Prince Alexander Nevsky is a Russian commander canonized by the Orthodox Church. He was ordained a warrior in 1225 in the Transfiguration Cathedral in Pereslavl-Zalessky.
Biography of Nevsky (briefly)
The future great commander was born on May 13, 1221. Alexander was the second son of Pereyaslavl Prince Yaroslav and Toropetsk Princess Rostislav Mstislavna. In 1228, together with his brother Fedor, he was left with an army gathering in Riga. The princes were under the supervision of tyun Yakimov and boyar Fyodor Danilovich in Novgorod. In February 1229, together with their young brothers, they fled the city during the famine that began, fearing reprisal of local residents. In 1230, Yaroslav was called up to the Novgorod Republic . After spending 2 weeks in the city, he put on the throne of young sons. However, after 3 years, 13-year-old Fedor died. In November 1232, Pope Gregory IX began the Crusade against the Russian and Finnish pagans. In 1234, the Battle of Omovzh took place. The battle ended in victory for the Russians. In 1236, Yaroslav went from Novgorod to Kiev. From there, after 2 years, he went to Vladimir. From this time began the independent life of Alexander.
The situation in the state
In 1238, during the Mongol invasion of North-Eastern Russia, Yuri Vladimirsky was waiting for the regiments of the brothers Svyatoslav and Yaroslav. However, in the sources there is no information about the participation of Novgorod in the battle on the river. City. Probably, at that time the republic adopted the position of "military neutrality." After a 2-week siege, the Mongols took Torzhok, but decided not to go any further. Back in 1236-1237. neighbors of the Novgorod Republic clashed with each other. 200 Pskovs participated in the battle of the Order of the Swordsmen against Lithuania. It ended with the battle of Saul. As a result, the remains of the swordsmen were annexed to the Teutonic Order. In 1237, Gregory IX announced the second Crusade to Finland, and in 1238, in June, King Waldemar II, together with the Master of the Joint Order German Balk, agreed to divide Estonia and go to Russia in the Baltic states with the participation of the Swedes. In 1239, at the end of the battles for Smolensk, Alexander Yaroslavovich began to actively participate in the life of the Russian state. The prince built several fortifications along the river. Sheloni southwest of the city. At the same time, he married the daughter of Bryachislav Polotsky. The wedding took place in the church of St. George in Toropets. In Novgorod in 1240 the first-born of Alexander was born. He was given the name Vasily.
Reflecting Western Attacks
In July 1240, the Swedish fleet with several bishops entered the Neva. The plans of the attackers were to capture Ladoga. Already on July 15, a battle took place, in which Alexander Yaroslavovich won. The prince, having learned of the arrival of the invaders from the elders, without asking for help from Vladimir, without collecting a complete militia with his squad, attacked the Swedish camp at Izhora. In August, the Order began an offensive from the southwest. The Germans captured Izborsk, defeating 800 Pskovs who came to the rescue. Then they besieged Pskov. The gates of the city were opened by boyars - supporters of the Germans. In 1240-1241, in the winter, the Novgorodians drove Alexander to Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. However, after a while they again had to send for him to his father. The Germans took Koporye and the land of the leaders, and approached the city 30 miles. Yaroslav tried to keep Alexander to himself. He sent Andrei to the townspeople. However, the Novgorodians insisted that it was Alexander who was sent. In 1241, he cleared the outskirts of the city of attackers. In 1242, waiting for reinforcements led by Andrei, the Prince of Novgorod took Pskov.
Battle on the Ice
The Germans gathered at Yuryev. Alexander Yaroslavovich went there too. The prince, however, was forced to retreat to Lake Peipsi. Here the decisive battle with the knights took place. The battle took place on April 5th. The Crusaders dealt a powerful blow to the center of battle formation, which was built by Alexander Yaroslavovich. The prince in response to this sent cavalry from the flanks, which decided the outcome of the battle. According to the annals, 7 versts the Russians drove the Germans on ice. After that, peace was made. According to its conditions, the Order renounced its recent conquests, ceded part of Latgale.
