With whom was the war on Lake Peipsi. The battle took place on Lake Peipsi ("Battle on the Ice")

April 18th the next Day of military glory of Russia is celebrated - the Day of the victory of Russian soldiers of Prince Alexander Nevsky over the German knights on Lake Peipsi (Battle on the Ice, 1242). The holiday was established by Federal Law No. 32-FZ of March 13, 1995 "On the days of military glory and memorable dates in Russia."

According to the definition of all modern historical reference books and encyclopedias,

Battle on the Ice(Schlacht auf dem Eise (German), Prœlium glaciale (Latin), also called ice battle or Battle on Lake Peipsi- the battle of Novgorod and Vladimir under the leadership of Alexander Nevsky against the knights of the Livonian Order on the ice of Lake Peipus - took place on April 5 (in terms of the Gregorian calendar - April 12) 1242.

In 1995, Russian parliamentarians, when adopting a federal law, did not particularly think about the dating of this event. They simply added 13 days to April 5 (as is traditionally done to recalculate the events of the 19th century from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar), completely forgetting that the Battle on the Ice did not happen at all in the 19th, but in the distant 13th century. Accordingly, the "correction" for the modern calendar is only 7 days.

Today, any person who studied at a secondary school is sure that the Battle on the Ice or the Battle of Lake Peipus is considered the general battle of the Teutonic Order's conquest campaign of 1240-1242. The Livonian Order, as you know, was the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order, and was formed from the remnants of the Order of the Sword in 1237. The order waged wars against Lithuania and Rus'. The members of the order were "brothers-knights" (warriors), "brothers-priests" (clergy) and "serving-brothers" (squires-artisans). The Knights of the Order were given the rights of the Knights Templar (templars). The hallmark of its members was a white robe with a red cross and a sword on it. The battle between the Livonians and the Novgorod army on Lake Peipus decided the outcome of the campaign in favor of the Russians. It also marked the actual death of the Livonian Order itself. Each schoolboy will enthusiastically tell how, during the battle, the famous Prince Alexander Nevsky and his comrades killed and drowned almost all clumsy, ponderous knights in the lake and liberated Russian lands from German conquerors.

If we abstract from the traditional version set forth in all school and some university textbooks, it turns out that almost nothing is known about the famous battle that went down in history under the name of the Battle on the Ice.

Historians to this day break spears in disputes about what were the reasons for the battle? Where exactly did the battle take place? Who took part in it? And was she at all?

Next, I would like to present two not entirely traditional versions, one of which is based on an analysis of well-known chronicle sources about the Battle of the Ice and concerns the assessment of its role and significance by contemporaries. The other one was born as a result of the search by amateur enthusiasts for the immediate place of the battle, about which neither archaeologists nor historians have an unambiguous opinion so far.

"Battle on the Ice" is reflected in the mass of sources. First of all, this is a complex of the Novgorod-Pskov chronicles and the "Life" of Alexander Nevsky, which exists in more than twenty editions; then - the most complete and ancient Laurentian chronicle, which included a number of chronicles of the XIII century, as well as Western sources - numerous Livonian chronicles.

However, analyzing domestic and foreign sources for many centuries, historians have not been able to come to a consensus: do they tell about a specific battle that took place in 1242 on Lake Peipsi, or are they about different ones?

In most domestic sources, it is recorded that on April 5, 1242, some kind of battle took place on Lake Peipus (or in its area). But to establish reliably its causes, the number of troops, their formation, composition - on the basis of annals and chronicles is not possible. How did the battle develop, who distinguished themselves in the battle, how many Livonians and Russians died? No data. How, finally, did Alexander Nevsky prove himself in battle, who is still called the “savior of the fatherland” today? Alas! There are still no answers to any of these questions.

The obvious contradictions that are contained in the Novgorod-Pskov and Suzdal chronicles that tell about the Battle of the Ice can be explained by the constant rivalry between Novgorod and the Vladimir-Suzdal lands, as well as the difficult relationship between the Yaroslavich brothers - Alexander and Andrei.

The Grand Duke of Vladimir Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, as you know, saw his youngest son, Andrei, as his successor. In Russian historiography, there is a version that the father wanted to get rid of the elder Alexander, and therefore sent him to reign in Novgorod. The Novgorod "table" at that time was considered almost a block for the Vladimir princes. The political life of the city was ruled by the boyar "veche", and the prince was only a governor, who, in case of external danger, should lead the squad and the militia.

According to the official version of the Novgorod First Chronicle (NPL), for some reason the Novgorodians expelled Alexander from Novgorod after the victorious Battle of the Neva (1240). And when the knights of the Livonian Order captured Pskov and Koporye, they again asked the Vladimir prince to send Alexander to them.

Yaroslav, on the contrary, intended to send Andrei, whom he trusted more, to resolve the difficult situation, but the Novgorodians insisted on the candidacy of Nevsky. There is also a version that the story of the "expulsion" of Alexander from Novgorod is fictional and later. Perhaps it was invented by the "biographers" of Nevsky to justify the surrender of Izborsk, Pskov and Koporye to the Germans. Yaroslav was afraid that Alexander would open the Novgorod gates in the same way to the enemy, but in 1241 he managed to recapture the Koporye fortress from the Livonians, and then take Pskov. However, some sources attribute the date of the liberation of Pskov to the beginning of 1242, when the Vladimir-Suzdal army, led by his brother Andrei Yaroslavich, had already arrived to help Nevsky, and some - to 1244.

According to modern researchers, based on the Livonian chronicles and other foreign sources, the Koporye fortress surrendered to Alexander Nevsky without a fight, and the Pskov garrison consisted of only two Livonian knights with their squires, armed servants and some militiamen from local peoples who joined them (Chud, water, etc.). The composition of the entire Livonian Order in the 40s of the XIII century could not exceed 85-90 knights. That is how many castles at that moment existed on the territory of the Order. One castle, as a rule, put up one knight with squires.

The earliest domestic source that has come down to us mentioning the Battle on the Ice is the Laurentian Chronicle, written by a Suzdal chronicler. It does not mention the participation of the Novgorodians in the battle at all, and Prince Andrei acts as the main character:

“Grand Duke Yaroslav sent his son Andrei to Novgorod to help Alexander against the Germans. Having won over Pskov on the lake and taking many prisoners, Andrei returned with honor to his father.

