"Leaders of the Crusades" - Chronology and results of the Crusades. Robbery of temples in Constantinople. Dad's letter Innocent III. Evidence from contemporaries. Salah ad-Din. Richard I Lionheart. Italian feudal lords. Working with sources. Time. Nikita Choniates. Sequence and timing. Letter. Crusades. Philip II Augustus.
“The fight against Western conquerors” - The art of military leadership of Alexander Yaroslavich. Crusaders. The beginning of knightly raids. Test. Gabriel Oleksich. Battle of the Neva July 15, 1240. Not “easy victories.” Crusade against the pagans. Alexander Nevsky. 1164 The struggle of Rus' with Western conquerors. Swedish feudal lords. Ice battle. The meaning of the struggle of the Russian people.
"Crusade" - Siege of Damietta. Not heeding the warnings of his advisers, Louis IX again went to war against the Arabs. 8th Crusade (1270). Materials used. Map of the Fourth Crusade. Teuton. Map of the First Crusade. Salah ad-Din. Departure of the Crusaders from Europe. The Seventh and Eighth Crusades.
“Crusades” - The Crusades gave peasants the opportunity to free themselves from lifelong serfdom. Conquests of the Seljuk Turks. As servants and cooks, peasants formed the convoy of the Crusaders. Crusades. Religious motives. Feudalism and the Church. For purely economic reasons, European cities were interested in the crusades.
“The History of the Battle of the Ice” - Purpose. In front was an advanced regiment of light cavalry, archers and slingers. Prerequisites. The Novgorodians did not celebrate the victory “on the bones”, as was customary before. Crusaders. April 5, 1242 Find out how Nevsky's military art manifested itself on Lake Peipsi. The Russians pursued the fleeing enemy 7 miles to the opposite shore of Lake Peipsi.
"First Crusade" - Jerusalem fell. The march of the poor. The city was plundered. Hiking participants. The end of the Crusades. The march of the feudal lords. Spiritual knightly orders. Choose the correct answer. The struggle of peoples. The Crusades and their consequences. Liberation of the Holy Sepulcher. Successes of Muslims. Crusade. Church. Departure of the Crusaders.
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Whoever comes to us with a sword will die by the sword.
Alexander Nevsky
The Battle of the Ice is one of the most famous battles in the history of Russia. The battle took place in early April 1242 on Lake Peipsi, on the one hand, the troops of the Novgorod Republic, led by Alexander Nevsky, took part in it, on the other hand, it was opposed by the troops of the German crusaders, mainly representatives of the Livonian Order. If Nevsky had lost this battle, the history of Russia could have gone a completely different way, but the prince of Novgorod was able to win. Now let's look at this page of Russian history in more detail.
Preparing for battle
To understand the essence of the Battle of the Ice, it is necessary to understand what preceded it and how the opponents approached the battle. So... After the Swedes lost the Battle of the Neva, the German crusaders decided to more carefully prepare for a new campaign. The Teutonic Order also allocated part of its army to help. Back in 1238, Master Livonian Order became Dietrich von Grüningen, many historians attribute it to him decisive role in the formation of the idea of a campaign against Rus'. The crusaders were further motivated by Pope Gregory IX, who in 1237 declared a crusade against Finland, and in 1239 called on the princes of Rus' to respect the border orders.
At this point, the Novgorodians already had successful experience of war with the Germans. In 1234, Alexander's father Yaroslav defeated them in the battle on the Omovzha River. Alexander Nevsky, knowing the plans of the crusaders, began to build a line of fortifications along the southwestern border in 1239, but the Swedes made minor adjustments to his plans by attacking from the northwest. After their defeat, Nevsky continued to strengthen the borders, and also married the daughter of the Prince of Polotsk, thereby enlisting his support in case of a future war.
At the end of 1240, the Germans began a campaign against the lands of Rus'. In the same year they took Izborsk, and in 1241 they besieged Pskov. At the beginning of March 1242, Alexander helped the residents of Pskov liberate their principality and drove the Germans northwest of the city, to the region of Lake Peipus. It was there that the decisive battle took place, which went down in history as the Battle of the Ice.
