Briefly about the Neva battle

Neva battle beginning
Neva battle reasons
Neva battle stages
Neva battle results

In short, the Battle of the Neva is one of the key events in the history of the Russian principalities. In 1240 Kievan Rus consisted of many separate principalities, each of which sought to become a single entity. While the central and southern principalities suffered from the invasion of the Mongols, the principality of Novgorod, as the most northern, had other problems.

The nearby Livonian (Teutonic) order sought to get rid of the "infidels" from these lands, and for this purpose enlisted the support of the Pope and the Swedes. Information about the Battle of the Neva has come down to our times, although they have remained very scarce. It is known that the Swedish army, which invaded the Izhora land at the mouth of the Neva, was commanded by Jarl Ulf Fasi. There is also an assumption that the future king of Sweden, Birger Magnusson, also participated in the battle, where he was wounded in the eye directly by Alexander Yaroslavovich, the commander of the Novgorod army.

The Swedish army included Norwegians, Finns and representatives catholic church, since this campaign was carried out as part of the Crusade. Izhora was then allied to Novgorod, so the news of the invasion reached Alexander shortly after the landing. The subsequent Livonian campaign of the allied forces was equipped with a delay. Perhaps the Teutons underestimated the Novgorodians, since Alexander showed a lightning-fast reaction.

Alexander Yaroslavovich hastily gathered an army, did not ask for help from the Vladimir principality, and with a small squad opposed the enemy, enlisting the support of the Ladoga militias. The army was mainly cavalry, which ensured high mobility. The Swedes did not expect such a quick reaction - their camp was located in the lowlands near the seashore.

The battle began on July 15, 1240. The Battle of Neva is difficult to describe in detail due to the small number of sources, however short description managed to compose. In the morning, Alexander ordered fire arrows to be fired at the camp, which caused panic and confusion.
Then, taking advantage of the strategic advantage, his troops hit the Swedes, pushing them to the seashore and preventing them from turning around. During the battle, according to sources, several ships were sunk, and by the evening the Novgorod troops retreated. However, the Swedes suffered such heavy losses that they were forced to board ships and return to their land with nothing.

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

Prerequisites

Before the battle

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

According to this report, Norwegians (Murmans) and representatives of Finnish tribes (sum and ѣm) were part of the Swedish army, and Catholic bishops were also in the army. The borders of the Novgorod land were guarded by "watchmen": in the Neva region, on both banks of the Gulf of Finland, there was a "sea guard" of the Izhorians. At dawn on a July day in 1240, the elder of the Izhora land, Pelgusius, while on patrol, discovered the Swedish flotilla and hastily sent Alexander to report everything.

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

The course of the battle

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

Alexander "left a trace of his sharp spear on the face of the king himself ...". Kirpichnikov A.N. interprets this message as a violation by Alexander's retinue of the formation of the detachment of the Swedish king already at the first equestrian spear collision. In the Russian army, in addition to the princely detachment, there were at least 3 detachments of noble Novgorodians who had their own squads, and the Ladoga detachment. In the "Life", which is in the younger version of the Novgorod First Chronicle, six soldiers are mentioned who performed feats during the battle (of which three are the prince's combatants and three Novgorodians):

Annals

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

The memory of the Neva battle

Alexander Nevsky Lavra

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

Church of Alexander Nevsky in Ust-Izhora

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

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

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

Screen adaptation

• In 2008, the feature film “Alexander. Neva battle.

On coins and postage stamps

see also

Write a review on the article "Battle of the Neva"

Notes

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

Links

An excerpt characterizing the Neva battle

“That’s laughter,” he said, returning. “Two keepers have landed. One is frozen at all, and the other is so courageous, byada! Songs are playing.
- Oh oh? go see…” Several soldiers moved towards the fifth company.

