historians speak of dozens, if not hundreds, of soldiers killed.

Outcomes

The battle on the Neva River, the date of which will be remembered for centuries, made it possible to prevent the danger of an offensive by Sweden and the Order against Russia in the near future. Alexander's army resolutely stopped their invasion of Ladoga and Novgorod.

However, the Novgorod boyars began to fear that Alexander's power over them would increase. They began to build various intrigues for the young prince, as a result, forcing him to leave for his father Yaroslav. However, very soon they asked him to return to continue the battle with which he approached Pskov.

Memory of the battle

In order not to forget about distant events on the Neva, the descendants of Alexander strove to perpetuate the memories of them. Thus, monumental architectural monuments were created, which were repeatedly restored. In addition, the image of Alexander Nevsky found its reflection on coins and commemorative stamps.

Alexander Nevsky Lavra

This monolithic building was erected by Peter I in 1710. The Alexander Nevsky Monastery was built at the mouth of the Black River in St. Petersburg. At that time, it was mistakenly assumed that the battle took place in this particular place. The inspiration and creator of the laurel was Subsequently, the work was continued by other architects.

In 1724, the remains of Alexander Yaroslavovich were transported here. Now the territory of the Lavra is a state national reserve. The ensemble includes several churches, a museum and a cemetery. Such famous people as Mikhail Lomonosov, Alexander Suvorov, Nikolai Karamzin, Mikhail Glinka, Modest Mussorgsky, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Fyodor Dostoevsky rest on it.

Church of Alexander Nevsky in Ust-Izhora

This building was erected in honor of the victory in the battle of 1240. Date of construction - 1711. The church burned and rebuilt several times. At the end of the 18th century, the parishioners built a stone church with a bell tower.

In 1934 the church was closed and was used as a warehouse for a long time. During the Leningrad blockade, the tower of the temple was blown up, as it served as a reference point for the German artillery.

In 1990, work began on the restoration of the church, and a few years later it was consecrated. There is a small cemetery at the temple, as well as a monument-chapel with the image of Alexander Nevsky.

Printing of coins and stamps

Periodically, the image of Alexander Yaroslavovich is also used in printing. So, in 1995, a commemorative coin was issued with his image. In the years anniversary after the battle, significant stamps are also issued, which are of great interest to philatelists.

Screen adaptations

The film starred such actors as Svetlana Bakulina and Director - Igor Kalenov.

We are all familiar from school with the exploits of the holy prince Alexander Yaroslavovich Nevsky. His two great victories, which secured Russia from Catholic expansion, are considered the true heritage of our history and one of the pillars of our national pride. His exploits have been praised by many historians, journalists, writers, artists and filmmakers.

It would seem that the Battle of the Neva and the Battle of the Ice, to which almost as much space is allocated in the school textbook as the description of the entire Great Patriotic War, have been thoroughly analyzed by dozens of historians. However, if you take a closer look at these events, operating with the few historical sources that we have at our disposal, and a bit of common sense, and not with stereotyped descriptions of these battles, copying each other, then suddenly a lot of questions arise.

Having taken up this article, the author first of all set himself the goal of criticizing the "official" version of those episodes of history that are so distant from us. Naturally, refuting this or that interpretation of events, the author tries to offer his own vision of these. However, he does not force anyone to accept his logical constructions as true. He only proposes not to consider the truth, and now accepted as an axiom, the standard view of these "fateful" battles for Russia, since it is often logical to a much lesser extent. However, of course, it's up to you to decide.

Battle of the Neva. Background.

In our society, there is a stable opinion that all the western neighbors of Russia, since ancient times, did nothing but plot against it, trying to seize its territory, convert its inhabitants to the "true faith" and in general, in every possible way ... The apogee of this attitude of the Western powers towards Russia in general and Novgorod in particular in the 13th century was the "united aggression of the Swedes, Danes and Germans," coordinated, of course, by the Vatican.

However, on closer examination of Novgorod's relations with its western neighbors, such a theory does not hold up to scrutiny. Speaking about the dastardly attack of the Swedes on the Novgorod land in 1240, our historians and journalists most often diligently omit the prehistory of this invasion. Let's start with the fact that the military and economic potential of Sweden at that time was not comparable to that of Novgorod. Since the 11th century, wars have been going on in Sweden between pagans and Christians, the Swedes constantly fought with the surrounding tribes.