Lithuanian campaign of Alexander Nevsky
In 1245, an army led by Mindovg attacked Bezhetsk and Torzhok. The prince of Novgorod approached him. Killing more than 8 governor, he took Toropets. After that, he sent the Novgorod warriors home. He himself remained and drove away and defeated the Lithuanian army at Lake yΕΎycki with the forces of the court. After that, he went home. On the way, Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich of Novgorod defeated another detachment, located under the Sanctuary. In 1246, his father was called to Karakorum, where he was poisoned. Almost at the same time as this event in the Horde, Mikhail Chernigovsky died, who refused a pagan rite.
last years of life
In 1262, an uprising against the Horde took place in Vladimir, Suzdal, Pereyaslavl, Rostov and a number of other cities. In the course of it, Tatars - tribute takers were killed. Khan Berke requested a military recruitment of Russians to repulse the attack from the side of Hulagu (Ilham Iran). Prince Alexander Nevsky went to the Horde to dissuade the ruler from this. The trip dragged on for almost a year. In the Horde, Prince Alexander Nevsky fell ill. However, he still managed to calm the khan. Being already sick, he went back to Russia. At home, he took the schema and began to be called Alexy. November 14, 1963 he died. First, Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky was buried in Vladimir in the Christmas monastery. By order of Peter 1 in 1724, his relics were transferred to St. Petersburg.
Board ratings
As a result of a large-scale public survey of Russians in 2008, Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky became "the name of Russia." But in historical publications there are various assessments of his activities. You can even meet directly opposite views on the personality of the prince. For centuries, it was believed that his role in history was extremely significant. Russia was going through turbulent times - they tried to attack the earth from three sides. Alexander Nevsky was seen as the founder of the branch of Moscow tsars, he was seen as the patron saint of the Orthodox Church. However, its canonization over time began to raise objections. Some authors tried to prove that Nevsky was a traitor, became a Tatar gunner on Russian soil. In a number of publications one can even find the opinion that he was glorified and canonized undeservedly. However, there is no concrete and clear evidence for these words.
Canonical evaluation
Nevsky is regarded as a kind of golden legend of Russia in the Middle Ages. He has not lost a single battle in his life. Alexander showed the talents of a diplomat and commander, made peace with the most powerful, but at the same time the most tolerant enemy of Russia - the Horde. He was able to repel the attacks of Western opponents, protecting Orthodoxy from the Catholics. Such an assessment of activity was officially supported by both pre-revolutionary and Soviet authorities. The idealization of Nevsky entered its zenith before the Second World War, during it, and also in the first decades after its completion.
Eurasian Assessment
L. Gumilev saw in Alexander the architect of Russian-Horde relations. According to the author, in 1251 the commander came to Batu, made friends, and after a while he also fraternized with the son of Khan Sartak. In 1251, Alexander led the Tatar corps, led by Noyon Nevruy. Thanks to the commander's diplomatic talents, it was possible to establish friendly relations not only with Batu and his son, but also with the successor to Berke. All this contributed to an active and peaceful synthesis of the Mongol-Tatar and East Slavic cultures.
Conclusion
Of course, the role of Nevsky in the history of medieval Russia is extremely large. Indeed, the commander did not lose a single battle of his own. He enjoyed the love of the clergy, the respect of neighbors. Alexander worked closely with Metropolitan Cyril. They came to see the commander from the west. One knight later told me that he had never seen a man like Nevsky in either of the princes or kings in any of the countries he visited. A similar review, according to some evidence, was given about the commander by Batu himself. In some chronicles there is evidence that Tatar women in the name of Alexander scared their children. The commander provided reliable protection to the borders of the state from raids from the east and west. For his famous feats for the glory of the Russian land, he became the most outstanding historical person of ancient history from Vladimir Monomakh to Dmitry Donskoy. The relics of the commander on the orders of Peter the Great are stored in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery (since 1797 - the monastery).