The fifth company stood near the forest itself. A huge fire burned brightly in the middle of the snow, illuminating the branches of trees weighed down with frost.
In the middle of the night, the soldiers of the fifth company heard footsteps in the forest in the snow and the squawking of branches.
“Guys, witch,” said one soldier. Everyone raised their heads, listened, and from the forest, into bright light bonfire, two strangely dressed human figures, holding each other, stepped forward.
They were two Frenchmen hiding in the forest. Hoarsely saying something in a language incomprehensible to the soldiers, they approached the fire. One was taller, wearing an officer's hat, and seemed quite weak. Approaching the fire, he wanted to sit down, but fell to the ground. Another, small, stocky, soldier tied with a handkerchief around his cheeks, was stronger. He raised his comrade and, pointing to his mouth, said something. The soldiers surrounded the French, laid out an overcoat for the sick man, and brought both porridge and vodka.
The weakened French officer was Rambal; tied with a handkerchief was his batman Morel.
When Morel drank vodka and finished the bowl of porridge, he suddenly became painfully amused and began to say something to the soldiers who did not understand him. Rambal refused to eat and silently lay on his elbow by the fire, looking with meaningless red eyes at the Russian soldiers. From time to time he let out a long groan and fell silent again. Morel, pointing to his shoulders, inspired the soldiers that it was an officer and that he needed to be warmed up. A Russian officer, approaching the fire, sent to ask the colonel if he would take a French officer to warm him up; and when they returned and said that the colonel had ordered the officer to be brought in, Rambal was told to go. He got up and wanted to go, but staggered and would have fallen if a soldier standing nearby had not supported him.
- What? You will not? one soldier said with a mocking wink, addressing Rambal.
- Hey, fool! What a lie! That is a peasant, really, a peasant, - reproaches were heard from different sides to the joking soldier. They surrounded Rambal, lifted the two in their arms, intercepted by them, and carried them to the hut. Rambal hugged the necks of the soldiers and, when they carried him, spoke plaintively:
– Oh, nies braves, oh, mes bons, mes bons amis! Voila des hommes! oh, mes braves, mes bons amis! [Oh well done! Oh my good ones good friends! Here are the people! O my good friends!] - and, like a child, he bowed his head on the shoulder of one soldier.
Meanwhile Morel was sitting on the best place surrounded by soldiers.
Morel, a small stocky Frenchman, with inflamed, watery eyes, tied around with a woman's handkerchief over his cap, was dressed in a woman's fur coat. He, apparently drunk, put his arm around the soldier who was sitting beside him, and sang a French song in a hoarse, broken voice. The soldiers held their sides, looking at him.
- Come on, come on, teach me how? I will pass quickly. How? .. - said the joker songwriter, whom Morel was embracing.
Vive Henri Quatre,
Vive ce roi vaillanti -
[Long live Henry the Fourth!
Long live this brave king!
etc. (French song)]
sang Morel, winking his eye.
Ce diable a quatre…
- Vivarika! Wif seruvaru! sidblyaka…” the soldier repeated, waving his hand and really catching the tune.
- Look, smart! Go ho ho ho! .. - coarse, joyful laughter rose from different sides. Morel, grimacing, laughed too.
- Well, go ahead, go on!
Qui eut le triple talent,
De boire, de battre,
Et d "etre un vert galant ...
[Having a triple talent,
drink, fight
and be kind...]
- But it's also difficult. Well, well, Zaletaev! ..
“Kyu…” Zaletaev said with an effort. “Kyu yu yu…” he drew out, diligently protruding his lips, “letriptala, de bu de ba and detravagala,” he sang.
- Oh, it's important! That's so guardian! oh… ho ho ho! “Well, do you still want to eat?”
- Give him some porridge; after all, it will not soon eat up from hunger.
Again he was given porridge; and Morel, chuckling, set to work on the third bowler hat. Joyful smiles stood on all the faces of the young soldiers who looked at Morel. The old soldiers, who considered it indecent to engage in such trifles, lay on the other side of the fire, but occasionally, rising on their elbows, looked at Morel with a smile.
“People too,” said one of them, dodging in his overcoat. - And the wormwood grows on its root.
– Oo! Lord, Lord! How stellar, passion! To frost ... - And everything calmed down.
The stars, as if knowing that now no one would see them, played out in the black sky. Now flashing, now fading, now shuddering, they busily whispered among themselves about something joyful, but mysterious.