The course of the battle briefly
The first clashes of the ice battle began in early April 1242 on the northern shore of Lake Peipsi. Led the crusaders famous commander Andreas von Felfen who was twice as old Prince of Novgorod. Nevsky's army numbered 15-17 thousand soldiers, while the Germans had about 10 thousand. However, according to chroniclers, both in Rus' and abroad, the German troops were much better armed. But as shown further development events, this played a cruel joke on the crusaders.
The Battle of the Ice took place on April 5, 1242. German troops, mastering the “pigs” attack technique, that is, a strict and disciplined formation, main blow sent to the center of the enemy. However, Alexander first attacked the enemy army with the help of archers, and then ordered a strike on the flanks of the crusaders. As a result, the Germans were forced forward onto the ice of Lake Peipsi. The winter at that time was long and cold, so at the time of April the ice (very fragile) remained on the reservoir. After the Germans realized that they were retreating onto the ice, it was already too late: the ice began to crack under the pressure of the heavy German armor. That is why historians called the battle the “Battle of the Ice.” As a result, some of the soldiers drowned, others were killed in battle, but most still managed to escape. After this, Alexander's troops finally drove the crusaders out of the territory of the Pskov principality.
The exact location of the battle has not yet been established, this is due to the fact that Lake Peipus has very variable hydrography. In 1958-1959, the first archaeological expedition was organized, but no traces of the battle were found.
Historical background
Result and historical significance of the battle
The first result of the battle was that the Livonian and Teutonic orders signed a truce with Alexander and renounced their claims to Rus'. Alexander himself became the de facto ruler of Northern Rus'. After his death, in 1268, the Livonian Order violated the truce: the Battle of Rakovsk took place. But this time, too, the Russian troops achieved victory.
After the victory in the “battle on the ice” Novgorod Republic led by Nevsky, was able to move from defensive tasks to the conquest of new territories. Alexander undertook several successful campaigns against the Lithuanians.
As for the historical significance of the Battle of Lake Peipus, then main role Alexander is that he managed to stop the offensive powerful army crusaders to Russian lands. The famous historian L. Gumelev argues that the fact of conquest by the crusaders would have meant the end for the very existence of Rus', and therefore the end of the future Russia.
Some historians criticize Nevsky for his truce with the Mongols, and that he did not help defend Rus' from them. In this discussion, most historians still side with Nevsky, because in the situation in which he found himself, it was necessary either to negotiate with the khan or to fight two powerful enemies at once. And as a competent politician and commander, Nevsky made a wise decision.
The exact date of the Battle of the Ice
The battle took place on April 5, old style. In the 20th century, the difference between the styles was 13 days, which is why the holiday was assigned to April 18th. However, from the point of view of historical justice, it is worth recognizing that in the 13th century (when the battle took place) the difference was 7 days. Based on this logic, the Battle of the Ice took place on April 12, according to the new style. Nevertheless, today is April 18th - this is public holiday in the Russian Federation, Day military glory. It is on this day that the Battle of the Ice and its significance in the history of Russia are remembered.
Participants in the battle after
Having achieved victory, the Novgorod Republic begins its rapid development. However, in the 16th century there was a decline in both the Livonian Order and Novgorod. Both of these events are associated with the ruler of Moscow, Ivan the Terrible. He deprived Novgorod of the privileges of the Republic, subordinating these lands to a single state. After the Livonian Order lost its power and influence in Eastern Europe, Grozny declared war on Lithuania to strengthen his own influence and expand the territories of his state.
An alternative view of the Battle of Lake Peipsi
Due to the fact that during the archaeological expedition of 1958-1959 traces and the exact location of the battle were not found, and also taking into account the fact that the chronicles of the 13th century contain very little information about the battle, two alternative views to the Battle of the Ice in 1242, which are briefly discussed below:
- According to the first glance, there was no battle at all. This is an invention of historians of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, in particular Solovyov, Karamzin and Kostomarov. According to historians who share this point of view, the need to create this battle was caused by the fact that it was necessary to justify Nevsky’s cooperation with the Mongols, as well as to show the strength of Rus' in relation to Catholic Europe. Basically, a small number of historians adhere to this theory, since it is very difficult to deny the very fact of the existence of the battle, because the battle on Lake Peipsi is described in some chronicles of the late 13th century, as well as in the chronicles of the Germans.
