Choosing a battle site. The patrols informed Prince Alexander that an insignificant enemy detachment moved towards Izborsk, and most of the army turned towards Lake Pskov. Having received this news, Alexander turned his troops east to the shore of Lake Peipsi. The choice was dictated by strategic and tactical calculations. In this position, Alexander Nevsky with his regiments cut off everything to the enemy possible ways approach to Novgorod, thus finding itself in the very center of all possible enemy routes. Probably, the Russian commander knew how 8 years ago, on the ice-bound waters of the Embach River, his father, Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, defeated the knights, knew about the advantages of fighting heavily armed knights in winter conditions.

Alexander Nevsky decided to give battle to the enemy on Lake Peipsi, north of the Uzmen tract, near the Voroniy Kamen island. Several important sources have come down to us about the famous Battle of the Ice. From the Russian side - these are the Novgorod Chronicles and "Life" of Alexander Nevsky, from Western sources - "Rhymed Chronicle" (author unknown).

The question of the number. One of the most difficult and controversial issues is the number of enemy armies. The chroniclers of both sides did not provide accurate data. Some historians believed that the number of German troops was 10-12 thousand people, and Novgorodians - 12-15 thousand people. It is likely that few knights took part in the ice battle, and most of the German army were Estonian and Livonian militias.

Preparing the parties for battle. On the morning of April 5, 1242, the knights-crusaders lined up in battle formation, ironically called by Russian chroniclers "the great pig" or wedge. The tip of the "wedge" was directed at the Russians. On the flanks of the fighting structure, knights clad in heavy armor stood, and lightly armed soldiers were stationed inside.

There is no detailed information about the military disposition of the Russian army in the sources. Probably, it was a "regiment row" with a guard regiment in front of the military practice of the Russian princes of that time. The battle formations of the Russian troops were facing the steep bank, and behind one of the flanks in the forest was the squad of Alexander Nevsky. The Germans were forced to advance on open ice, not knowing the exact location and number of Russian troops.

The course of the battle. Despite the scant coverage of the famous battle in the sources, the course of the battle is schematically clear. Having extended their long spears, the knights attacked the "chelo", i.e. center of the Russian army. Showered with a hail of arrows, the "wedge" crashed into the location of the guard regiment. The author of the "Rhymed Chronicle" wrote: "Here the banners of the brothers penetrated the ranks of the riflemen, you could hear the clink of swords, and you could see how the helmets were chopped off, the dead were falling on both sides." A Russian chronicler also wrote about the breakthrough of the guard regiment by the Germans: "The Germans and others have made their way through the regiment as a pig."

This first success of the crusaders was, apparently, foreseen by the Russian commander, as well as the difficulties encountered after this, insurmountable for the enemy. Here is how one of the best Russian military historians wrote about this stage of the battle: "... Having stumbled upon the steep shore of the lake, the sedentary knights clad in armor could not develop their success. On the contrary, the knightly cavalry crowded, who had nowhere to turn to fight. "

Russian troops did not allow the Germans to develop their success on the flanks, and the German wedge was firmly clamped in pincers, losing the harmony of ranks and freedom of maneuver, which turned out to be fatal for the crusaders. At the most unexpected moment for the enemy, Alexander ordered the ambush regiment to attack and surround the Germans. "And that slash of evil and great was a German and a fellow," the chronicler reported.

Armed special hooks Russian militias and warriors pulled the knights from their horses, after which the heavily armed "noblemen of God" became completely helpless. Under the weight of the crowded knights, the melted ice began to crack and crack in some places. Only a part of the crusader army managed to escape from the encirclement, trying to flee. Some of the knights drowned. At the end of the Battle of the Ice, the Russian regiments pursued an adversary "seven miles to the Sokolitsky coast" retreating across the ice of Lake Peipsi. The defeat of the Germans was crowned with an agreement between the order and Novgorod, according to which the crusaders left all the captured Russian lands and returned the prisoners; for their part, the Pskovites also released the captured Germans.

The meaning of the battle, its unique result. The defeat of the Swedish and German knights is a bright page in the military history of Russia. In the Battle of the Neva and the Battle of the Ice, the Russian troops under the command of Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky, performing an essentially defensive mission, were distinguished by decisive and consistent offensive actions. Each subsequent campaign of Alexander Nevsky's regiments had its own tactical task, but the commander himself did not lose sight of the general strategy. So, in the battles of 1241-1242. Russian commander inflicted whole line successive strikes against the enemy before the decisive battle took place.

