Nevsky lived. Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky (†1263)

Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (born May 13, 1221 - death November 14, 1263) is the second son of Grand Duke Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, great-grandson. Prince of Novgorod (1252), Grand Duke of Vladimir (1252–1263) Russian statesman, commander. Holy Russian Orthodox Church. Genus: Rurikovich.

early years

Alexander spent most of his adolescence and youth in Novgorod, where his father made him reign in 1828 together with his older brother Fedor (d. 1233), giving two Suzdal boyars as leaders of the young princes. 1236 - Yaroslav went to Kyiv, receiving the table there, and Alexander began to independently rule Novgorod.

In 1239, Alexander began building fortresses along the river. Sheloni on the western outskirts of the Novgorod possessions. Soon Alexander would glorify his name in the fight against the Swedes, Germans and Lithuanians, who sought to take possession of Novgorod and Pskov at a time when the rest of Rus' was subjected to a terrible Tatar pogrom.

Key dates

1240 - Battle of the Neva
1242 - on Lake Peipsi - Battle of the Ice
1245 - repulse the Lithuanian attack on Torzhok and Bezhetsk
1247 - Alexander, by the will of Batu, became the Grand Duke of Kyiv
1251 - two cardinals came to Novgorod to Alexander with an offer from the Pope to accept Catholicism, he refused.
1252 - he received the label for the great reign of Vladimir
1256 - The prince led a successful campaign against the Finnish tribe
1262 - Novgorod, Tver and Lithuanian regiments allied to them undertook a campaign in Livonia

Personal life

1239 - Alexander married the daughter of the Polotsk prince Bryachislav, Alexandra. The newlyweds got married in the Church of St. George in Toropets. A year later their son Vasily was born.

Later, the wife gave birth to more children for Alexander: Vasily - Prince of Novgorod; Dmitry - the future prince of Novgorod, Pereyaslav and Vladimir; Andrey will become the prince of Kostroma, Vladimir, Novgorod and Gorodets, Daniil will become the first prince of Moscow. The princely couple also had a daughter, Evdokia, who married Konstantin Rostislavich of Smolensk.

Battle of Neva

1240 - the Swedes, who disputed the possession of Finland with the Novgorodians, prompted by a papal bull to crusade against Novgorod, under the leadership of Birger, entered the Neva and reached the mouth of the Izhora. The news of their invasion was received in Novgorod. The prince with the Novgorodians and Ladoga residents quickly advanced to meet them on the left bank of the Neva, at the confluence of the river. Izhora, on July 16, 1240, was able to completely defeat the Swedes, while Birger himself “put a seal on his face with his sharp spear.” After this battle, decorated with poetic legends (the appearance of St. Boris and Gleb), Alexander received the nickname Nevsky. In the same year, the prince left Novgorod for Pereyaslavl to visit his father, having quarreled with the Novgorod boyars because he wanted to rule as powerfully as his father and grandfather.

Events that preceded the Battle of the Ice

However, circumstances forced the Novgorodians to call on Alexander again. The Order of the Swordsmen, shortly before united with the Teutonic Order, and resumed the offensive movement against Novgorod and Pskov Rus'. In the year of the Battle of the Neva, the Germans began the conquest of the Pskov region, and the next year (1241) Pskov itself was occupied by the Germans. Encouraged by their success, the crusaders began to conquer the Novgorod volost. They imposed tribute on Vod, built a German fortress in the Koporya churchyard, took Tesov, lands along the river. Luga were subject to ruin and, finally, German troops began to rob Novgorod merchants, 30 versts from Novgorod.

Then the Novgorodians sent to Yaroslav Vsevolodovich for the prince and he gave them a son, Andrei. However, Alexander Nevsky was needed, not Andrei. Having thought, the Novgorodians sent the ruler with the boyars to Alexander, who in 1241 was gladly accepted by the Novgorodians and first of all recaptured Koporye.

Battle on the Ice

1242 - having received help from the lower regiments (from the Suzdal land), Alexander managed to liberate Pskov and from here, without wasting time, he headed to the borders of Livonia, and there, on April 5, 1242, he gave the knights a battle on the ice of Lake Peipsi, near the Uzmenya tracts and Crow Stone, known by the name -: the crusaders were completely defeated.