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

The next day, the field marshal had a dinner and a ball, which the sovereign honored with his presence. Kutuzov was granted George 1st degree; the sovereign gave him the highest honors; but the sovereign's displeasure against the field marshal was known to everyone. Decency was observed, and the sovereign showed the first example of this; but everyone knew that the old man was to blame and good for nothing. When at the ball Kutuzov, according to the old Catherine's habit, at the entrance of the sovereign into the ballroom, ordered the taken banners to be thrown down at his feet, the sovereign grimaced unpleasantly and uttered words in which some heard: "the old comedian."
The displeasure of the sovereign against Kutuzov intensified in Vilna, especially because Kutuzov, obviously, did not want or could not understand the significance of the upcoming campaign.
When the next day in the morning the sovereign said to the officers gathered at his place: “You saved more than one Russia; you saved Europe,” everyone already understood then that the war was not over.
Only Kutuzov did not want to understand this and openly expressed his opinion that a new war could not improve the position and increase the glory of Russia, but could only worsen its position and reduce the highest degree of glory on which, in his opinion, Russia now stood. He tried to prove to the sovereign the impossibility of recruiting new troops; talked about the plight of the population, about the possibility of failure, etc.
In such a mood, the field marshal, naturally, seemed only an obstacle and a brake on the upcoming war.
To avoid clashes with the old man, a way out was found by itself, consisting in, as in Austerlitz and as at the beginning of the Barclay campaign, to take out from under the commander-in-chief, without disturbing him, without announcing to him that the ground of power on which he stood , and transfer it to the sovereign himself.
To this end, the headquarters was gradually reorganized, and all the essential strength of Kutuzov's headquarters was destroyed and transferred to the sovereign. Toll, Konovnitsyn, Yermolov received other appointments. Everyone said loudly that the field marshal had become very weak and upset with his health.

It often happens that we know about this or that historical event, not because it played an important role in the fate of the state and the people, but because historians described it, and teachers included it in the school curriculum.

For example, few people have heard of Battle of the Neva in 1240 and its winner Prince Alexander Yaroslavich , who, after winning it, received the honorary title Nevsky .

Painting by N. K Roerich
"Fight of Alexander Nevsky with Jarl Birger"

Beautiful, isn't it? But this picture should have been called a little differently. For example, like this, albeit a bit long: "Fictitious by the authors of the" Life "battle of Alexander Nevsky with Jarl Birger, who did not participate at all in the expedition of the Swedes at the mouth of the Neva in 1240, being at that time in Sweden, and was not struck in the eye by the young Novgorod prince, but let it remain on the conscience those who came up with all this, and I am an artist, so I have the right to fiction! Nicholas Roerich."

Conversely, few have heard of Battle of Ladoga in 1164 (And even more so, it is unlikely that anyone will be able to name the names of the winners).
But it was this battle that prevented the conquest of Novgorod land three quarters of a century before the famous battle on the Neva. Yes, and the enemies were the same - the Swedes, and their goals were similar - conquering new territories and converting their populations to Catholicism .

If you want to know about the Battle of Ladoga and why it was deleted from our history, then go under the cut and ...

Velikiy Novgorod And Sweden (Kingdom of the Svei, Goths and Wends) were neighboring states, and their centuries-old living side by side in the Middle Ages was not without military conflicts, the perpetrators of which, in fairness, it should be noted, were both sides. For the time being, these conflicts were in the nature of small skirmishes, primarily over booty, when the Swedes penetrated the lands controlled by Novgorod, and the Novgorodians, in turn, into Swedish territories. There was no talk about the conquest of the territory of a neighboring state, and even more so about the forcible conversion of local residents to their faith.

However, in 1164 year, the Swedes made the first fairly large (for those times, of course) military sea voyage ( ledung ) to the Novgorod lands, which marked the beginning of the centuries-old rivalry between Russians and Swedes, which ended only in 1809 year of military victory Russian Empire and rejection of Finland from Sweden.

But before starting the story about this campaign of the Swedes, it is necessary to go back a little in time to find out what preceded it.

IN 1155 year Carl, son of Sverker , became jarl (military ruler, prince, if in Russian) of Götaland ("ready lands"). He was a talented ruler, smart and, most importantly, lucky. In 1161, at the Battle of Örebro, he defeated the usurper king from Denmark, Magnus Henriksen. In the same year he was elected king of Svealand , which became the center of the unification of Sweden.

In the history of Sweden Carl Sverkersson known by the name Charles VII (reigned 1161 - 1667) .

Royal Seal of Carl Sverkersson:

Actually, his serial number more than conditional, since the previous six Karls were legendary kings, and whether they were at all is not entirely clear.
In any case, in a dispute with Tsar Ivan the Terrible who accused the Swedish King Johan III in artistry, he, as a confirmation of the antiquity of his kind, cited precisely "King Carlos" , called by him the first Swedish king, from whom he is counted royal dynasty. (However, in this ideological dispute, King Johan III lost hopelessly. Ivan IV, who frankly mocked Johan's "muzhik" origin, made a deadly argument that he, the Russian Tsar, traced his ancestry to the very first Roman emperor, Caesar Octavian Augustus).