During the brief respite between religious and feudal wars within the country, they tried to expand their possessions at the expense of the pagan lands bordering Sweden. In fact, the Swedes were trying to regain what they had lost in the 11th century. There was no talk of any plans to conquer Novgorod, in view of the complete superiority of the Novgorod Republic over Sweden. All that the Swedes could afford was the rare attacks of one or another Novgorod possession in order to seize key points that would allow the Swedes to defend themselves against the campaigns of Novgorodian fellows and their tributaries against Sweden. And such campaigns happened no less often than the campaigns to Russia of the Swedes. One of the most famous of them is the 1188 campaign.

Taking advantage of the fact that another round of bloody feuds broke out in Sweden, the Karelians and Novgorodians attacked the Swedish capital, Sigtuna, plundered and burned the city and killed Bishop John of Uppsala. Prior to this campaign, Sigtuna was the center of the economic, political and cultural life of Sweden. Located on the shores of Lake Mälaren (the historical center of the country), the city was known far beyond Sweden: "Civitas magna Sictone (" the great city of Sigtuna ") repeatedly calls it Adam of Bremen (1060s). When describing the countries lying along the banks The Baltic Sea, Sigtuna is mentioned by the Arab geographer Idrisi (1140s). " (Shaskolsky I.P., "The struggle of Russia against the crusading aggression on the shores of the Baltic in the XII-XIII centuries.").

But after the Karelian attack, this "great city" was no longer rebuilt. Instead, the Swedes built Stockholm on an island in the strait connecting Mälaren with the Baltic Sea, and Sigtuna is now a small village in the suburbs of the Swedish capital. The trip to Sigtuna was perfectly realized in military terms: the passage of ships along the skerries, which are extremely difficult for navigation, a surprise attack, the capture of the city. This was undoubtedly an outstanding victory for the Russians. But here's the problem: the Russians themselves know almost nothing about her. They don't write about her in textbooks, they don't make films. Why?

Everything is simple: it does not fit in any way with the theory of "Western aggression" so tenderly nurtured by our historians. However, this campaign was not the only one of its kind. In 1178 the Karelians took the city of Nousi, the center of the Swedish part of Finland, capturing the bishop Rodulf. As a result, Nousi fell into decay, the capital of Swedish Finland was moved to Abo, and the bishop was killed. 20 years later, the mournful fate of Nousi and Sigtuna befell Abo: in 1198 Novgorod-Karelian troops landed in Finland and marched with fire and sword through the Swedish possessions, ending their victorious march with the capture of Abo, where Bishop Folkvin repeated the fate of his predecessor from Nousi. Another interesting question is the relationship between Novgorod and the ancestors of the Finns - the Em tribe (Swedish name - Tavasta).

They had even more complaints about the Novgorodians than the Swedes. Novgorodians and Karelians went to em in 1032, 1042, 1123, 1143, 1178 (the same one when Nousi was taken), 1186, 1188, 1191, 1198 (capture of Abo), 1227. It is not surprising that after all these predatory campaigns, not felt especially warm feelings for Novgorodians. And it becomes clear why the soldiers of Emi took part in the Swedish campaign against Ladoga in 1164. And again it becomes clear why the Novgorod chronicler described the nationality of the "aggressors" who came to the Neva in 1240 in such a way: "Svei came in the power of the great, and Murman, and Sumy, and Am."

True, if the participation of Emi in the campaign in 1164 is beyond doubt, then with their help the Swedes in the Battle of the Neva have in abundance of these doubts, but more on that later. As we can see, there is no need to talk about the unceasing attacks of the Swedes on Novgorod and, in general, the aggressive actions of the "Sweys" against their Russian neighbor. It can only be argued that Novgorod and Sweden organized campaigns against each other. That is, aggression (although it is not entirely correct to speak of aggression in the context of medieval relations and with the information we have - such clashes between neighbors were the norm at that time, and the language does not turn to call it "aggression") was mutual.

Battle of the Neva. Invasion target.