Novgorod troops in all battles with the Swedes and Germans perfectly used the surprise factor. An unexpected attack destroyed the Swedish knights who landed at the mouth of the Neva, by a swift and unexpected blow the Germans were driven out of Pskov, and then from Koporye, finally, a quick and sudden attack by an ambush regiment in the Battle of Ice, which led to the complete confusion of the enemy's battle ranks. The battle formations and tactics of the Russian troops turned out to be more flexible than the notorious formation of the order's troops in a wedge. Alexander Nevsky, using the terrain, managed to deprive the enemy of space and freedom of maneuver, to surround and destroy.

The unusual nature of the battle on Lake Peipsi also lies in the fact that for the first time in the military practice of the Middle Ages, heavy cavalry was defeated by a foot army. As a historian of military art justly remarked, "the tactical encirclement of the German knightly army by the Russian army, that is, the use of one of their complex and decisive forms of military art, is the only case of the entire feudal period of the war. Only the Russian army under the command of a talented commander could carry out a tactical encirclement a strong, well-armed enemy. "

The victory over the German knights was extremely important in military-political terms. Was on for a long time delayed the onslaught of the Germans in Eastern Europe. Novgorod the Great retained the ability to maintain economic and cultural ties with European countries, defended the possibility of access to the Baltic Sea, and defended the Russian lands in the Northwest region. The defeat of the crusaders pushed other peoples to resist the crusading aggression. This is how the famous historian assessed the historical significance of the Battle on the Ice Ancient Rus M.N. Tikhomirov: "The Battle of the Ice is the greatest date in the history of the fight against the German conquerors. This battle can only be compared with the Grunwald defeat of the Teutonic knights in 1410. The fight against the Germans continued further, but the Germans could never do any significant harm to the Russian lands. , and Pskov remained a formidable stronghold, against which all subsequent attacks of the Germans were broken. " Despite the fact that we see the author's well-known exaggeration of the significance of the victory at Lake Peipsi, we can agree with him.

Another important consequence of the Battle of the Ice should be assessed within the framework of general position Russia in the 40s. XIII century. In the event of the defeat of Novgorod, a real threat of seizure of the northwestern Russian lands by the troops of the order would be created, and if we consider that Russia had already been conquered by the Tatars, then getting rid of the double oppression of the Russian people would probably be twice as difficult.

With all the severity of the Tatar oppression, there was one circumstance that ultimately turned out to be in favor of Russia. The Mongol-Tatars who conquered Russia in the XIII century. remained pagans, respecting and wary of someone else's faith and not encroaching on it. The Teutonic army, supervised personally by the Pope, tried by all means to introduce Catholicism in the conquered territories. The destruction or at least undermining of the Orthodox faith for the scattered, lost unity of the Russian lands would mean the loss of cultural identity and the loss of all hope for the restoration of political independence. It was Orthodoxy in the era of Tatar and political fragmentation, when the population of numerous lands and principalities of Russia almost lost a sense of unity, was the basis for the revival of national identity.

Read also other topics part IX "Russia between East and West: battles of the XIII and XV centuries." section "Russia and the Slavic countries in the Middle Ages":

• 39. "Who is the essence and the secession of the issue": Tatar-Mongols by the beginning of the XIII century.
• 41. Genghis Khan and the "Muslim front": campaigns, sieges, conquests
• 42. Russia and Cumans on the eve of Kalka
  • Polovtsi. Military-political organization and social structure of the Polovtsian hordes
  • Prince Mstislav Udaloy. Princely Congress in Kiev - the decision to help the Polovtsy
• 44. Crusaders in the Eastern Baltic

The site of the Battle on the Ice is a monument in honor of the 750th anniversary of the famous battle on Lake Peipsi, installed as close as possible to the alleged battle site, in the village of Kobylye Gorodishche, Gdovsky District, Pskov Region.