Nevertheless, it was during the years of the not too long reign of Karl Sverkersson that the process of turning Sweden into a single state began. And it was under Charles that Sweden received its own archbishop - in 1164 year it was the monk Stefan from the monastery of Alvastra. The center of the archbishopric was the city of Uppsala.
In the same year, the Swedes began a campaign against Southern Finland in order to add Finnish lands to their state, and the pagan tribes of Sum and Em, who inhabited these lands (the self-name of Finland is "Suomi", if anyone does not know, that is, "sum" in - Old Russian) to convert to Catholicism. This crusade will drag on for years, but as a result, a bishopric will be established in the Finnish lands with the center in Abo (the Finnish name for this city is Turku, but the Swedes still call it Abo).

Apparently, on the courage, the Swedes then decided to check "weakly" and Novgorodians. Moreover, there was a reason for the conflict: once upon a time city ​​of Ladoga (Aldeiguborg) was transferred Grand Duke Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise to the management of the Swedish Jarl Rognvald as a wedding ransom for Ingigerda, the daughter of a Swedish King Olaf Shetkonung . And now, more than a century later, the Swedes remembered their "legal" rights.

LADOGA BATTLE

May 30 (New Style) 1164 Swedish flotilla consisting of 55 augers approached Ladoga. (Auger - a sailing and rowing ship with 10 to 40 oars, with a crew of up to 100 people).

This is how the ship of the Normans is depicted - a drakkar on the famous
French tapestry from Bayo (late 11th century):

The Swedish augers, of course, did not look exactly like the drakkars depicted on this tapestry, but we must take into account the conventions of the art of the Middle Ages.

The Ladoga residents were warned about the Swedish campaign (perhaps by the Karelians or Izhors who hated the Swedish invaders), and therefore they managed to burn down the wooden settlement, and they themselves, led by posadnik Nezhataya Tverdyatich took refuge behind the fortress walls, sending for help to Novgorod.

Ladoga since the semi-legendary Rurik has not been the capital for a long time, but thanks to the efforts Mstislav the Great (son of Vladimir Monomakh) was a strong fortress covering Novgorod from the north.
However, how strong she was, we can only judge by those of her remains that have survived to our time and by the wonderful photographs of S. Prokudin-Gorsky in 1909:

"Old Ladoga fortress. Entrance to the fence of the church of St. George"

swedes "... approaching under the city on Saturday and not succeeding in anything to the city, taking a big wound; and retreating into the river Voronai", - so describes Novgorod first chronicle of the older version an attempt to capture Ladoga on the move.
When they did not succeed, the Swedes began the siege of the fortress. But June 4, 1164 the Novgorod army arrived at Ladoga, led by Prince Svyatoslav Rostislavich (Paternal uncle of Mstislav Mstislavich Udatny) and Novgorod posadnik Zachary .
It seems that the Swedes did not expect such a quick appearance of the Novgorodians, because there were about 230 kilometers from Novgorod to Ladoga), so they were defeated at one moment: "... And having won and with God's help, the ovs isekosha, and others are withdrawn: they came for a half-sixteen auger, taking out 43 augers; but few of them escaped and stinged"(from the same chronicle source).

Needless to say - a complete victory!
Enemies fled, losing 4/5 ships and soldiers (up to 4300 people); the winners captured prisoners and significant trophies - 43 augers out of 55.
For comparison - in the famous Battle of the Neva, according to the testimony of the same Novgorod first chronicle of the senior version (not to be considered a serious historical source "The Life of Alexander Nevsky"), the Russian squad led by Prince Alexander Yaroslavich failed to capture a single auger and not a single prisoner, and the Swedes, having buried the dead and taking the loot, they were able to relatively calmly return home. But we remember the Battle of the Neva, but not the larger and more significant Ladoga!

I managed to find only one single painting dedicated to this battle. This is work Nikolai Mikhailovich Kochergin (1897 - 1974), now an almost forgotten artist, known only to those art historians who specialize in the work of illustrators of folklore works for children. (Although this is unfair to this wonderful artist, especially given his biography. However, perhaps I will devote a separate post to him).
Here is the picture:

"Battle of the Novgorodians with the Swedes at the fortress of Ladoga in 1164"

Why has Russian history forgotten about such a significant victory?
So, in the "History of the Russian State" N. M. Karamzina The battle of Ladoga is not even mentioned!