The majority of Russian historians, following the Novgorod First Chronicle (NPL), argue that the goal of the Swedish campaign was Ladoga, which the Swedes, I recall, had already attempted to assassinate in 1164. Well, after Ladoga, the "aggressors" naturally wanted to take Novgorod and subjugate the entire Novgorod land. Some especially patriotic talents are modestly silent about the first part of the villainous plan of the Swedes and go straight to the second. That is, in their view, the terrible descendants of the Vikings immediately sailed to Novgorod. To claim that Novgorod was the target of the Swedes is, of course, absurd.

Such a campaign is pure suicide: the Swedes at that time were simply not able to muster the army necessary to take Novgorod. Actually, they never tried to do this. Taking Ladoga looks like a much more feasible task. And the strategic importance of Ladoga is quite large. However, if this city was the goal of the Swedes, the very fact of the battle in the place in which it took place becomes completely incomprehensible. According to NPL and "Zhitiya", the Swedes, having entered the Neva, camped at the confluence of the river. Izhora and there and stood until the very arrival of Alexander. If the goal of the Swedes was to capture Ladoga, this behavior would seem extremely illogical.

Ladoga was a perfectly fortified city, which (especially in the absence of siege weapons, which the Swedes did not have) could only be taken by an unexpected attack or by a long siege. In our case, a long siege is not an option, simply because Novgorod would not have allowed the besieging of Ladoga for a long time, but simply would have gathered a sufficient militia and drove out the Swedes. Actually, this is exactly how it all happened in 1164: the Swedes did not manage to achieve surprise in the attack, as a result the citizens of Ladoga "burned their own mansions, and closed themselves into the city?" When the Swedes began to siege the city, the Novgorod troops approached and destroyed the Svei army. Therefore, the only way for the Swedes to take Ladoga is a surprise attack.

Then what is the point of camp on the Neva, waiting for the news of your arrival in Novgorod to be received? But the Swedes stood there for about a week. As we know from the "Life", Alexander received news of the arrival of the Swedes from the baptized Izhora elder Pelgusia, who was in charge of the "sea guard". The organization of such a guard seems to be quite real and reasonable. Most likely, it was something like an equestrian relay. With a distance of about 150 km from the Izhora to Novgorod, Alexander should have received news of the arrival of the Swedes a few hours later. He spent another day collecting the troops. After that, the army had to overcome the same distance of 150 km in order to get to the enemy.

And if we take into account the fact that the Novgorod army most likely passed through Ladoga in order to join the local squad, then the path is lengthened by several tens of kilometers. Considering not the most favorable terrain conditions for marches, Alexander was supposed to reach the Swedes in five days. And the Swedes all this time had to stand still. But during this time they could already quite calmly get to Ladoga. What hindered them? Apparently, only that Ladoga was not at all the goal of their voyage. In addition, if the Swedes were really moving towards Ladoga, then why did Alexander suddenly head towards Izhora? After all, he should have understood that while he was marching forcibly towards the Swedes, they should have already been in a completely different place.

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that the Swedes did not seek to seize Ladoga. What else could have brought the Swedes to the Novgorod possessions. A. Nesterenko in his book "Alexander Nevsky. Who won the Battle on the Ice?" makes the assumption that no Swedish troops were at all on the Neva in 1240, and Alexander robbed merchants who stopped at the mouth of the Izhora to bargain with the locals. However, with all due respect to the remarkable work of Alexander Nikolaevich, I have to admit that such a development of events is extremely unlikely. Firstly, because trade was the basis of the prosperity of Novgorod, which, by the way, was the only Russian member of the Hanseatic League (which Russian historians do not like to recall very much - apparently, it also does not fit with the idea of the West as an exclusively enemy of the Russian people), and such behavior of the Novgorod prince would deal a terrible blow to the prestige of the city.

And the Novgorodians would never forgive Alexander for such a thing, and he could forget about his reign forever. And Alexander also had to understand this. And secondly, because the Novgorodians would not allow foreigners to trade with their tributaries. Whatever one may say, Novgorod had a monopoly on trade with the tribes subject to it, and Swedish merchants would not violate this privilege of Novgorod. There remains only one more or less intelligible hypothesis: the purpose of the Swedish invasion was to establish its own fortress at the mouth of Izhora, which would serve as a reliable outpost of Sweden on the lands of its ancient enemy.