The authors of numerous editions of the "Life" of Alexander Nevsky, on the contrary, argue that it was after "Battle on the Ice" the name of Alexander became famous "in all countries from the Varangian Sea and to the Pontic Sea, and to the Egyptian Sea, and to the country of Tiberias, and to the mountains of Ararat, even to Rome the Great ...".

According to the Laurentian Chronicle, it turns out that even his closest relatives did not suspect Alexander's worldwide fame.

The most detailed account of the battle is contained in the First Chronicle of Novgorod (NPL). It is believed that in the earliest list of this chronicle (Synodal), the record of the "Battle on the Ice" was made already in the 30s of the XIV century. The Novgorod chronicler does not mention in a word about the participation in the battle of Prince Andrei and the Vladimir-Suzdal squad:

“Alexander and the Novgorodians built regiments on Lake Peipus on Uzmen near the Raven Stone. And the Germans and Chud ran into the regiment, and made their way like a pig through the regiment. And there was a great slaughter of the Germans and Chudi. God helped Prince Alexander. The enemy was driven and beaten seven versts to the Subolichi coast. And countless Chudi fell, and 400 Germans(later scribes rounded this figure to 500, and in this form it entered the history books). Fifty prisoners were brought to Novgorod. The battle took place on the fifth of April on Saturday.

In later versions of the Life of Alexander Nevsky (end of the 16th century), discrepancies with the annalistic news are deliberately eliminated, details borrowed from the NPL are added: the place of the battle, its course and data on losses. The number of killed enemies increases from edition to edition up to 900 (!). In some editions of the "Life" (and there are more than twenty of them in total), there are reports of participation in the battle of the Master of the Order and his capture, as well as an absurd fiction that the knights drowned in the water because they were too heavy.

Many historians, who have analyzed in detail the texts of the "Life" of Alexander Nevsky, noted that the description of the massacre in the "Life" gives the impression of a clear literary borrowing. V. I. Mansikka (“The Life of Alexander Nevsky”, St. Petersburg, 1913) believed that the description of the battle between Yaroslav the Wise and Svyatopolk the Accursed was used in the story about the Battle on the Ice. Georgy Fedorov notes that the "Life" of Alexander "is a military heroic story inspired by Roman-Byzantine historical literature (Palea, Josephus Flavius)", and the description of the "Battle on the Ice" is a tracing of Titus's victory over the Jews at the Lake of Gennesaret from the third book of the "History of the Jewish War" by Josephus Flavius.

I. Grekov and F. Shakhmagonov believe that "the appearance of the battle in all its positions is very similar to the famous battle of Cannes" ("The World of History", p. 78). In general, the story about the "Battle on the Ice" from the early edition of Alexander Nevsky's "Life" is just a general place that can be successfully applied to the description of any battle.

In the 13th century, there were many battles that could become a source of “literary borrowing” for the authors of the story about the “Battle on the Ice”. For example, about ten years before the expected date of writing the "Life" (80s of the XIII century), February 16, 1270, there was a major battle between the Livonian knights and the Lithuanians at Karusen. It also took place on ice, but not on the lake, but on the Gulf of Riga. And his description in the Livonian rhymed chronicle, like two drops of water, is similar to the description of the "Battle on the Ice" in the NPL.

In the Battle of Karusen, as in the Battle of the Ice, the knightly cavalry attacks the center, where the cavalry "gets stuck" in the carts, and bypassing the flanks the enemy completes their defeat. At the same time, in neither case, the winners do not try to somehow take advantage of the result of the defeat of the enemy army, but calmly go home with booty.

The Livonian rhymed chronicle (LRH), telling about a certain battle with the Novgorod-Suzdal army, tends to present as aggressors not the knights of the order at all, but their opponents - Prince Alexander and his brother Andrei. The authors of the chronicle constantly emphasize the superior forces of the Russians and the small number of knightly troops. According to LRH, the loss of the Order in the Battle of the Ice amounted to twenty knights. Six were taken prisoner. This chronicle does not say anything about the date or place of the battle, but the minstrel's words that the dead fell on the grass (ground) allow us to conclude that the battle was fought not on the ice of the lake, but on land. If the author of the Chronicle understands “grass” (gras) not figuratively (the German idiomatic expression is “fall on the battlefield”), but literally, then it turns out that the battle took place when the ice on the lakes had already melted, or the opponents fought not on ice, but in coastal thickets of reeds:

“In Derpt they learned that Prince Alexander had come with an army to the land of knight brothers, fixing robberies and fires. The bishop ordered the men of the bishopric to hasten to the army of the brother-knights to fight against the Russians. They brought too few people, the army of knight brothers was also too small. However, they agreed to attack the Russians. The Russians had many shooters who courageously accepted the first onslaught. It was evident how a detachment of knight brothers defeated the shooters; there was the sound of swords, and helmets could be seen splitting. On both sides, the dead fell on the grass. Those who were in the army of knight brothers were surrounded. The Russians had such an army that perhaps sixty people attacked each German. The knight brothers stubbornly resisted, but they were defeated there. Some of the Derptians escaped by leaving the battlefield. Twenty knight brothers were killed there, and six were taken prisoner. That was the course of the battle."

The author of LRH does not express the slightest admiration for Alexander's military talents. The Russians managed to encircle part of the Livonian army, not thanks to the talent of Alexander, but because there were much more Russians than Livonians. Even with an overwhelming numerical superiority over the enemy, according to LRH, the troops of Novgorod could not surround the entire Livonian army: part of the Derptians escaped by retreating from the battlefield. Only a small part of the "Germans" - 26 brothers-knights, who preferred death to a shameful flight, got into the environment.

A later source, The Chronicle of Hermann Wartberg, was written one hundred and fifty years after the events of 1240-1242. It contains, rather, an assessment by the descendants of the defeated knights of the significance that the war with the Novgorodians had on the fate of the Order. The author of the chronicle tells about the capture and subsequent loss of Izborsk and Pskov by the Order as major events of this war. However, the Chronicle does not mention any battle on the ice of Lake Peipus.