The Battle on the Ice is one of the largest military clashes of the 13th century. During the period when Russia was weakened from the east by the Mongol raids, from the west the threat came from the Livonian Order. The knights captured the fortresses and, as well, and as close as possible to. In 1241 the Novgorodians turned to Prince Alexander Nevsky. From the prince went to Novgorod, and then marched with an army to Koporye, liberating the fortress and destroying the garrison. In March 1242, having united with the troops of his younger brother - Prince of Vladimir and Suzdal Andrei Yaroslavich, Alexander marched on Pskov and freed him. Then the knights retreated to Dorpat (the modern Estonian city of Tartu). Alexander made an unsuccessful attempt to attack the possessions of the Order, after which the troops of the prince retreated to the ice of Lake Peipsi.

The decisive battle took place on April 5, 1242. The Livonian army numbered about 10-15 thousand soldiers, the forces of the Novgorodians and the allies outnumbered the German ones and numbered about 15-17 thousand soldiers. During the battle, the knights initially broke into the center of the Russian defense, but were later surrounded and defeated. The remaining Livonian forces retreated, the Novgorodians pursued them for about 7 miles more. The losses of the knights were about 400 killed and 50 captured. The Novgorodians lost from 600 to 800 killed (in various historical sources, the data on losses on both sides are very different).

The significance of the victory at Lake Peipsi has not yet been finally determined. Some historians (mostly Western) believe that its significance is greatly exaggerated, and the threat from the west was insignificant compared to mongol invasion from the east. Others believe that it was the expansion of the Catholic Church that carried the main threat to Orthodox Russia, and traditionally call Alexander Nevsky one of the main defenders of Russian Orthodoxy.

For a long time historians were unable to pinpoint the exact location of the battle. The research was complicated by the variability of the hydrography of Lake Peipsi. There is still no clear archaeological evidence (any finds related to the past major battle). Nevertheless, it is believed that the most probable place was Teploe Lake, the narrowest place between the Peipsi and Pskov lakes, not far from Voroniy Island (in legends, the island or "Raven Stone" is referred to as the place from where Alexander Nevsky watched the battle).

In 1992, in the village of Kobylye Gorodishche, which is the closest point from the alleged battle site, a monument to Alexander Nevsky was unveiled near wooden cross, which in 2006 was replaced by a bronze cast in.

In 1993, not far from Pskov, was opened, dedicated to the victory in the Battle of the Ice. FROM historical point view - this position of the monument is not justified, since it is located 100 km. from the battlefield. But from a tourist point of view, the decision is quite successful, since the monument is located near Pskov, as a result of which it immediately became one of the main attractions.

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Many books and articles have been written about the famous battle on the ice of Lake Peipsi in April 1242, but it itself has not been fully studied - and our information about it is replete with white spots ...

“And there was a wicked slash, and a crack from the breaking of spears, and a sound from a sword cut, and the frozen lake moved. And there was no ice: all covered in blood ... "

At the beginning of 1242, the German Teutonic knights captured Pskov and advanced towards Novgorod. On Saturday, April 5, at dawn, the Russian squad, led by the Novgorod prince Alexander Nevsky, met the crusaders on the ice of Lake Peipsi, near the Crow Stone.

Alexander skillfully captured the knights, built in a wedge, from the flanks, and with the blow of the ambush regiment took them into the ring. The Battle of the Ice, famous in Russian history, began. “And there was a wicked slash, and a crack from the breaking of spears, and a sound from a sword cut, and the frozen lake moved. And there was no ice: it was all covered in blood ... "The chronicle reports that the ice cover could not stand the retreating heavily armed knights and collapsed. Under the weight of their armor, the enemy warriors quickly sank to the bottom, choking on the icy water.

Some of the circumstances of the battle remained a real "blank spot" for researchers. Where does truth end and where does fiction begin? Why did the ice collapse under the feet of the knights and withstand the weight of the Russian army? How could the knights fall through the ice if its thickness at the shores of Lake Peipsi at the beginning of April reaches a meter? Where did the legendary battle take place?

Russian chronicles (Novgorod, Pskov, Suzdal, Rostov, Lavrentiev, etc.) and the "Elder Livonian Rhymed Chronicle" describe in detail both the events preceding the battle and the battle itself. Its landmarks are indicated: "On Lake Peipsi, near the Uzmen tract, near the Crow Stone." Local legends specify that the warriors fought just outside the village of Samolva.

The chronicle miniature drawing depicts the opposition of the parties before the battle, and in the background defensive ramparts, stone and other buildings are shown. In the ancient chronicles, there is no mention of Voroniy Island (or another island) near the site of the battle. They talk about fighting on the ground, while ice is mentioned only in the final part of the battle.