- Second alternative theory: The Battle of the Ice is briefly described in the chronicles, which means it is a greatly exaggerated event. Historians who adhere to this point of view say that there were much fewer participants in the massacre, and the consequences for the Germans were less dramatic.
If the first theory is professional Russian historians deny how historical fact, as for the second version, they have one weighty argument: even if the scale of the battle is exaggerated, this should not reduce the role of the victory over the Germans in the history of Russia. By the way, in 2012-2013 archaeological expeditions were carried out, as well as studies of the bottom of Lake Peipsi. Archaeologists have found several new probable sites of the Battle of the Ice, in addition, a study of the bottom showed the presence of a sharp decrease in depth near Raven Island, which suggests the existence of the legendary “Raven Stone,” that is, the approximate location of the battle, named in the chronicle of 1463.
The Battle of the Ice in the country's culture
1938 has great value in the history of lighting historical events V modern culture. This year famous Russian writer Konstantin Simonov wrote the poem “Battle of the Ice,” and director Sergei Eisenstein shot the film “Alexander Nevsky,” in which he highlighted the two main battles of the Novgorod ruler: on the Neva River and Lake Peipsi. The image of Nevsky was of particular importance during the Great Patriotic War. Patriotic War. Poets, artists, directors turned to him to show citizens Soviet Union example successful war with the Germans and thereby raise the morale of the army.
In 1993, a monument was erected on Mount Sokolikha near Pskov. A year earlier, in the village of Kobylye, a settlement (as close as possible to the battle site) locality) erected a monument to Nevsky. In 2012, a museum of the Battle of the Ice of 1242 was opened in the village of Samolva, Pskov region.
As we see, even brief history The Battle of the Ice is not only the battle of April 5, 1242 between the Novgorodians and the Germans. This is very important event in the history of Russia, since thanks to the talent of Alexander Nevsky it was possible to save Rus' from conquest by the crusaders.
Rus' in the 13th century and the arrival of the Germans
In 1240, Novgorod was attacked by the Swedes, by the way, allies of the Livonians, future participants in the Battle of the Ice. Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich, who at that time was only 20 years old, defeats the Swedes on Lake Neva, for which he received the nickname “Nevsky”. In the same year, the Mongols burned Kyiv, that is, most of Rus' was occupied with the war with the Mongols, Nevsky and its Novgorod Republic were left alone with strong enemies. The Swedes were defeated, but ahead of Alexander was a stronger and more powerful opponent: the German crusaders. In the 12th century, the Pope created the Order of the Swordsmen and sent them to the Baltic Sea coast, where they received from him the right to own all the conquered lands. These events went down in history as the Northern Crusades. Since most of the members of the Order of the Sword were immigrants from Germany, this order was therefore called German. At the beginning XIII century The order splits into several military organizations, the main ones of which were the Teutonic and Livonian orders. In 1237 the Livonians admitted their dependence on Teutonic Order, but had the right to choose their master. It was the Livonian Order that were nearest neighbors Novgorod Republic.
Choosing a battle location. The patrols reported to Prince Alexander that a small detachment of the enemy had moved towards Izborsk, and most of the army had turned towards Lake Pskov. Having received this news, Alexander turned his troops east to the shores of Lake Peipsi. The choice was dictated by strategic and tactical calculations. At this position, Alexander Nevsky with his regiments cut off everything for the enemy. possible ways approach to Novgorod, thus ending up in the very center of all possible enemy routes. Probably, the Russian military leader knew how 8 years ago on frozen in ice In the waters of the Embakh River, his father, Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, defeated the knights and knew the advantages of fighting with 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 island of Voroniy Kamen. Several stories have reached us about the famous “Battle of the Ice.” important sources. From the Russian side - these are the Novgorod Chronicles and the "Life" of Alexander Nevsky, from Western sources - the "Rhymed Chronicle" (author unknown).
Question about numbers. One of the most difficult and controversial issues is the size of enemy armies. Chroniclers on both sides did not provide accurate data. Some historians believed that the number of German troops was 10-12 thousand people, and the Novgorodians - 12-15 thousand people. It is likely that few knights took part in the battle on the ice, and most of The German army consisted of militias from among the Estonians and Livonians.