After this defeat, the knights asked for peace and abandoned their conquests in the Russian regions. After the Swedes and Germans, the prince turned his arms on the Lithuanians and achieved a number of victories (in 1242 and 1245)

Clashes with the Swedes

1256 - the Swedes again tried to take away the Finnish coastline from Novgorod and, together with the subject Emya, began to build a fortress on the river. Narov; but upon learning of the approach of Alexander with the Suzdal and Novgorod regiments, they left. To intimidate the Swedes, Alexander Nevsky made a campaign into the Swedish possessions, into the country of Emi (today Finland), subjecting it to devastation. Thus, Alexander victoriously repelled his enemies on the western border, but he had to choose a completely different policy in relation to the Tatars.

Relations with the Golden Horde

After the death of his father (died in 1246), Alexander Nevsky and his brother Andrei went for the first time (in 1247) to the Horde to worship Batu, and from here from the banks of the Volga, along the water of Batu, the Yaroslavichs had the opportunity to make a long journey to Mongolia to the great Khan. It took them two years for this trip. They returned in 1250 with labels for their reign: Andrei, although the younger brother, received, by the will of the khan, the first most important table of Vladimir, while Alexander received Kyiv and Novgorod.

Alexander did not go to Kyiv, which lost all significance after the Tatar devastation, but settled in Novgorod, waiting for events to turn in his favor. Andrei Yaroslavich could not get along with the Tatars, and therefore reigned in Vladimir for a week: in 1252, Tatar hordes under the command of Tsarevich Nevruy were moved against him. Andrew's army was defeated, he fled first to Novgorod, and from there to Sweden.

Principality of Vladimir>

During the Nevryuev invasion, Nevsky was in the Horde and from Batu’s son, Sartak, who ruled the Horde due to his father’s decrepitude, received a label for the great reign of Vladimir. Alexander sat down in Vladimir, and from then on became the same defender of the Russian land from the Tatars, as before from the Swedes and Germans, but began to act in a different way, applying himself to the circumstances, namely: on the one hand, he restrained the senseless uprisings of his subjects against the Tatars, on the other hand the other tried to deliver possible benefits to the Russian lands by submission to the khan.

Alexander gave a lot of gold and silver to the Horde to ransom prisoners. Andrei Yaroslavich soon returned to Rus' and sat down to reign in Suzdal, through Alexander, receiving forgiveness from the khan. The affairs of Novgorod, where his son Vasily reigned, caused Alexander a lot of concern.

"Alexander Nevsky receives papal legates." 1876

Unrest in Novgorod

1255 - the Novgorodians, having expelled Vasily, invited Alexander's brother, Yaroslav, Prince of Tver, to reign. However, Alexander wanted to keep Novgorod for himself, went with his army to Novgorod and forced the Novgorodians to accept the reign of Vasily without a battle. 1257 - unrest in Novgorod resumed due to rumors about the intention of the Tatars to carry out the same census there to impose a universal tribute on the inhabitants, which was carried out by the Tatar enumerators in the lands of Suzdal, Murom and Ryazan.

Prince Vasily himself was on the side of the Novgorodians, who did not want to pay tamgas and tithes. For this, Alexander Nevsky sent Vasily to the Suzdal lands, and severely punished the advisers who pushed the young prince to resist the Tatars. 1258 - Alexander went to the horde to “honor” Ulavchiy, an influential Khan dignitary. Only in 1259 did the mediation of Alexander and rumors about the movement of the Tatar army to Novgorod force the Novgorodians to agree to a census.

Last years. Death

1262 - an uprising broke out against the Tatars in Vladimir, Rostov, Suzdal, Pereyaslavl and Yaroslavl, caused by severe oppression from Tatar tribute farmers. The Tatar army was already ready to advance to the Russian lands. Then Alexander Nevsky hurried to the Horde to the khan (4th time) to ward off trouble from the people. He stayed there all winter and not only managed to avert Tatar pogroms, but was also able to obtain from the Khan the release of the Russian land from the duty to field military detachments for the Tatars.