In search of answers to the numerous questions of researchers, Leningrad archaeologists headed by the military historian Georgy Karaev were the first to go to the shores of Lake Peipsi in the late 50s of the XX century. Scientists were going to recreate the events of more than seven hundred years ago.

In the beginning, chance helped. Once, talking with fishermen, Karaev asked why they called the section of the lake near Cape Sigovets “ damn place". The fishermen explained: in this place until the very severe frosts there remains a wormwood, "whitefish", because whitefish have been caught in it for a long time. In frosty weather, of course, the "whitefish" will be seized with ice, only it is fragile: a person goes in there and disappears ...

This means that it is no coincidence that the locals call the southern part of the lake Warm Lake. Perhaps this is where the crusaders drowned? Here is the answer: the bottom of the lake in the area of \u200b\u200b"sigovitz" abounds in exits groundwaterthat prevent the formation of a durable ice cover.

Archaeologists have established that the waters of Lake Peipsi are gradually advancing on the shores, this is the result of a slow tectonic process. Many ancient villages were flooded, and their inhabitants moved to other, higher, banks. The lake level rises at a rate of 4 millimeters per year. Consequently, since the time of Prince Alexander Nevsky, the water in the lake has risen by a good three meters!

G.N. Karaev removed the depth of less than three meters from the map of the lake, and the map became "younger" by seven hundred years. This map suggested: the narrowest point of the lake in ancient times was just in the vicinity of the "whitefish". This is how the chronicle "Uzmen", a name that does not exist on modern map lakes.

The most difficult thing was to determine the location of the "Crow Stone", because on the map of the Crow Stone Lake, rocks and islands there are more than a dozen. Karaev's divers examined Voroniy Island near Uzmen and found that it was nothing more than the top of a huge sheer underwater cliff. A stone rampart was unexpectedly discovered next to her. Scientists decided that the name "Raven Stone" in ancient times referred not only to the rock, but also to a fairly strong border fortification. It became clear: the battle began here on that distant April morning.

The members of the expedition came to the conclusion that the Crow Stone several centuries ago was a high fifteen-meter hill with steep slopes; it was visible from afar and served as a good landmark. But time and waves did their job: the once high hill with steep slopes disappeared under the water.

The researchers also tried to explain why the fleeing knights fell through the ice and drowned. Indeed, at the beginning of April, when the battle was taking place, the ice on the lake was still quite thick and strong. But the secret was that not far from the Crow Stone from the bottom of the lake, warm springs are beating, forming "whitefish", so the ice is less strong here than in other places. Earlier, when the water level was lower, the underwater springs undoubtedly hit right on the ice sheet. The Russians, of course, knew about this and avoided dangerous places, while the enemy ran straight ahead.

So this is the solution to the riddle! But if it is true that in this place the ice abyss swallowed up an entire knightly army, then somewhere here his trace must be hidden. The archaeologists set themselves the task of finding this last evidence, but the circumstances prevented the achievement of the final goal. It was not possible to find the burial places of the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Ice. This is clearly stated in the report of the complex expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences. And soon there were claims that in ancient times the dead were taken with them for burial at home, therefore, they say, their remains cannot be found.

Several years ago, a new generation of search engines - a group of Moscow enthusiasts ancient history Russia again tried to solve the centuries-old secret. She had to find burials hidden in the ground related to the Battle of the Ice on a large territory of the Gdovsky district of the Pskov region.

Studies have shown that in those distant times in the area south of the currently existing village of Kozlovo, there was a fortified outpost of the Novgorodians. It was here that Prince Alexander Nevsky went to join the detachment of Andrei Yaroslavich, hidden in ambush. At the critical moment of the battle, the ambush regiment could go behind the lines of the knights, surround them and ensure victory. The place is relatively flat. The troops of the Nevsky from the north-western side were protected by the "whitefish" of Lake Peipsi, and from the eastern side - by a wooded part, where the Novgorodians settled in the fortified town.

The knights attacked from the south (from the village of Tabora). Unaware of the Novgorod reinforcements and feeling their military superiority in force, they, without hesitation, rushed into battle, falling into the spread "nets". From here it can be seen that the battle itself was on land, not far from the lake shore. By the end of the battle, the knightly army was pushed back to the spring ice of Zhelchinskaya Bay, where many of them died. Their remains and weapons are still at the bottom of this bay.