Such a fortress would be a hindrance to the predatory campaigns of the Karelians and Izhora in the Swedish lands, and in the future could serve as a center for the expansion of the Swedes on the territory of these tribes with the aim of their Christianization. If we accept this theory, then it becomes quite clear why the Swedes spent a week in one place: they simply started building a fortress.

What is characteristic: in order to attribute to the battle an even more epic scale, and to the West - even more "aggressiveness", the authors of various panegyrics to Nevsky try to present the Swedish campaign of 1240 as a crusade, while referring to some papal bulls (the same fate, by the way, will befall and Teutonic knights: they, de, also went on a Crusade to Russia, but more on that later), however, there was no question of any crusade, and not a single papal bull called for it. Bulla of 1237, to which the would-be patreots refer most often, calls for a campaign to the Tavasta, which is somewhat far from the Neva.

Battle of the Neva. Composition and number of participants.

If the NPL is to be believed, then in 1240 a united army of Swedes, Norwegians and Finnish tribes appeared on the Neva. True, even Sokolsky wondered how the Novgorodians distinguished the Norwegians from the Swedes (M. Sokolsky "The Conspiracy of the Middle Ages"). Speaking about the inconsistency of the version of the Norwegians' participation in the campaign, Sokolsky also cites the following arguments: The Swedish side made an attempt at reconciliation, and that was unsuccessful, besides, in Norway itself it was a time of the most acute internal struggle between the king and a powerful group of feudal lords "(Ibid.).

Moreover, if we accept the version that the Swedes undertook a campaign to found a city on the Neva. The participation of the Norwegians in this campaign is all the more incomprehensible: why should they take part in the construction of someone else's fortress. For the same reason, participation in the Finnish campaign is unlikely: building cities is not their favorite pastime. As we remember, in 1164, they went to Ladoga with a completely different purpose - to plunder. Thus, the "ethnic composition" of this "crusade" is quite clear: only the Swedes took part in it. As for the number, then everything is more complicated: neither the NPL, nor even the "Life" give data on the size of the Swedish army, and the Swedish chronicles are simply silent about this campaign, so we can judge the number of Swedes only by indirect factors. One of such factors is the absence of any information about the Battle of the Neva in the Swedish chronicles.

It seems quite logical to assume that if the Swedes really undertook a large campaign in 1240 (for example, with the participation of 5,000 soldiers, about which Pashuto speaks), this would certainly be reflected in the Swedish primary sources (fortunately, the Swedes organized such large enterprises extremely rarely) ... Another indirect source for a rough estimate of the number of the Swedes can be the number of their troops in other campaigns. Pokhlebkin, for example, writes that the number of Swedes in their campaigns did not greatly exceed 1000 people (VV Pokhlebkin "Relations between the Swedish state and the Russian state").

In 1292, the Swedes invaded Karelia with 800 soldiers, and Marshal Knutson in 1300 founded Landskorn with 1100 Swedes. Indirectly, the estimate of the number of the Swedes can be judged by the size of the Novgorod army and the course of the battle, which we will talk about a little later. As a result, summing up the scraps of information that we have, we can assume that the most likely number of the Swedish army was approximately 2000-2500 people. There is no need to talk about more.

It is a little easier to figure out the number of Novgorodians: the NPL directly indicates that Alexander fought with the Swedes along with the Novgorodians and Ladoga residents. True, the "Life" refutes this, claiming that the prince went to beat the "Romans" only with a "small squad". However, in this case, the entry into the NPL is much more credible. Firstly, for reasons of banal logic, it made no sense for Alexander to neglect the Novgorod militia, since at least part of it could gather on a campaign in the same time that would be required for this by the prince's squad. Secondly, simply because "Life" is a kind of akathist, and the author of it tried in every possible way to glorify the personality of Alexander and his victories.

And what, if not the victory of the "small squad" over the many times superior enemy forces, can best serve this purpose? So the reality is probably much more reflective of the NPF. Thus, we can build certain assumptions about the size of the Russian army: 200-400 princely warriors, about 1000 Novgorod and Ladoga soldiers and several hundred Izhorians who joined the Russians (right, they would hardly have stayed on the sidelines when the Swedes began to build their fortress on their tribal lands). As a result, the number of the troops of Novgorodians is approximately equal to 1500-2000 people.