This was the last deed of Alexander Nevsky: sick, he left the Horde and on the road, in Gorodets Volzhsky, died on November 14, 1263, according to the chronicler, “having worked a lot for the Russian land, for Novgorod and for Pskov, for the entire great reign, giving his life and for the true faith." Metropolitan Kirill announced to the people in Vladimir about the death of the Grand Duke with the words: “My dear children, understand that the sun of the Russian land has set,” and everyone exclaimed: “We are already perishing!”

Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky and the silver sarcophagus

Results of the board

XIII century - Rus' was attacked from three sides - the Catholic West, the Mongol-Tatars and Lithuania. Alexander showed the talent of a commander and diplomat, making peace with the most dangerous and powerful (but at the same time more tolerant) enemy - the Golden Horde - and repelling the attack of the Germans, he was able to protect Orthodoxy from Catholic expansion.

There is also a more moderate interpretation of this point of view. So, according to our contemporary historian A. Gorsky, in the actions of the Grand Duke “there is no need to look for some kind of conscious fateful choice... Nevsky was a pragmatist... chose the path that seemed more profitable to him for strengthening his land and for him personally... when necessary to give a decisive battle, he gave battle, when an agreement seemed more useful, he agreed.”

A sign of memory and glory is the special legend “On the life and courage of the blessed Grand Duke Alexander,” the most complete text of which is in the 2nd Pskov Chronicle. For his feat of endurance and patience, Alexander Nevsky was canonized in 1549, and the Alexander Nevsky Lavra was founded in his honor in 1710. His relics, discovered in 1380, were transferred by order of the emperor in 1724 from Vladimir to St. Petersburg to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, where they rest to this day in the Trinity Church in a silver shrine donated by the Empress.

The Grand Duke won his main military victories in his youth. At the time of the Battle of the Neva he was 20 years old, and during the Battle of the Ice the commander was 22 years old. Alexander was a politician and diplomat, but mostly a military leader.

In his entire life, the Grand Duke did not lose a single battle.

Prince Alexander is the only secular Orthodox ruler in all of Europe and Rus' who did not compromise with the Catholic Church in order to maintain power.

2008 - the “Name of Russia” competition took place. The event was organized by representatives of the state TV channel "Russia" together with the Institute of Russian History of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Public Opinion Foundation.

Internet users chose the “Name of Russia” from a ready-made list of “500 great figures of the country.” As a result, the competition almost ended in scandal, because Joseph Stalin took the leading position. The organizers said that “numerous spammers” voted for Stalin. As a result, Alexander Nevsky was named the official winner.

On May 30, 1220, in the family of Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich and Princess Theodosia, daughter of Prince Mstislav Udatny, a son, Alexander, Grand Duke of Novgorod (1236-1251) and Vladimir (from 1252) was born. On his father's side, he was the grandson of Vsevolod the Big Nest.

In 1228, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, who reigned in Novgorod, came into conflict with the townspeople and was forced to leave for his ancestral estate of Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. Despite this, he left two young sons, Fyodor and Alexander, in Novgorod in the care of trusted boyars. After the death of Fedor in 1236, Alexander, as the eldest heir of Yaroslav, was placed in the reign of Novgorod. In 1239 he married the Polotsk princess Alexandra Bryachislavna.

In the first years of his reign, the Russian prince was engaged in strengthening Novgorod. On the river Sheloni he built several fortresses. The victory won in July 1240 at the mouth of the river brought glory to the young prince. Izhora over the Swedish detachment, after which Swedish aggression on the Novgorod-Pskov lands was stopped. It is traditionally believed that for this victory the prince began to be called Nevsky. However, according to Russian sources of the 14th century, some of the prince's descendants also bore the nickname Nevsky.