History of naval art

After the defeat of the Swedes Alexander Nevskiy quarreled with the Novgorod boyars, who were afraid of the strengthening of the princely power, and was forced to leave Novgorod for his own inheritance - Pereyaslavl Zalessky ... They took advantage of his departure german knights ... In the fall of 1240, they invaded the Russian land and captured fortress Izborsk and Koporye ... Against the Germans came out pskov voivode Gavrila Borislavich with his squad and the Pskov militia. However, the Pskovites were defeated by superior enemy forces. In battle, the governor and many warriors fell. The Russians retreated to Pskov. When attacking Pskov, the knights mercilessly plundered and killed the Russian population, burned villages and churches. For a whole week, the Germans unsuccessfully besieged Pskov ... And only after a handful of traitorous boyars headed by Tverdila entered into an agreement with the Germans and opened the gates of the city for them, Pskov was taken.

In this difficult time for the entire Russian land, at the request of the people, the boyars were forced to call Alexander Nevsky to Novgorod again.

Alexander Yaroslavich returned to Novgorod. On his behalf, the vigilantes called: "Get together everything from small to large: whoever has a horse, he is on a horse, and whoever does not have a horse, let him go on a boat." In a short time he created a strong army from Novgorodians, Ladoga residents, Izhorians and Karelians.

Gathering an army, Alexander Nevsky, with a sudden blow, knocked the Germans out of Koporye, an important strategic point, from where they sent their troops deep into the Novgorod possessions. Foreseeing the fierce resistance of the enemy, Alexander Nevsky turned to his father, the Grand Duke, for help, asking him to send the Vladimir-Suzdal regiments. Help was rendered to him: Nevsky's brother, Andrei Yaroslavich, brought him to Novgorod "Grassroots" shelves ... Having united with these regiments, Alexander Nevsky went to Pskov, surrounded and took it by storm. The capture in such a short time of such a fortress as Pskov testified to high level military art of the Russians and the availability of our ancestors improved siege and military equipment. The traitor boyars were executed, the captured knights were sent to Novgorod.

Having strengthened the borders of the liberated Novgorod land, Alexander Nevskiy led his army to the land of the Estonians where the eye powers of the German knights were. Facing the threat of mortal danger, the knights increased their armed forces, at the head of which was himself master of the order .

In the second half of March 1242 vanguard of the Russians under the command of Domash Tverdislavovich scouted the main forces of the Germans, but, forced to engage with them, was defeated by a numerically superior enemy and retreated to his main forces. Guided by the intelligence report, Alexander Nevskiy decided to give battle to the enemy on the ice of Lake Peipsi. To this end, he moved his troops to the eastern shore of this lake and placed them in the Uzmen region, near the Crow Stone.

Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky knew well the strengths and weaknesses of his opponent. He chose a convenient position for battle on the ice of Lake Peipsi.

The spring ice was strong enough to withstand the Russian soldiers armed with spears, swords, poleaxes and axes, but the ice, as it soon became clear, could not withstand the knightly cavalry with armored horsemen.

The strength of the knights lay not only in their excellent weapons, but also in their combat formation. The battle formation of the German knights had the shape of a wedge, or, as the Russian chronicle calls it, “pigs”.

According to the description of historians, "pig" had the following appearance: in front were lined up from three to five mounted knights; behind them, in the second rank, were already five or seven knights; subsequent rows increased by two or three people. The total number of rows that made up the "pig" could reach ten, and the number of knights - up to 150. The rest of the knights were built in a column after the "pig".

Such a system was repeatedly successfully used by knights to break through the center of the enemy and encircle his flanks.

Together with the knights, the infantry also acted, which consisted of squires, servants and partly from the population of the conquered countries. The infantry came into action when the "pig" tore apart the formation of the central regiment of the enemy and went out on its flanks. But the infantry was always followed by a line of knights, for the crusaders did not pin special hopes on it.