As we can see, the fact that the Swedes outnumbered their enemy several times is just a myth. If the Swedish army had a definite advantage over the Novgorodians, it was not too large.

Apparently, it is worth talking about the commanding staff of the Swedes in this campaign. NPL tells us that among the Swedes there was a prince, a voivode with the original Swedish name Spiridon and bishops. "Life" also indicates the participation in the battle of the king, prince and governor (without naming his name). If with the voivode, except perhaps the name, everything is clear (the army must have a leader), then it is much more difficult to deal with the rest of the eminent leaders. Firstly, it is completely unclear how the "Life" and the NPL know that the army included a king, prince, prince and bishop.

It is unlikely that in the heat of battle, the Novgorodians tried to find out the ranks and titles from their opponents. How, then, could a simple Novgorodian distinguish a "prince" (whom most of our historians identify with a jarl) from another, albeit a noble, feudal lord? It is just as incomprehensible how the Novgorodians understood the ecclesiastical orders of the participants in the campaign and from what they assumed that the representative of the Church (whose participation in the campaign was nothing unusual) was precisely the bishop. Of course, at that time there was a Catholic Church of St. Peter in Novgorod, but it is unlikely that the Novgorodians were well acquainted with the hierarchy thereof.

And in general, it is unlikely that bishops have ever been seen. In addition, the chronicle says that one of the bishops was killed, but we know that all seven Swedish bishops safely survived 1240. The participation of bishops generally seems highly unlikely. As we have already established above, this Swedish enterprise was not a "crusade" and did not have any serious religious significance. The Swedes came to the Neva primarily with the aim of building a fortress, and the baptism of local tribes (which, of course, was planned in the distant future, as without it) was the tenth thing.

Thus, it can be assumed that the bishops did not participate in this campaign. The same can be said about the king and the prince: the Swedish king Eric XI Ericsson did not participate in any campaigns (besides, the Chronicle of Eric calls him "lame"), and he had no children at all. Apparently, the author of the "Life" forced the king to participate in this battle in order to attach great importance to the Swedish campaign, and, consequently, to Alexander's victory. As for the "prince" - the leader of the campaign, in Russian historiography they have long been considered the Jarl Birger, the king's son-in-law.

However, the trouble is, Birger became a jarl only in 1248, and in 1240 his cousin, Ulf Fasi, was jarl. When this information surfaced, Russian historians began to attribute the command of the Swedish forces to Fassi. Although Birger, and not being a Jarl, was a fairly significant figure in the political life of Sweden. In general, the question with the head of the Swedish campaign is still open, and it is problematic to make guesses about this.

Battle of the Neva. The course of the battle.

We know very little about the course of the battle from primary sources. According to the "Life", the battle began on July 15, 1240 at the "sixth hour of the day". In Russian chronicles, the "day" is counted from sunrise, that is, the "sixth hour" is about 11 o'clock. That is, at 11 o'clock in the afternoon, Alexander's army suddenly attacks the Swedes. In general, the surprise of this attack, most likely, was relative. Indeed, it is rather difficult to imagine that a 1,500-strong army chained in steel could "suddenly" attack the army of the Swedes. Especially considering the fact that the Swedes are experienced warriors and they could not afford not to put sentinels in front of the camp.

So it turns out that the warriors of Alexander with the clang of armor and the crunch of branches hardly went unnoticed by the Swedish army. Another thing is that this attack was still unexpected for the Swedes. They probably really expected that Alexander would gather a larger army and would not appear on the Neva until two or three weeks later. Therefore, it is unlikely that the camp was in constant combat readiness.

In other words, we can draw the following conclusion: the Swedes did not expect an attack and were not ready for it, however, the Novgorodians could not sneak up on the Swedes unnoticed, therefore, the insinuations of some of our historians that the Swedes, they say, did not even have time to take up arms, represent are purely fictions.