In the Livonian Chronicle of Ryussov, published in 1848 on the basis of earlier editions, it is said that during the time of Master Konrad (Grand Master of the Teutonic Order in 1239-1241, he died from wounds received in the battle with the Prussians on April 9, 1241) in Novgorod was king Alexander. He (Alexander) learned that under Master Herman von Salt (Master of the Teutonic Order in 1210-1239), the Teutons captured Pskov. With a large army, Alexander takes Pskov. The Germans fight hard, but are defeated. Seventy knights died with many Germans. Six brother knights are captured and tortured to death.

Some domestic historians interpret the messages of Ryussov's Chronicle in the sense that seventy knights, whose death he mentions, fell during the capture of Pskov. But this is wrong. In the Ryussov Chronicle, all the events of 1240-1242 are combined into one whole. This Chronicle does not mention such events as the capture of Izborsk, the defeat of the Pskov army near Izborsk, the construction of a fortress in Koporye and its capture by the Novgorodians, the Russian invasion of Livonia. Thus, “seventy knights and many Germans” are the total losses of the Order (more precisely, Livonians and Danes) throughout the war.

Another difference between the Livonian Chronicles and the NPL is the number and fate of the captured knights. Ryussov's chronicle reports six prisoners, and the Novgorod chronicle reports fifty. The captured knights, whom Alexander proposes to exchange for soap in Eisenstein's film, were "tortured to death" according to LRH. The NPL writes that the Germans offered peace to the Novgorodians, one of the conditions of which was the exchange of prisoners: “what if we captured your husbands, we will exchange them: we will let yours in, and you will let us in.” But did the captured knights live to see the exchange? There is no information about their fate in Western sources.

Judging by the Livonian chronicles, the clash with the Russians in Livonia was a secondary event for the knights of the Teutonic Order. It is reported only in passing, and the death of the Livonian Laidmastership of the Teutons (Livonian Order) in the battle on Lake Peipsi does not find any confirmation at all. The order continued to exist successfully until the 16th century (it was destroyed during the Livonian War in 1561).

Place of battle

Until the end of the 20th century, the places of burial of soldiers who died during the Battle of the Ice remained unknown, as well as the place of the battle itself. Landmarks of the place where the battle took place are indicated in the Novgorod First Chronicle (NPL): "On Lake Peipsi, near the tract Uzmen, near the Raven Stone." Local legends specify that the battle was just outside the village of Samolva. In the ancient chronicles, there is no mention of the Voronii Island (or any other island) near the place of the battle. They talk about the battle on the ground, on the grass. Ice is mentioned only in later editions of Alexander Nevsky's Life.

The past centuries have weathered from the history and memory of people information about the location of mass graves, the Raven Stone, the Uzmen tract and the degree of population of these places. For many centuries, the Raven Stone and other buildings have been wiped off the face of the earth in these places. Elevations and monuments of mass graves were leveled with the surface of the earth. The attention of historians was attracted by the name of the Voronii Island, where they hoped to find the Voronii Stone. The hypothesis that the massacre took place near the island of Voronii was taken as the main version, although it contradicted chronicle sources and common sense. The question remained unclear which way Nevsky went to Livonia (after the liberation of Pskov), and from there to the site of the upcoming battle at the Raven Stone, near the Uzmen tract, behind the village of Samolva (it must be understood that from the opposite side of Pskov).

Reading the existing interpretation of the Battle on the Ice, the question involuntarily arises: why did the troops of Nevsky, as well as the heavy cavalry of the knights, have to go through Lake Peipsi on spring ice to Voronii Island, where even in severe frosts the water does not freeze in many places? It should be taken into account that the beginning of April for these places is a warm period of time. Testing the hypothesis about the location of the battle near Voronii Island dragged on for many decades. This time was enough for it to take a firm place in all history textbooks, including military ones. Our future historians, military men, generals gain knowledge from these textbooks... Given the low validity of this version, in 1958 a comprehensive expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences was created to determine the true location of the battle on April 5, 1242. The expedition worked from 1958 to 1966. Large-scale studies were carried out, a number of interesting discoveries were made that expanded knowledge about this region, about the presence of an extensive network of ancient waterways between the Chudskoye and Ilmen lakes. However, it was not possible to find the burial places of the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Ice, as well as the Raven Stone, the Uzmen tract and traces of the battle (including the Voronii Island). This is clearly stated in the report of the complex expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The secret remained unsolved.

After that, allegations appeared that in ancient times the dead were taken with them for burial in their homeland, therefore, they say, burials cannot be found. But did they take all the dead with them? How did they deal with the dead enemy soldiers, with the dead horses? A clear answer was not given to the question why Prince Alexander went from Livonia not under the protection of the walls of Pskov, but to the region of Lake Peipsi - to the place of the upcoming battle. At the same time, for some reason, historians paved the way for Alexander Nevsky and the knights through Lake Peipsi, ignoring the presence of an ancient crossing near the village of Bridges in the south of Lake Warm. The history of the Battle on the Ice is of interest to many local historians and lovers of national history.

For many years, a group of Moscow enthusiasts-lovers of the ancient history of Rus' with the direct participation of I.E. Koltsov. The task before this group was, it would seem, almost insoluble. It was necessary to find burial places hidden in the ground related to this battle, the remains of the Raven Stone, the Uzmen tract, etc., hidden in the ground on a large territory of the Gdovsky district of the Pskov region. It was necessary to "look" inside the earth and choose what was directly related to the Battle of the Ice. Using methods and instruments widely used in geology and archeology (including dowsing, etc.), the members of the group plotted on the terrain plan the alleged sites of the mass graves of the soldiers of both sides who fell in this battle. These burials are located in two zones to the east of the village of Samolva. One of the zones is located half a kilometer north of the village of Tabory and one and a half kilometers from Samolva. The second zone with the largest number of burials is 1.5-2 km north of the village of Tabory and about 2 km east of Samolva.