Preparing the parties for battle. On the morning of April 5, 1242, the crusading knights lined up in battle formation, ironically called by Russian chroniclers the “great pig” or wedge. The tip of the “wedge” was aimed at the Russians. Knights clad in heavy armor stood on the flanks of the military formation, and lightly armed warriors were located inside.
There is no detailed information in the sources about the combat disposition of the Russian army. This was probably a “regimental row” with a guard regiment in front, common in the military practice of Russian princes of that time. The battle formations of the Russian troops were facing the steep bank, and Alexander Nevsky’s squad was hidden in the forest behind one of the flanks. The Germans were forced to advance along open ice, without knowing the exact location and number of Russian troops.
Progress of the battle. Despite the meager coverage of progress famous battle in the sources, the course of the battle is schematically clear. Exposing their long spears, the knights attacked the “brow”, 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: “The banners of the brothers penetrated the ranks of the riflemen, swords were heard ringing, helmets were seen being cut, and the dead were falling on both sides.” The Russian chronicler also wrote about the Germans’ breakthrough of the guard regiment: “The Germans fought their way like pigs through the regiments.”
This first success of the crusaders was apparently foreseen by the Russian commander, as well as the difficulties encountered after that, insurmountable for the enemy. This 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 became crowded, because the rear ranks of the knights pushed the front who had nowhere to turn around for battle."
Russian troops did not allow the Germans to develop their success on the flanks, and the German wedge found itself firmly squeezed into pincers, losing the harmony of its ranks and freedom of maneuver, which turned out to be disastrous for the crusaders. At the most unexpected moment for the enemy, Alexander ordered the ambush regiment to attack and encircle the Germans. “And that slaughter was great and evil for the Germans and the people,” the chronicler reported.
Russian militias and warriors armed with special hooks pulled the knights off their horses, after which the heavily armed “God’s nobles” became completely helpless. Under the weight of the crowded knights, the melted ice began to crack and crack in some places. Only part of the crusader army managed to escape from the encirclement, trying to escape. Some of the knights drowned. At the end of the “Battle of the Ice,” the Russian regiments pursued the adversary retreating across the ice of Lake Peipus “seven miles to the Sokolitsky shore.” The defeat of the Germans was crowned by an agreement between the order and Novgorod, according to which the crusaders abandoned all captured Russian lands and returned prisoners; for their part, the Pskovites also released captured Germans.
The meaning of the battle, its unique result. The defeat of the Swedish and German knights is a bright page military history Russia. In the Battle of the Neva and the Battle of the Ice, Russian troops under the command of Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky, performing an essentially defensive task, were distinguished by their 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 overall strategy. So, in the battles of 1241-1242. The Russian military leader launched a series of successive attacks on the enemy before the decisive battle took place.
The Novgorod troops made excellent use of the surprise factor in all battles with the Swedes and Germans. They were destroyed by an unexpected attack Swedish knights, having landed at the mouth of the Neva, the Germans were driven out of Pskov by a swift and unexpected blow, and then from Koporye; finally, the ambush regiment attacked quickly and unexpectedly in the Battle of the Ice, which led to 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 wedge formation of the order’s troops. Alexander Nevsky, using the terrain, managed to deprive the enemy of space and freedom of maneuver, encircle and destroy.
The uniqueness of the battle on Lake Peipsi is that for the first time in military practice In the Middle Ages, heavy cavalry was defeated by foot troops. According to the fair remark of a historian of military art, “the tactical encirclement of the German knightly army by the Russian army, i.e. the use of one of the complex and decisive forms of military art, is the only case of all feudal period war. Only the Russian army under the command talented commander could carry out a tactical encirclement of a strong, well-armed enemy."
The victory over the German knights was extremely important in military-political relation. Was on for a long time the German onslaught on Eastern Europe. Novgorod the Great retained the ability to maintain economic and cultural ties with European countries, defended the possibility of access to Baltic Sea, defended Russian lands in the Northwestern region. The defeat of the crusaders pushed other peoples to resist crusader aggression. This is how I rated it historical significance Battle on the Ice famous historian Ancient Rus' M.N. Tikhomirov: “In the history of the fight against the German conquerors, the Battle of the Ice is greatest date. 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 were never able to inflict any significant harm on the Russian lands, and Pskov remained a formidable stronghold against which all subsequent German attacks were broken." Despite the fact that we see the author’s well-known exaggeration of the significance of the victory on Lake Peipus, we can agree with him.