Further in the "Life" is a description of the exploits of Alexander, who, of course, "interrupted the Romans innumerable," and on the face of the "king" "left the mark of his spear." As we already know, there was no king on the banks of the Neva. However, this did not bother our historians, who forced Birger to take the blow of Aleksandrov's spear. It has already been said above that Birger's participation in the campaign is a fact in itself doubtful. In addition, portraits of Birger have come down to us, and on them no scars on Birger's face can be discerned. But at that time it was not customary to hide the scars received in the battle. Even if this battle ended in defeat for the owner of the scar.

After the next praises to Alexander in the "Life" there is a description of the exploits of six "brave, like him" warriors. The first among these glorious men was named Gavrila Oleksich, who "attacked the auger and, seeing the prince being dragged by the arms, drove up to the ship along the gangplank, along which they ran with the prince, pursued by him. Then they seized Gavrila Oleksich and threw him off the gangway together with horse. But by God's mercy he came out of the water unharmed, and again attacked them, and fought by the governor himself in the midst of their army. " In general, the behavior of the heroic Gavrila looks rather strange.

Let's start with the fact that it is completely unclear who he was chasing, because the Swedes could not have kingdoms. It is also strange that Gavrila's desire to ride the auger on horseback is an occupation, it should be noted, unpromising: in the conditions of a ship battle, a rider is an extremely vulnerable target. And the horse would have simply broken its legs on the deck. Such an experienced warrior as "a brave husband from Alexander's regiment" should have understood this. But the monk, far from military affairs, who composed the life, hardly imagined it well. Willy-nilly, the conclusion suggests itself that the exploits in "Life" are just an invention of the author. The annals say nothing about them.

Another hero, Misha from Novgorod, with his squad "attacked the ships" and sank three of them. Why it took Misha to fight the ships is unclear. It is equally incomprehensible how he did it. Chopped with axes right in the water? And where were the Swedes and what prevented them from shooting the storm of ships Misha with bows?

In general, judging by the "Life", it turns out that the Novgorodians fought with anything except the Swedes themselves. Another hero, Sawa, "burst into the large royal golden-domed tent and cut the tent pole." An original maneuver. While Savva's comrades were fighting against a "many times superior enemy", our brave warrior is valiantly fighting the tent. Interestingly, what did Savva do after he chopped down the tent shaft? Perhaps he remained under the tent that collapsed right on him?

Two more warriors, Sbyslav Yakunovich and Yakov, earned the admiration of the author of "Life" for "attacking" the Swedes with an ax and a sword, respectively. In general, hand-to-hand combat is different in that in them each warrior must attack the enemy - some with a sword, some with an ax, some with something else. So it is not clear why the author of the "Life" mentioned these particular warriors. Is the fantasy over?

However, there is a much more interesting passage in the "Life": "The rest fled, and the corpses of their dead soldiers were thrown into ships and sunk into the sea." How it is possible, "taking flight", to engage in the funeral of their fallen, apparently only the author knows. We can only make assumptions. Based on the fact that the NPL also claims that the Swedes buried their soldiers (and not only by throwing them into ships, but also by burying them), we can conclude that the Swedes did not flee at all. What really happened then? Apparently, the most likely scenario is this: the Novgorodians, taking advantage of the surprise of their attack, cut deeply into the defenses of the Swedes, going through their entire camp to the very ships.

At first, the Swedes are only retreating. However, after a few minutes, retreating to their ships, they come to their senses, create a certain line of defense and give a worthy rebuff to the Novgorodians. After that, the Novgorod army retreats. During this battle, the Novgorodians, as we know from the chronicle, lost 20 people. In all likelihood, several dozen more of the dead were among the lighter armed Izhorians. In general, it can be assumed that the total losses of Alexander amounted to 50 people. The losses of the Swedes, most likely, are equal to 3-4 hundred. Based on this, it is possible to judge the size of the Swedish army, which we talked about above. After this battle, the Swedes should not have remained much more than the Novgorodians, since the Swedes, instead of going into a counterattack and crushing the Russian army, retreat.

However, the Swedes should not have remained less than the Novgorodians, because the latter, instead of finishing off the Swedish army, let their own bury the fallen and calmly sail away. Simply put, after the battle, a certain parity was to be established between the Swedish and Russian troops, as a result of which the Swedes considered it best not to continue the battle, but to go home. Again, the number of Swedes had to be sufficient to bury several hundred corpses, embark on ships and sail on the same day. That is, we again come to the above estimate of the size of the Swedish army: 2000-2500 people, depending on the number of Russians.