It can be assumed that the knights were wedged into the ranks of Russian soldiers in the area of ​​the first burial (the first zone), while the main battle and encirclement of the knights took place in the area of ​​the second zone. The encirclement and defeat of the knights was facilitated by additional troops from the Suzdal archers, who arrived here the day before from Novgorod, led by A. Nevsky's brother, Andrei Yaroslavich, but who were in ambush before the battle. Studies have shown that in those distant times in the area south of the village of Kozlovo (more precisely, between Kozlov and Tabory) there was some kind of fortified outpost of the Novgorodians. It is possible that there was an old "gorodets" (before the transfer, or the construction of a new gorodets on the site where Kobylye Gorodishe is now located). This outpost (gorodets) was located 1.5-2 km from the village of Tabory. He was hidden behind the trees. Here, behind the earthen ramparts of the fortification that no longer exists, was the detachment of Andrei Yaroslavich, hidden in an ambush before the battle. It was here, and only here, that Prince Alexander Nevsky sought to unite with him. At a critical moment in the battle, an ambush regiment could go behind the knights, surround them and ensure victory. This was repeated later during the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380.

The discovery of the burial area of ​​the dead soldiers made it possible to draw a confident conclusion that the battle took place here, between the villages of Tabory, Kozlovo and Samolva. The place is relatively flat. The troops of Nevsky from the north-western side (on the right hand) were protected by the weak spring ice of Lake Peipus, and on the eastern side (on the left hand) - by the wooded part, where fresh forces of Novgorodians and Suzdalians were in ambush, settled in a fortified town. The knights advanced from the south side (from the village of Tabory). Not knowing about the Novgorod reinforcements and feeling their military superiority in strength, they, without hesitation, rushed into battle, falling into the "nets" set up. From here it can be seen that the battle itself was on land, not far from the shore of Lake Peipus. By the end of the battle, the knightly army was driven back to the spring ice of the Zhelchinskaya Bay of Lake Peipus, where many of them died. Their remains and weapons are now located half a kilometer northwest of the Church of Kobylye Gorodische at the bottom of this bay.

Our research also determined the location of the former Raven Stone on the northern outskirts of the village of Tabory - one of the main landmarks of the Battle of the Ice. Centuries have destroyed the stone, but its underground part still rests under the layers of cultural layers of the earth. This stone is represented on the miniature of the Chronicle of the Battle on the Ice in the form of a stylized statue of a raven. In ancient times, it had a cult purpose, symbolizing wisdom and longevity, like the legendary Blue Stone, which is located in the city of Pereslavl-Zalessky on the shores of Lake Pleshcheyevo.

In the area where the remains of the Raven Stone were located, there was an ancient temple with underground passages that also went to the Uzmen tract, where there were fortifications. Traces of former ancient underground structures testify to the fact that there were once also ground-based religious and other structures made of stone and brick.

Now, knowing the burial places of the soldiers of the Battle of the Ice (the place of the battle) and again referring to the chronicle materials, it can be argued that Alexander Nevsky with his troops went to the area of ​​the upcoming battle (to the Samolva area) from the south side, on the heels of which the knights followed. In the "Novgorod First Chronicle of the Senior and Junior Editions" it is said that, having freed Pskov from the knights, Nevsky himself went to the possessions of the Livonian Order (pursuing the knights to the west of Lake Pskov), where he let his soldiers live. The Livonian Rhymed Chronicle testifies that the invasion was accompanied by fires and the removal of people and livestock. Upon learning of this, the Livonian bishop sent troops of knights to meet them. The stopping point of Nevsky was somewhere halfway between Pskov and Derpt, not far from the border of the confluence of the Pskov and Warm lakes. There was a traditional crossing near the village of Bridges. A. Nevsky, in turn, having found out about the performance of the knights, did not return to Pskov, but, having crossed to the eastern shore of the Warm Lake, hurried northward to the Uzmen tract, leaving a detachment of Domash and Kerbet in the rear guard. This detachment entered into battle with the knights and was defeated. The burial place of warriors from the detachment of Domash and Kerbet is located at the southeastern outskirts of Chudskiye Zahody.

Academician Tikhomirov M.N. believed that the first skirmish between the detachment of Domash and Kerbet and the knights took place on the eastern shore of the Warm Lake near the village of Chudskaya Rudnitsa (see "Battle on the Ice", ed. of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, series "History and Philosophy", M., 1951, No. 1 , vol. VII, pp. 89-91). This area is much south of vil. Samolva. The knights also crossed over at the Bridges, pursuing A. Nevsky to the village of Tabory, where the battle began.

The place of the Battle of the Ice in our time is located away from busy roads. You can get here on the overhead, and then on foot. This is probably why many authors of numerous articles and scientific papers about this battle have never been to Lake Peipus, preferring the silence of an office and a fantasy far from life. It is curious that this area near Lake Peipus is interesting in historical, archaeological and other terms. In these places there are ancient burial mounds, mysterious dungeons, etc. There are also periodic appearances of UFOs and the mysterious Bigfoot (north of the Zhelcha River). So, an important stage of work has been carried out to determine the location of the mass graves (burials) of the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Ice, the remains of the Raven Stone, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe old and new settlements and a number of other objects associated with the battle. More detailed studies of the battle area are now needed. It's up to the archaeologists.

Losses

Monument to the squads of A. Nevsky on Mount Sokolikh

The question of the losses of the parties in the battle is controversial. About Russian losses, it is said vaguely: "many brave warriors fell." Apparently, the losses of the Novgorodians were really heavy. The losses of the knights are indicated by specific numbers, which cause controversy. Russian chronicles, and after them domestic historians, say that about five hundred people were killed by the knights, and the Chudi were “pade beschisla”, as if fifty “brothers”, “deliberate governors” were taken prisoner. Four hundred or five hundred killed knights is a completely unrealistic figure, since there were not such a number in the entire Order.

According to the Livonian chronicle, for the campaign it was necessary to collect "many brave heroes, brave and excellent" led by the master, plus Danish vassals "with a significant detachment." The Rhymed Chronicle specifically says that twenty knights died and six were taken prisoner. Most likely, the "Chronicle" refers only to the "brothers" - knights, not taking into account their squads and the Chud recruited into the army. The Novgorod First Chronicle says that 400 "Germans" fell in the battle, 50 were taken prisoner, and the "chud" is also discounted: "beschisla". Apparently, they suffered really serious losses.