And the explanation, in my opinion, is quite simple.
The winner over the Swedes, Prince Svyatoslav Rostislavich, was a specific prince, who did not belong (unlike Alexander Nevsky) to the clan of Vladimir-Suzdal princes, from which the great princes and tsars of Moscow later emerged. And when it was written official history Russia, there was no one to lay down about him laudatory ode, which he deserves much more than some other princes of that time, whose names are well known to everyone. In addition, both Prince Svyatoslav Rostilevich and his colleague, the Novgorod posadnik Zachary, were at enmity with the powerful Vladimir prince Andrei Bogolyubsky. And that explains a lot, doesn't it?

Thank you for attention.
Sergei Vorobyov.

Neva battle (briefly)

Neva battle (briefly)

Battle of the Neva - a brief description

In short, the Battle of the Neva is one of the key events in Russian history. In 1240, Kievan Rus was a state fragmented into separate principalities. At the same time, each of the principalities sought to become the head of all other territories. During that period, the southern and central principalities suffered from the Mongol-Tatar yoke, and the Novgorod principality, as the most northern, received other problems.

The Livonian Order, which was located in the neighborhood, sought by all means to get rid of the "infidels" from these lands, and to achieve this goal even entered into an alliance with the Swedes and the Pope. In fact, there is very little reliable information about this (Neva) battle. However, it is known for certain that the Swedish army that invaded the Izhora land was led by Ulf Fasi. Some historians provide evidence that the future king of Sweden (Birger Magnusson) also participated in this battle and even claim that he was wounded by Alexander Yaroslavovich himself, the commander of the Russian army.

The Swedish army included Norwegians, representatives of the Catholic Church and Finns. For some, this campaign was part of the Crusade. The Izhora lands were allies of Novgorod, so such news of the invasion quickly came to Alexander.

Alexander Yaroslavovich hastily gathers an army and, without asking for help from the Vladimir Principality, on his own with a small squad, he set out against the enemy, enlisting the support of the Ladoga militias along the way. Basically, the army consisted of cavalry, which became the determining factor in mobility. The Swedes did not expect a lightning-fast reaction.

The battle began on the fifteenth of July 1240. In the morning, Alexander orders fire arrows to be fired at the camp, which causes confusion and panic.

After that, having a strategic advantage, his army hit the Swedes, preventing them from turning around. During this battle, several ships were also flooded, but by the evening the Russian troops were retreating.

The Swedes, having been defeated, were forced to board the remaining ships and retreat.

This Neva victory was so impressive that Alexander after it began to be called Nevsky. As a result, the Teutons and the Swedes were scattered and the subsequent invasion of the Livonian Order was also stopped. Many believe that this victory changed the course of Russian history and was able to ensure the security of Novgorod.

On July 15, 1240, one of the most famous and mysterious battles in Russian history took place. Where Petersburg now stands, where the Izhora River flows into the Neva, a detachment under the command of the young Prince Alexander Yaroslavich attacked the Swedish camp and put the enemy to flight. Both the battle itself and the prince after several centuries began to be called Nevsky.

Crusade to Rus'

On November 24, 1232, Pope Gregory the Ninth issued a bull in which he called on the knights of Livonia "to defend the new planting of the Christian faith against the infidel Russians." A few months later, in February 1233, he directly calls the Russians enemies. In the XIII century, Rome tried to bring into the bosom of the Catholic Church those tribes of the Baltic and Finland that were still in paganism. Christianization went both by preaching and by the sword. Along with faith, oppression came, because not only the souls, but also the lands of the Finns were needed by the Church - and the tribes, already baptized, rebelled, and the unbaptized actively fought against the invaders. And in this they were supported by the Russians - that's why the Pope called to protect "the planting of the Christian faith" from the Orthodox.
In fact, no one announced a crusade to Rus': the main goal of the knights was either tavasts, or the Em tribe. But the lands of the Sumi, Emi, and other tribes were in the sphere of interests of Novgorod, and all parties regularly robbed each other, so a clash between Catholics and Novgorodians was inevitable. True, in the mid-30s, the Pope's messages were ignored: the Livonians had no time for Rus'.