The victory on the Neva strengthened Alexander's political influence, but at the same time contributed to the aggravation of his relations with the boyars. As a result of clashes with disgruntled boyars, the prince was forced to leave Novgorod and go to Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. The Livonian Order, having gathered German crusaders from the Baltic region and Danish knights from Revel, invaded the Novgorod lands. In the spring of 1241, Alexander, having gathered a powerful army, recaptured Koporye and Vodskaya land occupied by the knights, and then expelled the Livonian detachment from Pskov. The Novgorodians invaded the territory of the Livonian Order and began to destroy their settlements. Soon a large cavalry army led by the master of the order came out against the Russian prince and forced him to withdraw his troops to the border of the Livonian Order, which ran along Lake Peipsi. On April 5, 1242, a decisive battle took place on the ice of Lake Peipsi at the Crow Stone, which went down in history as the “Battle of the Ice.” German troops suffered a crushing defeat. The Livonian Order was forced to make peace, according to which the crusaders renounced their claims to Russian lands, and also transferred part of Latgale to the Russians. In the history of military art, this victory was of exceptional importance: the Russian foot army surrounded and defeated the knightly cavalry and detachments of foot bollards long before infantry in Western Europe learned to defeat mounted knights. The victory in this battle placed Alexander Nevsky among the best commanders of that time.

Subsequently, Alexander Nevsky continued to strengthen the northwestern borders of Rus'. In 1251, he sent an embassy to Norway, which resulted in the first agreement between Russia and Norway, and also made a successful campaign in Finland against the Swedes, who had made a new attempt to close the Russians' access to the Baltic Sea.

Alexander made a lot of efforts to strengthen the grand ducal power in the country. His political line helped prevent the devastating Tatar invasions of Rus'. He himself traveled to the Golden Horde several times, achieving the release of Russians from the obligation to act as troops on the side of the Tatar khans in their wars with other peoples. In 1262, unrest broke out in the Suzdal cities, where the Khan's Baskaks were killed and Tatar merchants were expelled. To appease the Tatar Khan, the prince personally went with gifts to the Horde. The Khan kept him close to him all winter and summer, and only in the fall did the Russian prince get the opportunity to return to Vladimir, but on the way he fell ill and died on November 14, 1263 in Gorodets. His body was buried in the Vladimir Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin.

In the 1280s. In Vladimir, the veneration of Alexander Nevsky as a saint began, and later he was officially canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.

In 1724, in St. Petersburg, in honor of the blessed prince, Peter I founded a monastery (Alexander Nevsky Lavra), where the Russian autocrat ordered the remains of the holy prince Alexander to be transported. On May 21 (June 1), 1725, Empress Catherine I established the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky - one of the highest awards of the Russian Empire.

Lit.: Alexander Nevsky and the history of Russia: Materials of a scientific and practical conference. Novgorod, 1996; The same [Electronic resource]. URL: http://bibliotekar. ru/rusNevskiy/; Vernadsky G. V. Two labors of St.Alexander Nevsky // Eurasian temporary book. Book IV . Prague, 1925. P. 318-337; Voskresensky N. A. Holy Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky; In memory of the peacemaker king: A brief biography. M., 1898; Danilevsky AND. N. Alexander Nevsky: Paradoxes of historical memory// “Chain of Times”: Problems of historical consciousness. M., 2005. P. 119-132; Life of Alexander Nevsky// Library of literature of Ancient Rus'. T. 5. St. Petersburg, 1997; The same [Electronic resource]. URL: http:// lib. pushkinskijdom. ru/Default. aspx? tabid=4962; Konyavskaya E. L. The image of Alexander Nevsky in early chronicles 2 (36); The same [Electronic resource]. URL: http://www. ancient ru/vyp/2009_2/part6. pdf; Kuchkin V. A. About the date of birth of Alexander Nevsky// Questions of history. 1986. No. 2; Pashuto V. T. Alexander Nevsky. M., 1974; The Holy Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky and the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra: in memory of the bicentenary of the monastery, 1713-1913. St. Petersburg, 1913; Seleznev YU. V. Reign of Alexander Nevsky in 1252g.: political realities and their reflection in the Russian written tradition// Ancient Rus'. Questions of medieval studies. 2009. No. 1 (35); The same [Electronic resource]. URL: http://www. ancient ru/vyp/2009_1/hist-3. pdf; Fennel J. The crisis of medieval Rus': 1200-1304: Trans. from English M., 1989; Khmyrov M. D. Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky, Grand Duke of Vladimir and all Rus': historical and biographical sketch. St. Petersburg, 1871; Cold G. M. The life and work of Grand Duke Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky in connection with events in Rus' in XIII century. Tambov, 1883; Tsamutali A. N. Prince Alexander Nevsky (according to Russian and foreign sources)// Star. 2007. No. 10. ;

Tikhonravov K. N. Vladimir Rozhdestven Monastery of the 12th century, where the holy relics of Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky rested, before being moved to St. Petersburg. Vladimir, 1869 .