So, it is possible that 400 German cavalry soldiers really fell on the ice of Lake Peipsi (twenty of them were real "brothers" - knights), and 50 Germans (of which 6 were "brothers") were captured by the Russians. The Life of Alexander Nevsky claims that the prisoners then walked near their horses during the joyful entry of Prince Alexander into Pskov.

According to the conclusions of the expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences led by Karaev, the immediate place of the battle can be considered a section of the Warm Lake, located 400 meters west of the modern shore of Cape Sigovets, between its northern tip and the latitude of the village of Ostrov. It should be noted that the battle on a flat surface of ice was more beneficial for the heavy cavalry of the Order, however, it is traditionally believed that Alexander Yaroslavich chose the place to meet the enemy.

Effects

According to the point of view traditional in Russian historiography, this battle, together with the victories of Prince Alexander over the Swedes (July 15, 1240 on the Neva) and over the Lithuanians (in 1245 near Toropets, near Lake Zhiztsa and near Usvyat), was of great importance for Pskov and Novgorod, holding back the pressure of three serious enemies from the west - at the very time when the rest of Rus' was suffering heavy losses from princely strife and the consequences of the Tatar conquest. In Novgorod, the Battle of the Germans on the Ice was remembered for a long time: together with the Neva victory over the Swedes, it was remembered in litanies in all Novgorod churches as early as the 16th century.

The English researcher J. Fannel believes that the significance of the Battle of the Ice (and the Battle of the Neva) is greatly exaggerated: “Alexander did only what the numerous defenders of Novgorod and Pskov did before him and what many did after him - namely, they rushed to protect the extended and vulnerable borders from invaders. The Russian professor I. N. Danilevsky agrees with this opinion. He notes, in particular, that the battle was inferior in scale to the battles near Siauliai (city), in which the master of the order and 48 knights were killed by the Lithuanians (20 knights died on Lake Peipsi), and the battle near Rakovor in 1268; contemporary sources even describe the Battle of the Neva in more detail and attach more importance to it. However, even in the Rhymed Chronicle, the Battle of the Ice is unequivocally described as a defeat for the Germans, in contrast to Rakovor.

The memory of the battle

Movies

Music

The Eisenstein film score, composed by Sergei Prokofiev, is a symphonic suite commemorating the events of the battle.

Monument to Alexander Nevsky and Poklonny Cross

The bronze worship cross was cast in St. Petersburg at the expense of patrons of the Baltic Steel Group (A. V. Ostapenko). The prototype was the Novgorod Alekseevsky cross. The author of the project is A. A. Seleznev. A bronze sign was cast under the direction of D. Gochiyaev by the foundry workers of ZAO NTTsKT, architects B. Kostygov and S. Kryukov. During the implementation of the project, fragments from the lost wooden cross by sculptor V. Reshchikov were used.

Cultural and sports educational raid expedition

Since 1997, an annual raid expedition has been conducted to the places of feats of arms of Alexander Nevsky's squads. During these trips, the participants of the race help to improve the territories related to the monuments of cultural and historical heritage. Thanks to them, in many places in the North-West, memorial signs were erected in memory of the exploits of Russian soldiers, and the village of Kobylye Gorodishche became known throughout the country.

On April 5, 1242, the famous Battle of the Ice took place on Lake Peipus. Russian soldiers under the command of Prince Alexander Nevsky defeated the German knights, who were about to strike at Veliky Novgorod. This date has not been officially recognized as a public holiday for a long time. Only on March 13, 1995, Federal Law No. 32-FZ "On the days of military glory (victory days) of Russia" was adopted. Then, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Russian authorities again took care of the issue of reviving patriotism in the country. In accordance with this law, April 18 was appointed as the day of celebration of the victory over Lake Peipus. The official commemorative date was called "The Victory Day of the Russian soldiers of Prince Alexander Nevsky over the German knights on Lake Peipus."

It is interesting that in the same 1990s, Russian political parties of a nationalist persuasion, at the suggestion of the well-known followers of the writer Eduard Limonov, began to celebrate April 5 as the Day of the Russian Nation, also dedicated to the victory on Lake Peipus. The difference in dates was due to the fact that the “Limonovites” chose the date of April 5 according to the Julian calendar to celebrate, and the official memorable date is considered according to the Gregorian calendar. But the most interesting thing is that according to the proleptic Gregorian calendar, extending to the period up to 1582, this date should have been celebrated on April 12th. But in any case, the very decision to appoint a date in memory of such a large-scale event in national history was very correct. Moreover, it was one of the first and most impressive episodes of the clash between the Russian world and the West. Subsequently, Russia will fight more than once with Western countries, but the memory of the soldiers of Alexander Nevsky, who defeated the German knights, is still alive.

The events that will be discussed below unfolded against the background of the total weakening of the Russian principalities during the Mongol invasion. In 1237-1240. Mongol hordes again invaded Rus'. This time was prudently used by Pope Gregory IX for another expansion to the northeast. At that time, Holy Rome was preparing, firstly, a crusade against Finland, which at that time was still predominantly populated by pagans, and secondly, against Rus', which was considered by the pontiff as the main competitor of the Catholics in the Baltics.

The Teutonic Order was ideally suited for the role of the executor of expansionist plans. The times that will be discussed were the era of the order's heyday. Later, already during the Livonian War of Ivan the Terrible, the order was in far from the best condition, and then, in the 13th century, the young military-religious formation was a very strong and aggressive enemy that controlled impressive territories on the shores of the Baltic Sea. The order was considered the main conductor of the influence of the Catholic Church in North-Eastern Europe and directed its attacks against the Baltic and Slavic peoples living in these parts. The main task of the order was the enslavement and conversion to Catholicism of local residents, and if they did not want to accept the Catholic faith, then the "noble knights" mercilessly destroyed the "pagans". Teutonic knights appeared in Poland, called by the Polish prince to help in the fight against the Prussian tribes. The conquest of the Prussian lands by the order began, which took place quite actively and rapidly.