Swedes in Novgorod land

For the second time, with a call for a crusade against the Finnish tribes, the Pope turned to the Swedes on December 9, 1237. The Swedes responded and on June 7, 1238 agreed with the Danes and the knights Teutonic Order about a trip to Rus'. They planned to act simultaneously with two armies: the Swedes (with the Norwegians, Sumy and Emyu) in the north - to Ladoga, the Teutons and Danes - to Pskov. In 1239, for some reason, the campaign did not take place, and only in the summer of 1240 did the Swedes appear on the Neva. Having camped at the mouth of the Izhora River, they obviously waited for news from the allies, not wanting to start fighting so as not to incur the main blow of the Russian troops. And while waiting, they peacefully traded with local tribes or did missionary work. Thus began the crusade of the Swedes to Rus', which ended with the Battle of the Neva.

Heavenly Host

The invasion of the Swedes was later interpreted in the light of the struggle between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. And the army of Prince Alexander from the defenders of the earth turned into the defenders of the whole Orthodox faith. Therefore, in the Life of Alexander Nevsky, a legend appeared about the baptized pagan Pelugia, who was the first to see the approach of the Swedes and thanks to which the Novgorod prince was able to quickly arrive at their camp.
But besides the Swedes, Pelugius, a pious man, saw another army - the heavenly one, led by princes Boris and Gleb. “Brother Gleb, let us row, let us help our relative Prince Alexander,” with these words, according to Pelugius, Prince Boris addressed his brother.

"God is not in power"

The young prince Alexander, who by July 15, 1240 was only twenty years old, seemed to immediately feel the significance of the future battle and turned to the army not as a defender of Novgorod, but precisely as a defender of Orthodoxy: “God is not in power, but in truth. Let us remember the Songwriter, who said: “Some with weapons, and others on horses, we will call on the name of the Lord our God; they, defeated, fell, but we stood firm and stand upright.” A detachment of Novgorodians, Suzdalians and Ladoga residents went to the holy cause - to defend the faith. Moreover, apparently knowing about the impending attack from the west on Izborsk and Pskov, Alexander was in a hurry to deal with the Swedes with small forces and did not even send to Vladimir for reinforcements.

Surprise attack

Obviously, the messenger who delivered the news about the Swedes to Novgorod somewhat exaggerated their number. Expecting to see superior enemy forces, Alexander counted on the element of surprise. To do this, having covered more than 150 miles in a few days, the Russian soldiers rested at some distance from the Swedish camp, and at night from July 14 to 15, led by guides from the local population, they went to the mouth of the Izhora. And at 6 o'clock in the morning they attacked the sleeping Swedes. The surprise factor worked, but not completely: confusion arose in the camp, the Swedes rushed to the ships, many died - but, experienced warriors, they, under the command of a brave governor, were able to stop the flight. A fierce battle began, lasting several hours.

Heroes of the battle

The Russians, led by Saints Boris and Gleb, fought bravely. The Life of Alexander Nevsky speaks of six heroes of the battle. Some historians are skeptical about their "feats". Perhaps, in this way, through the exploits, the course of the battle itself was described. At first, when the Russians were pushing the Swedes to the boats, Gavrilo Oleksich tried to kill the Swedish prince and, pursuing him, burst on horseback along the gangway onto the deck. He was thrown into the river from there, but miraculously escaped and continued to fight. Thus the Swedes overturned the first Russian attack.
Then several local battles ensued: the Novgorodian Sbyslav Yakunovich fearlessly fought with an ax, the princely hunter Yakov attacked the regiment with a sword, the Novgorodian Mesha (and - obviously - his detachment) sank three ships. The turning point in the battle occurred when the combatant Sava burst into the golden-domed tent and knocked it down. Moral superiority turned out to be on the side of our troops, the Swedes, desperately defending themselves, began to retreat. This is evidenced by the sixth feat - Alexander's servant named Ratmir, who died "from many wounds"

The victory remained with the Orthodox army. The sides have finished fighting. Having buried the dead, which, according to the Novgorod chronicle, there were “two ships”, the Swedes sailed home. Novgorodians, in the battle, only "20 husbands from Ladoga" fell. Among them, the chronicler highlights: Kostyantin Lugotints, Gyuryata Pineshchinich, Namestya and Drochil Nezdylov, the son of a tanner.
Thus, Alexander Yaroslavich secured the north of Novgorod land from attack and could concentrate on the defense of Izborsk. However, having returned to Novgorod, he found himself at the center of another political intrigue in changeable Novgorod and was forced to leave the city. A year later he was asked to return - and in 1242 he led the Russian army in another famous battle, which went down in history as the Battle of the Ice.