So, what we have: Alexander did not defeat the Swedes in the Battle of the Neva at all - the battle ended in a draw. As a result of the unexpected attack of the Novgorodians, the Swedes suffered heavy losses (several times superior to the Russians), but they managed to give a worthy rebuff, after which the Novgorodians considered it better to retreat. After this battle, the number of troops was approximately equal, so the Swedes did not dare to go on the offensive against the Novgorodians, and they, in turn, due to the fact that they had neither superiority in strength nor the advantage of surprise, did not dare to repeat their attack. Therefore, the Swedes, having buried the dead, embarked on augers and sailed away, and the Novgorodians returned home victorious.

There is another interesting passage in the Life: "When he (Alexander) defeated the king, on the opposite side of the Izhora River, where Alexandrov's regiments could not pass, there were found a myriad of those killed by the angel of the Lord." Historians usually explain this fact by the fact that the Izhorians attacked the Swedish camp, which was also located on the other side of the river. But this theory does not hold water.

First, why should the Swedes split their camp into two parts, because each of them, if necessary, became much more vulnerable. As long as the Swedes on the other side of the river were able to cross over to the attacked comrades, nothing of them could remain. Secondly, why did Alexander need to split his army into two parts, attacking two camps at once, given that his army was inferior in number to the Swedish?

It was easier to concentrate all forces on one camp, thereby achieving a numerical superiority already in their favor. And, finally, thirdly, why did the Swedes, having buried part of their soldiers, leave the other part to wallow on the shore? It should be admitted that the fragment of the Life describing the coming of the "Angel of the Lord" is an invention of the author, inserted into the narrative only with the aim of giving Alexander's campaign an aura of godliness.

Battle of the Neva. Effects.

In Russian historiography, it is customary to assert that the Novgorodians on the Neva inflicted a severe defeat on the Swedes, as a result of which they forgot for a long time about the expansion of their possessions. However, oddly enough, "utterly defeated Swedes" already in 1249 the Swedes organized a new, now really crusade, campaign against Finland, founded Tavastoborg. And this despite the fact that in 1247 Finland was shocked by another outbreak of internal wars: a number of Swedish bonds, led by the noble Uplandic family of the Folkungs, revolted.

The culmination of the rebellion was the Battle of Sparseter, in which the royal forces defeated the feudal lords. In the future, the confrontation between the Swedes and Novgorodians was the same constant exchange of raids on each other's territory: the Swedes, for one purpose or another, arrange campaigns in 1292, 1293, 1295, 1300, etc .; Novgorodians and Karelians, in turn - 1256, 1292, 1295, 1301, 1311, etc. In addition, the Karelians and Novgorodians in 1271, 1279, 1302 organize trips to Norway. As we can see, the Battle of the Neva did little to change the relationship between Svealand and Novgorod.

Battle of the Neva. Conclusions.

So, let's summarize. The battle of the Neva was just another battle in a chain of mutual campaigns of Swedish and Novgorod troops against each other, which lasted for more than one century. In 1240, the Swedes came to the Neva with the aim of laying a city there, which would become a certain defense of the interior of Sweden from Novgorod and Karelian raids. However, Alexander, having learned about the arrival of the Swedes, hastily gathers an army and goes to the construction site of the city. Nevertheless, despite the short collection time, the Novgorod army was not much inferior in number to the Swedish one. Alexander managed to achieve the effect of surprise in his attack, but the Swedes still managed to repel the attack of the Novgorodians.

At the same time, the Swedes suffered quite serious losses and decided not to tempt fate and complete their campaign. After burying the fallen, they embarked on ships and sailed to Sweden. Victory in the Battle of the Neva was not some outstanding battle and did not stand out against the background of other battles between Novgorodians and Swedes, either in scale, or in effect, or in significance. Such battles as the Battle of Ladoga in 1164 or the capture of Sigtuna in 1187 surpass the battle on the Neva in all respects.