It should be noted that the official residence of the Teutonic Order during the events described was still in the Middle East - in the Montfort castle on the territory of modern Israel (the historical land of Upper Galilee). Montfort housed the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, the archive and the order's treasury. Thus, the top leadership managed the order's possessions in the Baltics remotely. In 1234, the Teutonic Order absorbed the remnants of the Dobrinsky Order, created in 1222 or 1228 on the territory of Prussia to protect the Prussian bishopric from the raids of the Prussian tribes.

When in 1237 the remnants of the Order of the Swordsmen (Brotherhood of the Warriors of Christ) joined the Teutonic Order, the Teutons also gained control over the possessions of the Swordsmen in Livonia. On the Livonian lands of the Sword-bearers, the Livonian Landmaster of the Teutonic Order arose. Interestingly, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Frederick II back in 1224 declared the lands of Prussia and Livonia subordinate directly to Holy Rome, and not to local authorities. The order became the chief viceroy of the papal throne and the spokesman for the papal will in the Baltic lands. At the same time, the course for the further expansion of the order in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states continued.

Back in 1238, the Danish king Valdemar II and the Grand Master of the Order Hermann Balk agreed on the division of Estonian lands. Veliky Novgorod was the main obstacle for the German-Danish knights, and it was against him that the main blow was directed. Sweden came out in alliance with the Teutonic Order and Denmark. In July 1240, Swedish ships appeared on the Neva, but already on July 15, 1240, on the banks of the Neva, Prince Alexander Yaroslavich inflicted a crushing defeat on the Swedish knights. For this he was nicknamed Alexander Nevsky.

The defeat of the Swedes did not greatly contribute to the abandonment of their allies from their aggressive plans. The Teutonic Order and Denmark were going to continue the campaign against North-Eastern Rus' with the aim of planting Catholicism. Already at the end of August 1240, Bishop Herman of Derpt went on a campaign against Rus'. He gathered an impressive army of knights of the Teutonic Order, Danish knights from the Reval fortress and the Dorpat militia, and invaded the territory of the modern Pskov region.

The resistance of the Pskovites did not give the proper result. The knights captured Izborsk and then laid siege to Pskov. Although the first siege of Pskov did not bring the desired result and the knights retreated, they soon returned and were able to take the Pskov fortress, using the help of the former Pskov prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich and the traitorous boyars led by Tverdilo Ivankovich. Pskov was taken, it housed a knight's garrison. Thus, the Pskov land became a springboard for the actions of the German knights against Veliky Novgorod.

A difficult situation at that time was also developing in Novgorod itself. The townspeople drove Prince Alexander out of Novgorod in the winter of 1240/1241. Only when the enemy came very close to the city, they sent messengers to Pereslavl-Zalessky to call Alexander. In 1241, the prince marched on Koporye, captured it by storm, killing the knights' garrison located there. Then, by March 1242, Alexander, having waited for the help of the troops of Prince Andrei from Vladimir, marched on Pskov and soon took the city, forcing the knights to retreat to the Derpt bishopric. Then Alexander invaded the order's lands, but when the advanced forces were defeated by the knights, he decided to retreat back and prepare in the area of ​​Lake Peipsi for the main battle. The ratio of forces of the parties, according to sources, was approximately 15-17 thousand soldiers from Rus', and 10-12 thousand Livonian and Danish knights, as well as the militia of the Derpt bishopric.

The Russian army was commanded by Prince Alexander Nevsky, and the knights were commanded by Landmaster of the Teutonic Order in Livonia Andreas von Velfen. A native of the Austrian Styria, Andreas von Velfen, before taking up the post of viceroy of the order in Livonia, was the commander (commandant) of Riga. What kind of commander he was is evidenced by the fact that he decided not to personally participate in the battle on Lake Peipus, but remained at a safe distance, transferring command to more junior order commanders. The Danish knights were commanded by the sons of King Valdemar II himself.

As you know, the crusaders of the Teutonic Order usually used the so-called "pig" or "boar's head" as a battle formation - a long column, at the head of which was a wedge from the ranks of the strongest and most experienced knights. Behind the wedge were detachments of squires, and in the center of the column - infantry from mercenaries - immigrants from the Baltic tribes. On the sides of the column followed a heavily armed knightly cavalry. The meaning of this formation was that the knights wedged into the enemy’s formation, splitting it into two parts, then breaking it into smaller parts, and only then finished off with the participation of their infantry.

Prince Alexander Nevsky took a very interesting move - he placed his forces on the flanks in advance. In addition, the cavalry squads of Alexander and Andrei Yaroslavich were placed in an ambush. In the center stood the Novgorod militia, and in front - a chain of archers. Behind them, chained convoys were placed, which were supposed to deprive the knights of the opportunity to maneuver and evade the blows of the Russian army. On April 5 (12), 1242, Russians and knights entered into combat contact. The archers were the first to take the onslaught of the knights, and then the knights were able to break through the Russian system with the help of their famous wedge. But it was not there - the heavily armed knightly cavalry got stuck at the convoy and then the regiments of the right and left hands moved from the flanks. Then the princely squads entered the battle, which put the knights to flight. The ice broke, unable to bear the weight of the knights, and the Germans began to sink. The soldiers of Alexander Nevsky pursued the knights on the ice of Lake Peipsi for seven miles. The Teutonic Order and Denmark suffered a complete defeat in the battle on Lake Peipus. According to the Simeon Chronicle, 800 Germans and Chuds "without number" died, 50 knights were captured. The losses of the troops of Alexander Nevsky are unknown.

The defeat of the Teutonic Order had an impressive impact on its leadership. The Teutonic Order renounced all territorial claims to Veliky Novgorod and returned all the lands seized not only in Rus', but also in Latgale. Thus, the effect of the defeat inflicted on the German knights was colossal, primarily politically. The Battle on the Ice demonstrated to the West that a strong enemy awaits the famous crusaders in Rus', ready to fight on their native lands to the last. Already later, Western historians tried in every possible way to belittle the significance of the battle on Lake Peipsi - either they claimed that in reality there were much smaller forces, then they characterized the battle as the starting point for the formation of the "myth of Alexander Nevsky".