ALEXANDER Yaroslavich NEVSKY

The history of our country contains many glorious battles. Some of them have gained particular fame. For example, almost any person in a conversation about famous battles will mention Battle of the Neva And Battle on the Ice. It is not surprising, because thanks to these events, Rus' was once able to maintain and protect its borders. But both the Battle of the Neva and the Battle of the Ice could have ended more pitifully if not for the great commander who led our troops - Alexander Nevskiy.

short biography

began on May 13, 1221. His father was Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, and his mother was Rostislava Mstislavna. The boy spent his childhood in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, but it did not last long. Already at the age of nine, Alexander was sent to rule Novgorod along with his brother Fedor. In 1233, Fedor died, and three years later Yaroslav Vsevolodovich left for Kyiv.

Thus, Alexander became the sole ruler of Novgorod at the age of 15.

Personal life

In 1239, the prince found family happiness in Toropets with Princess Alexandra of Polotsk. The wedding took place in the Church of St. George. This marriage resulted in the birth of several children:

• Vasily - 1240;
• Dmitry - 1250;
• Andrey - 1255;
• Daniel - 1261;
• Evdokia.

Battle of Neva

Alexander began to be called Nevsky, thanks to battle on the Neva. This battle brought the prince worldwide fame. The Battle of the Neva took place in 1240 on the banks of the Neva River. The battle was fought against the Swedes, who wanted to capture Pskov and Novgorod. It is noteworthy that Alexander’s army, without the support of the main army, was able to defeat the enemy. Before the battle, the prince came out to the troops with words of support, which have survived to this day thanks to chronicles.

These words inspired the warriors, and they were able to win a confident and crushing victory. The Swedes suffered huge losses and were forced to retreat.

Despite successful outcome of the Battle of the Neva, Alexander had a conflict with the Novgorodians, and the prince was forced to leave the city. But in 1241, the Livonian Order, consisting of German and Danish troops, invaded the territory of Novgorod. Novgorodians were forced to turn to the prince for help. Alexander did not disappoint - having arrived with his army, he liberated the cities captured by the Livonian Order, and then led his troops to the enemy border. There, on Lake Peipsi, the decisive battle took place.

Battle on the Ice

April 5, 1242 on the ice of Lake Peipus The troops of Alexander Nevsky and the Livonian Order met. Thanks to the prince's cunning tactics, the enemy troops were surrounded on the flanks and defeated. The remnants of the troops tried to escape from the battlefield, running away across the frozen lake. They were pursued by princely troops for 7.4 km.

There are several versions about this chase. There is very popular information that the warriors of the Livonian Order were dressed in heavy armor. The thin ice of Lake Peipsi could not support their weight and cracked. Therefore, most of those enemies who survived drowned. However, Wikipedia mentions that this information only appeared in later sources. But in the records made in the coming years after the battle, nothing is said about this.

Anyway, The Battle of the Ice Was Decisive. After it, a truce was concluded and there was no longer a threat to the cities of Rus' from the Order.

Years of reign

Alexander became famous not only for his victories in famous battles. He understood that battles alone were not enough to protect the country. Therefore, in 1247, after the death of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, Alexander went on a visit to the Horde Khan Batu. The negotiations were successful, so the prince received control of the Kiev principality, and his brother Andrei - Vladimir.

In 1252, Andrei renounced the Vladimir principality and fled. This almost provoked a new conflict with the Tatar-Mongols, but Alexander again paid a visit to the Horde. Thus, he achieved the opportunity to govern the Vladimir principality.