Contrary to the usual formation of the battle formation of the Russian troops, when in the center was placed big regiment , and on the flanks weaker right and left hand shelves , Alexander Nevskiy Considering the tactics of the enemy, he deliberately weakened his center, concentrating the main forces of the Russian troops on the flanks. Forward was pushed a long distance insignificant vanguard , which, retreating, was supposed to lure the Germans on the ice of Lake Peipsi ... Alexander Nevsky placed the elite part of his squad behind the Crow Stone. This detachment was supposed to strike the enemy in the rear.

On the morning of April 5, 1242, the bulk of the German troops moved on the Russians, who were standing in battle formation at the Crow Stone. As expected, the Germans used their favorite order of battle this time too - wedge formation ... The vanguard of the Russians retreated, dragging the knights with them. The Germans, as usual, hit the Russian center, which they easily managed to break through. But at this time, the main forces of the Russians, concentrated on the flanks, suddenly fell upon them. Russian soldiers attacked swiftly and acted decisively. In a relatively short time they managed to surround the German wedge and confuse the ranks of the knights. The cavalry of the Germans, trapped in pincers by the Russians, began to retreat, crushing their infantry. The ice could not bear the weight of the knights, horses and enemy infantry huddled together. Many knights fell through the ice and died, along with their horses. The blow of the vigilantes from behind the Crow Stone to the rear of the Germans completed their defeat. "There was a wicked slaughter," the chronicler writes, living with the German knights, "and the Russian soldiers beat them, pursuing them as if through the air, and they had nowhere to hide." 500 knights were killed and 50 taken prisoner.

The Russian victory at Lake Peipsi was of historical significance. She saved Russia from German slavery. Karl Marx praised this victory of Alexander Nevsky. "Alexander Nevsky opposes the German knights, breaks them on the ice of Lake Peipsi, so that the scoundrels (die Lumpacii) were finally thrown back from the Russian border ".

conclusions

Alexander Nevsky is a great Russian military leader. His military activity is inextricably linked with the heroic struggle of the Russian people for their national independence.

In the fight against the Swedes and Germans, he showed high examples of strategic and tactical art. His strategy was active, it fully met the interests of the people, who sought to protect themselves from foreign invaders.

If, as a strategist, Alexander Nevsky accurately determined the main direction of the strike, then as a tactician he was no less skillfully able to concentrate the main forces and means on the decisive sector of the battle. Alexander Nevsky fought according to a premeditated and carefully prepared plan. His tactics were active and offensive.

"Prince Alexander won everywhere, was invincible" , - wrote a contemporary of the prince in "Lives of Alexander Nevsky".

In the Battle of the Neva, the Russians struck a surprise blow at the Swedish troops, which were completely defeated, despite their numerical superiority.

At the first stage of the fight against the Germans, Alexander Nevsky showed high military art, taking by storm the fortresses of Koporye and Pskov.

Having liberated their cities, the Russians shifted their actions to enemy territory. Then, having lured his main forces to a pre-selected position on Lake Peipsi, inflicted a decisive blow on the enemy in Ice battle .

After the Battle of the Ice, the knights recognized that the Russian people could neither be conquered nor enslaved. On the ice of Lake Peipsi, a limit was placed on the advance of the Germans to the east.

“Whoever comes to us with a sword,” said Alexander Nevsky, “will die by the sword. The Russian land stands and will stand on that. "

Alexander Nevsky was not only a great commander, but also a major statesman... During the Tatar invasion, he managed to subordinate the interests of the most important state centers of northwestern Russia to the common cause of saving the Russian people from German-Swedish aggression. At the same time, he upset the machinations of the Pope, who provoked the Russian people into an open armed uprising against the Tatars. Alexander Nevsky understood that a premature action against the Tatars could break the resistance of the Russian people and would enable the Germans and Swedes to seize the northwestern part of the Russian land, which had not been conquered by the Tatars.

***

After the defeat of the Swedes and Germans, Novgorod for a long time secured its possessions from invaders. The crushing blows of Alexander Nevsky were so strong that the enemies of Russia could not recover from them for a long time. Only 44 years after the Battle of the Neva did the Swedes resume their predatory campaigns against Novgorod. In 1248 they organized a campaign against the possessions of Novgorod with the aim of capturing Ladoga. But this campaign ended for them complete routmom. The Novgorodians freely let the Swedish ships into the Neva, blocked them and then destroyed them.