These battles were a much more vivid example of the valor of Russian soldiers, it is these battles that fully reflect the glory of Russian weapons. And it was these battles that were undeservedly forgotten by the descendants, in whose memory only the battle on the Neva remained, inflated to incredible proportions by tsarist, Soviet and modern historians. But even the fact that Alexander Yaroslavovich received the nickname Nevsky for this battle is just a myth. He received this prefix to the name only in the XIV century. And Alexander's contemporaries did not highlight his victory in any way. Only the Russian people with a "historical memory" have always had a bad time.

Battle on the Ice. Background.

In our historiography, it is generally accepted that the Livonian Confederation from ancient times was a state hostile to Russia and was engaged only in the fact that in a barbaric manner it subjugated the local tribes. While Russia, of course, together with these tribes tried to resist Western expansion. The battle on Lake Peipsi is regarded as the most striking episode of this resistance. However, if you study the history of Livonia more deeply, it suddenly turns out that Russia was not always an ally of the Baltic tribes. And far from always she was at enmity with Livonia. And even if it was at enmity, the roots of this enmity lay not at all in the clash of civilizations, but only in the desire of the same Russia to plunder its neighbors.

Only two Russian principalities historically had definite views of the Baltic states: Novgorod and Polotsk. These principalities have always viewed the Baltics as a perfect target for plunder. For example, Novgorod organized campaigns for this purpose in 1030, 1054, 1060, 1068, 1130, 1131-1134, 1191-1192 ,. However, the list is, of course, not complete. All these enterprises were set up only for reasons of material benefits. Only once did the Novgorodians try to gain a foothold in the Baltics, building in 1030 Yuryev (the future Dorpat, and now Tartu).

The first clash between the Russians and the Germans took place in 1203. And this did not happen at all because the vile Catholics pursued an aggressive policy, not at all. The Germans then, in principle, did not have the opportunity to conduct an aggressive policy: in all of Livonia, they had only a couple of poorly fortified castles and a couple of hundred soldiers. And it was precisely this weakness of Livonia that the specific Polotsk principality of Gertsike took advantage of by attacking the Livonian Ishkile. The Livonians preferred to pay off and the Polotsk citizens, having received what they wanted, went on to earn "bread" further - this time to the next Livonian castle: Holma, but there the Germans managed to repel the attack of the Russians.

As we can see, it was the Russian principalities that pursued an aggressive policy. However, they did not care who to attack: Germans, Letts, Estonians or anyone else - for them the determining factor in choosing a target was not nationality or religion, but "ability to pay". But another specific Polotsk prince - Vyachko from Kukenois - made peace with Riga in 1205. Both the Russians and the Germans had common enemies in the Baltic states - the extremely belligerent Lithuanians. Therefore, both the Russians and, even more so, the extremely weak Germans at that time considered it the best, at least from time to time, to be friends.

But as soon as the Russians again had the opportunity to plunder the Catholics without hindrance, they did not fail to take advantage of it: in 1206 the Polotsk people again attacked Ishkile and Golm. However, in both cases, the Russian attack was repulsed. After this failure, Vyachko (who apparently also participated in the campaign) again in 1207 appeals to Bishop Albert (the then head of Catholic Livonia) with a proposal for peace. Albert gladly accepts this offer. However, an interesting incident soon occurs.

Vyachko, apparently, did not share something with his neighbor, the Livonian knight Daniel. As a result, Daniel attacks Kukenois, captures the city and takes Vyachko himself prisoner. It would seem that here it is, a blatant case of the exceptional aggressiveness of the Germans! Logically, now the godless Catholics now had to settle on the vilely captured Russian lands and forcibly convert their population to the "Latin" faith. However, the Germans do exactly the opposite. Albert orders the release of Vyachko, the return of the city and all the seized property to him.

Moreover, Albert invited Vyachko to Riga, where he received him with honor, presented horses and rich clothes. And when Vyachko left for Kukeneys, Albert sent 20 German craftsmen with him, who were supposed to strengthen the fortification of the city. Albert himself at that time had to sail from Riga to Germany in order to return the knights who had served in Livonia to their homeland and pick up a new party of pilgrims. Vyachko decided to take advantage of this weakening of Riga. At first, he decided to deal with the Germans who worked in Kukenois. True, even such an easy task he solved with difficulty, having managed to kill only 17 people, and the third managed to escape. After that, Vyachko began to prepare for the trip to Riga.