The victories of Alexander Nevsky over the Swedes and over the Teutonic and Danish knights were of great importance for the further Russian history. Who knows how the history of the Russian land would have developed if the soldiers of Alexander had not won these battles then. After all, the main goal of the knights was the conversion of Russian lands to Catholicism and their complete subordination to the dominion of the order, and through it, Rome. For Rus', therefore, the battle was of decisive importance in terms of preserving national and cultural identity. We can say that the Russian world was forged, including in the battle on Lake Peipsi.

Alexander Nevsky, who defeated the Swedes and the Teutons, entered Russian history forever both as a church saint and as a brilliant commander and defender of the Russian land. It is clear that the contribution of the countless warriors of the Novgorod and princely combatants was no less. History has not preserved their names, but for us, living 776 years later, Alexander Nevsky is, including those Russian people who fought on Lake Peipsi. He became the personification of the Russian military spirit, power. It was under him that Rus' showed the West that it was not going to obey him, that it was a special land with its own way of life, with its people, with its own cultural code. Then the Russian soldiers had more than once to "beat" the West in the teeth. But the starting point was precisely the battles won by Alexander Nevsky.

Followers of political Eurasianism say that Alexander Nevsky predetermined Russia's Eurasian choice. During his reign, Rus' developed more peaceful relations with the Mongols than with the German knights. At least the Mongols did not seek to destroy the identity of the Russian people by imposing their beliefs on them. In any case, the political wisdom of the prince was that in difficult times for the Russian land, he was able to relatively secure Novgorod Rus' in the east, winning battles in the west. This was his military and diplomatic talents.

776 years have passed, but the memory of the feat of Russian soldiers in the battle on Lake Peipus remains. In the 2000s, a number of monuments to Alexander Nevsky were opened in Russia - in St. Petersburg, Veliky Novgorod, Petrozavodsk, Kursk, Volgograd, Alexandrov, Kaliningrad and many other cities. Eternal memory to the prince and all Russian soldiers who defended their land in that battle.

The borders of modern Russia are historically connected with the borders of the Russian Empire, which were influenced by certain events. And therefore, the significance of the Battle of the Ice is very great: thanks to him, the Teutonic Order forever abandoned serious claims to Russian lands. Although this did not protect our ancestors from the Golden Horde, it helped to defend at least the western borders, showed people in difficult times that they are capable of winning victories.

However, before the Battle of the Ice happened, it was preceded by other events that largely predetermined it. In particular, the Battle of the Neva, which clearly demonstrated the military talent of the then young Prince Alexander. Therefore, it is worth starting with it.

The battle on the Neva itself is directly conditioned by the claims of both the Swedes and the Novgorodians to the Karelian Isthmus and to the Finnish tribes. What was connected with the influence and with the advance of the crusaders to the west. Here historians differ in their assessments of what happened. Some believe that Alexander Nevsky stopped the expansion by his actions. Others disagree, believing that the significance of his victories is greatly exaggerated, and that the crusaders actually had no real intention of moving in earnest. So the Battle of the Neva and the Battle of the Ice still cause a lot of controversy. But it is worth returning to the first event.

So, the Battle of the Neva took place on July 15, 1240. It should be noted that the young prince Alexander at that time was a very inexperienced commander, he participated in battles only with his father, Yaroslav. And this was, in fact, his first serious military test. Success was largely determined by the sudden appearance of the prince along with his squad. The Swedes, who landed at the mouth of the Neva, did not expect a serious rebuff. In addition, in the summer they experienced serious thirst, as a result of which, as many historians have noted, they were either drunk or hungover. The camp set up near the river implied the presence of tents, which turned out to be very easy to cut down, which the youth Savva did.

The timely warning of the Izhorian elder Pelgusius, who was watching these lands and sending messengers to Alexander, thus came as a complete surprise to the Swedes. As a result, the Battle of the Neva ended for them in a real rout. According to some reports, the Swedes loaded almost 3 ships with the bodies of those killed, while about 20 people died on the Novgorodians. It is worth noting that the battle began in the afternoon and lasted until the evening, at night hostilities ceased, and in the morning the Swedes began to flee. Nobody pursued them: Alexander Nevsky did not see the need for this, in addition, he was afraid to increase losses. Please note that he received his nickname precisely after this victory.

What happened between the Battle of Nevsky and the Battle of the Ice?

After the battle on the Neva River took place, the Swedes abandoned their claims. But this did not mean that the Crusaders stopped thinking about the conquest of Rus'. Do not forget in what year the described event took place: our ancestors already then had problems with the Golden Horde. Which, together with feudal fragmentation, significantly weakened the Slavs. Understanding the date is so important here because it allows you to relate one event to another.

Therefore, the defeat of the Swedes did not impress the Teutonic Order. The Danes and Germans resolutely moved forward, captured Pskov, Izborsk, founded Koporye, where they decided to fortify themselves, making it their outpost. Even the summary of the Laurentian Chronicle, which tells about those events, makes it clear that the successes of the Order were significant.

At the same time, the boyars, who had considerable power in Novgorod, were alarmed about the victory of Alexander that had taken place. They were afraid of increasing his power. As a result, the prince left Novgorod after a major quarrel with them. But already in 1242, the boyars called him back with a retinue because of the Teutonic threat, especially since the enemy was coming close to the Novgorodians.

How did the battle take place?

So, the famous battle on Lake Peipus, the Battle of the Ice, took place in 1242 on April 5. At the same time, the battle was carefully prepared by the Russian prince. What makes clear the work of Konstantin Simonov dedicated to this event, which, although it cannot be called an impeccable historical source in terms of reliability, is quite well worked out.

In short, everything happened according to a certain pattern: the knights of the Order in full heavy weapons acted as a typical wedge for themselves. Such a ramming blow was intended to demonstrate all power to the enemy, sweep him away, sow panic and break resistance. This tactic has proved itself repeatedly in the past. But the Battle of the Ice in 1242, Alexander Nevsky really prepared well. He studied the weaknesses of the enemy, so the German "pig" was first waited for by archers, their main task was simply to lure the knights out. Which then stumbled upon heavily armed infantry with long pikes.