Subsequently, Alexander continued to adhere to the same line of behavior. This policy is perceived in two ways by society. Many considered and consider Nevsky practically a traitor, not understanding why he was constantly in contact with the Horde. In addition, Nevsky not only visited the khans, but also contributed in every possible way to the implementation of their plans. For example, in 1257, Alexander helped the Horde conduct a census of the population of Rus', which the entire people were against. And in general, in relations with the Tatar-Mongols, he showed humility and paid tribute without stint.

On the other hand, thanks to this policy, he was able to free Rus' from the obligation to provide troops to the Horde for military campaigns and saved the country from Tatar-Mongol raids. The main thing for him was survival, both his own and that of the entire people. And he successfully coped with this task.

Death

During his next visit to the Tatar-Mongols, which took place in 1262, Prince Alexander Nevsky became very ill. By the time he returned home, his condition was very serious. Before his death, the prince managed to convert to Orthodoxy under the name Alexy. His life ended on November 14, 1263, the funeral took place in the Vladimir Nativity Monastery.

Curious facts

The 13th century is rightfully considered one of the most difficult periods in the history of Russia: princely strife continued, destroying a single political, economic, spiritual and cultural space, and in 1223, formidable conquerors from the depths of Asia—the Mongol-Tatars—approached the eastern borders of the country.

In 1221, another Rurikovich was born - Alexander Yaroslavovich. His father, Prince Yaroslav of Pereyaslavl, will soon take the Kiev throne, which instructs him to maintain order throughout the Russian land. In 1228, the young Prince Alexander, together with his older brother Fyodor, was left by his father to reign in Novgorod under the tutelage of Tiun Yakun and the governor Fyodor Danilovich. Despite Yaroslav's inattention to Novgorod, the Novgorodians again called upon him in 1230, hoping that the prince would act as before: leave his offspring to reign, and he himself would “disappear in the lower lands.” The calculation of the Novgorodians is simple - they want to get a prince who respects their orders and morals. In 1233, Fyodor Yaroslavovich died at the age of 13, and 12-year-old Alexander, under his father’s banner, took part in a military campaign against Dorpat (Yuryev) for the first time. The campaign did not bring success, and Batu’s devastation of North-Eastern Rus' in 1237-1238 became the reason for the intensification of the activities of the Livonian Order and Sweden, aimed at seizing the territories of the Novgorod Republic.

In 1240, the Swedes landed at the mouth of the Neva to march on Novgorod, and the knights of the Livonian Order besieged Pskov. The Swedish leader sent Alexander an arrogant message: “If you can, resist, know that I am already here and will take your land captive.” Alexander decided not to wait for the activity of the Swedes and, with a small squad of Novgorodians and Ladoga residents, advanced to the Neva and, taking the Swedes by surprise, inflicted a crushing defeat on them. Alexander's complete victory turned him into a hero. What gave a special aura to the prince’s personality was that before the battle, the Izhora elder Pelgusius had a vision as if a boat was sailing along the Neva with Russian soldiers and saints Boris and Gleb, who came to help their relative.

However, it seemed to the Novgorodians that the prince was proud of this victory, so they “showed him the way out of the city.” The capture of Pskov by the Livonians and their advance all the way to Novgorod forced the Novgorodians to change their minds, and in 1241 Alexander again became the prince of Novgorod.

On April 5, 1242, on Lake Peipus, the Novgorodians and Suzdalians completely defeated the army of the Livonian Order, thereby destroying the possibility of further advance of their western neighbors to the East. In the Battle of the Ice, 50 knights were captured, which had never happened before.

In 1245, the Lithuanian prince Midoving invaded Russian borders. Having learned about this, Alexander gathered a squad and set out on a campaign. The Lithuanians became aware of the prince's approach and Meadowing's army fled, frightened by his name alone, but the Novgorodians caught up with him and inflicted a crushing defeat. Over the five years of his activity, Alexander managed to expand the Novgorod possessions, winning part of Latgale from the Livonian Order.

Now the main strategic direction of Alexander’s foreign policy is relations with the Horde. In 1246, Prince Yaroslav was poisoned in Karakorum, and in 1247, Prince Alexander went to the Volga to Batu, who warmly received the prince and even became his adoptive father.

Alexander Nevsky ruled Russia until 1263. On the way home after another trip to Karakorum, the prince died. Perhaps he, too, was poisoned.