In 1300, the Swedes, taking advantage of the difficult internal situation in Russia (the Tatar yoke) and the weakening of Novgorod itself in connection with the intensified struggle of boyar groups for power, decided to cut off Novgorod from Baltic Sea... To this end, they sent their fleet of 111 ships to the Gulf of Finland and the Neva. Climbing up the Neva, the Swedes stopped at the mouth of the Okhta River, where, under the supervision of Italian engineers, they built the Landskronu fortress.

The Novgorodians, having learned about the arrival of the enemy fleet in the Neva, decided to destroy it with the help of burning ships launched downstream. But the Swedes, warned by their intelligence, managed to prevent this danger by driving piles above the parking lot of their fleet. Then the Novgorodians were forced to strengthen their ground forces, which took Landskrona by storm and destroyed it (1301).

In order to prevent the enemy from entering the Neva in the future, the Novgorodians built in 1323 at its source on the island of Orekhov the fortress Oreshek (now Petrokrepost).

Due to the increased resistance of the Novgorodians, the Swedes suffered constant setbacks in their costly campaigns against Russia, so in 1323 they sent their representatives to the Novgorodians in Oreshek with peace proposals. The latter accepted the offer of the Swedes, and peace was signed in the Oreshek fortress.

According to the Orekhovsky Peace Treaty, the Sestra River became the border of Novgorod possessions on the Karelian Isthmus, and the Narova River on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland.

The peace treaty of 1323 remained in force until 1348, when the Swedish king Magnus decided to cut off the Russians' access to the Baltic Sea, seize their land, and convert themselves to the Catholic faith and enslave them. In 1348, a large Swedish fleet under the command of the king himself entered the Gulf of Finland and, climbing up the Neva, took the Oreshek fortress.

To liberate Oreshok, the Novgorodians gathered a large militia and moved on water and land against the Swedes. The Swedish king, having learned about the movement of a large Russian army, left a strong garrison in Oreshka, and fled to Sweden with his retinue. In 1349 Novgorodians took the Oreshek fortress by storm.

After the liberation of Oreshk, Novgorodians at the mouth of the Okhta River, on the site of the former Swedish fortress Landskrona, founded a new fortress, Kantsy.

On April 5, 1242, a battle took place on Lake Peipsi between the army of Alexander Nevsky and the knights of the Livonian Order. Subsequently, this battle became known as the "Battle on the Ice".

The knights were commanded by the commander Andreas von Völfen. The number of his army was 10 thousand soldiers. The Russian army was led by the commander Alexander Nevsky, who received his nickname thanks to the victory on the Neva, thereby returning hope to the Russian people and strengthening faith in their own strength. The Russian army numbered somewhere from 15 to 17 thousand soldiers. But the crusaders were better equipped.

Early in the morning on April 5, 1242, near the Voroniy Kamen Island, not far from Lake Peipsi, German knights noticed the soldiers of the Russian army from afar and lined up in a rather famous "pig" battle formation, distinguished by the severity and discipline of the order, headed to the center of the enemy army. E After a protracted battle, they were able to break through it. Inspired by their success, the soldiers did not immediately notice how the Russians suddenly surrounded them from both flanks. The German army began to retreat and did not notice that they were on Lake Peipsi, covered with ice. Under the weight of the armor, the ice began to crack beneath them. Most of the enemy soldiers sank, unable to escape, and the rest fled. The Russian army pursued the enemy for another 7 miles.

This battle is considered unique, because for the first time a foot army was able to defeat heavily armed cavalry.

In this battle, about 5 hundred Livonian knights died, and 50 quite noble Germans were taken prisoner in disgrace. In those days, this figure of losses was very impressive and terrified the enemies of the Russian Lands.

Having won a heroic victory, Alexander solemnly entered Pskov, where he was enthusiastically greeted and thanked by the people.

After the "Battle of the Ice" raids and land claims Kievan Rus did not stop completely, but diminished significantly.

The commander Alexander Nevsky managed to defeat the enemy army, thanks to the right choice places for battle and order of battle, coordinated actions of soldiers, reconnaissance and observation of the actions of the enemy, taking into account his strengths and weaknesses.

As a result of this historic victory, the Livonian and Teutonic Order and Prince Alexander Nevsky signed an armistice among themselves on terms favorable to the Russian people. There was also a strengthening and expansion of the borders of the Russian lands. The rapid development of the Novgorod-Pskov region began.

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