In fact, what happened next could hardly be called anything other than a massacre. The knights could not stop, because otherwise the front ranks would be crushed by the back. It was not possible to break the wedge at all. Therefore, the horsemen could only move forward, hoping to break the infantry. But the central regiment was weak, but the strong ones were placed on the sides, contrary to the then established military tradition. In addition, another detachment was placed in an ambush. In addition, Alexander Nevsky perfectly studied the area where the Battle of the Ice took place, so some of the knights were able to drive his warriors to where the ice was very thin. As a result, many of them began to sink.

There is another important factor. He is also shown in "Alexander Nevsky", a famous painting, maps, pictures also depict him. This is the stampede of a freak who helped the Order when she realized that professional warriors were fighting against her. Speaking even briefly about the Battle on the Ice, one cannot fail to note the excellent knowledge of the weapons of the knights and weaknesses. So, they were frankly helpless when they were pulled off their horses. And that is why the prince armed many of his soldiers with special hooks, which made it possible to throw the crusaders to the ground. At the same time, the battle that took place turned out to be very cruel in relation to the horses. To deprive the riders of this advantage, many wounded and killed animals.

But what were the results of the Battle of the Ice for both sides? Alexander Nevsky managed to repel claims to Rus' from the west, to strengthen the borders for centuries to come. Which was of particular importance, given how much the Slavs suffered from invasions from the east. In addition, the first battle in history took place, where infantrymen defeated heavily armed riders in full dress in battle, demonstrating to the whole world that this is quite real. And although the Battle on the Ice is not a very large scale, but from this point of view, Alexander Nevsky demonstrated a good talent as a commander. As a prince, he acquired a certain weight, they began to reckon with him.

As for the Order itself, it cannot be said that the defeat in question was critical. But on Lake Peipsi, 400 knights died, about 50 were captured. So for its age, the Battle of the Ice still caused quite serious damage to the German and Danish chivalry. And for that year, this was not the only problem of the Order, which also faced the Galicia-Volyn and Lithuanian principalities.

Reasons for winning the battle

Alexander Nevsky won a convincing victory in the Battle of the Ice. Moreover, he forced the Teutonic Order to sign a peace treaty on his own terms. In this agreement, he forever renounced any claims to Russian lands. Since it was a matter of spiritual brotherhood, which was also subordinate to the Pope of Rome, the Order could not violate such an agreement without problems for itself. That is, speaking even briefly about the results of the Battle of the Ice, including diplomatic ones, it should be noted that they were impressive. But back to the analysis of the battle.

Reasons for winning:

1. Well chosen place. Alexander's soldiers were lighter armed. Therefore, thin ice for them did not pose such a danger as for knights clad in full armor, many of whom simply drowned. In addition, Novgorodians knew these places better.
2. Good tactic. Alexander Nevsky was in complete control of the situation. He not only correctly disposed of the advantages of the place, but also studied the weaknesses in the usual style of fighting, which the Teutonic Knights themselves repeatedly demonstrated, ranging from the classic “pig” to their dependence on horses, heavy weapons.
3. Underestimation by the enemy of the Russians. The Teutonic Order is accustomed to success. By this time, Pskov and other lands had already been captured, and the knights did not meet serious resistance. The largest of the conquered cities was taken thanks to betrayal.

The battle in question was of great cultural significance. In addition to Simonov's story, several films were made based on it, including documentaries. This event was covered in many books, both fiction and biographical, dedicated to the personality of Alexander Nevsky. Many consider it extremely important that the victory took place during the onset of the period of the Tatar-Mongol yoke.

He defeated the army of the Livonian Order. In contrast to the laconic and restrained German chronicles, in the Russian chronicles the events on Lake Peipus are described on an epic scale. “And the Nemtsy and Chud came to the regiment, and pierced through the regiment like a pig, and the slaughter was great by the German and Chudi,” narrates the Life of Alexander Nevsky. The battle on the ice has long been the subject of controversy among historians. The discussion was about the exact location of the battle, and about the number of participants.

Chronicle of the legendary battle that forced the Germans to stop their expansion to the East:

In August 1240, the Livonian Order began a campaign against Rus'. The knights captured Izborsk, Pskov and the coast of the Gulf of Finland. In 1241, Prince Alexander Nevsky of Novgorod gathered an army. Warriors from Suzdal and Vladimir arrive to help him. Alexander recaptures Pskov and Izborsk, the Livonian knights retreat to Lake Peipus.

Most of the enemy forces were Estonians - in Russian-language sources "chud". The vast majority of Estonians were not professional soldiers and were poorly armed. In terms of numbers, detachments from enslaved peoples significantly outnumbered the German knights.

The battle on Lake Peipsi began with the performance of Russian riflemen. Ahead, Nevsky placed a regiment of light cavalry, archers and slingers. The main forces were concentrated on the flanks. The prince's cavalry squad was in ambush behind the left flank.

The German cavalry broke through the enemy line. The Russians attacked her from both flanks, which forced the other detachments of the Order to retreat. The squad of Alexander Nevsky struck from the rear. The battle broke up into separate pockets. “And Nemzi that padosha, and Chyud dasha splashing; and, chasing, bish them for 7 versts along the ice to the Subolichsky coast, ”it is said in the Novgorod First Chronicle of the senior version.

Thus, the Russian army pursued the enemy on the ice for 7 versts (more than 7 kilometers). In later sources, information appeared that the Germans went under the ice, but historians still argue about its reliability.

The Novgorod First Chronicle, the Suzdal and Laurentian Chronicles, "The Life of Alexander Nevsky" tell about the Battle of the Ice. For a long time, researchers have been debating the exact location of the battle; the annals mention that the troops converged on the shores of Lake Peipus at the Voronye stone and the Uzmen tract.

The number of warring parties is unknown. In Soviet times, the following figures appeared: up to 12 thousand soldiers of the Livonian Order and up to 17 thousand people from Alexander Nevsky. Other sources indicate that up to 5 thousand people fought on the side of the Russians. About 450 knights were killed in the battle.

The victory on Lake Peipsi delayed the German offensive for a long time and was of great importance for Novgorod and Pskov, which suffered from Western invaders. The Livonian Order was forced to make peace, renouncing their territorial claims.