Another important consequence of the Battle of the Ice should be assessed within the framework general position Rus' in the 40s. XIII century In the event of the defeat of Novgorod, it would be created real threat the seizure of the northwestern Russian lands by the troops of the order, and if we take into account that Rus' had already been conquered by the Tatars, then it would probably have been twice as difficult for the Russian people to get rid of double oppression.
With all the severity of Tatar oppression, there was one circumstance that ultimately turned out to be in favor of Rus'. The Mongol-Tatars who conquered Rus' in the 13th century. remained pagans, respectful and wary of other people'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. Destruction or at least detonation Orthodox faith for the scattered Russian lands that had lost their unity would mean the loss of cultural identity and the loss of all hope of restoring political independence. It was Orthodoxy in the era of Tatarism and political fragmentation, when the population of numerous lands and principalities of Rus' almost lost their sense of unity, that was the basis for the revival of national identity.
Read also other topics Part IX "Rus between East and West: battles of the 13th and 15th centuries." section "Rus and Slavic countries in the Middle Ages":
- 39. “Who is the essence and the split-off”: Tatar-Mongols by the beginning of the 13th century.
- 41. Genghis Khan and the “Muslim front”: campaigns, sieges, conquests
- 42. Rus' and the Polovtsians on the eve of Kalka
- Polovtsy. Military-political organization and social structure of the Polovtsian hordes
- Prince Mstislav Udaloy. Princely Congress in Kyiv - the decision to help the Polovtsians
- 44. Crusaders in the Eastern Baltic
By the middle of the 13th century, with the active participation of Catholic Rome, between three feudal-Catholic forces northeastern Europe- German crusaders, Danes and Swedes - an agreement was reached on a joint action against Novgorod Rus' in order to conquer the northwestern Russian lands and plant Catholicism there. According to the papal curia, after the invasion of troops Mongol Empire Bloodless and plundered Rus' could not offer any resistance. The German and Danish knights were supposed to strike Novgorod by land from the Livonian possessions, and the Swedes were going to support them from the sea through the Gulf of Finland.
In 1240, the Swedes were the first to invade Rus', intending to seize the Novgorod lands and capture Prince Alexander Yaroslavich. In July, the invaders who landed on the Neva River were defeated by the squad of the Novgorod prince and the Novgorod militia. Only a small part of the Swedes were able to escape on ships, leaving a large number of dead on the banks of the Neva. For the victory in the Battle of Neva, Prince Alexander Yaroslavich received the honorary nickname “Nevsky”.
At the end of August - beginning of September 1240, the Pskov land was invaded by the crusaders of the Livonian Order, which was formed as a result of the merger of the remnants of the Order of the Sword and part of the Teutonic Order in 1237 in the Eastern Baltic on the territory inhabited by the Livonian and Estonian tribes (on Latvian and Estonian lands) .
After a short siege German knights captured the city of Izborsk. Then they besieged Pskov and, with the assistance of the traitor boyars, soon occupied it too. After this, the crusaders invaded Novgorod land, captured the coast of the Gulf of Finland and built their own on the site of the ancient Russian fortress of Koporye. Having not reached Novgorod 40 kilometers, the knights began plundering its surroundings.
In the face of the impending danger, the Novgorodians began to prepare to fight back. At the request of the veche, Prince Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky again arrived in Novgorod, having left him in the winter of 1240 after a quarrel with part of the Novgorod boyars.
In 1241, he gathered an army of Novgorodians, Ladoga, Izhora and Karelians and, secretly committing quick transition to Koporye, took this strong fortress by storm. As a result they were released trade routes and the danger is eliminated joint actions Germans and Swedes. By capturing Koporye, Alexander Nevsky secured the north western borders Novgorod lands, secured its rear and northern flank for further struggle against the German crusaders.
At the call of Alexander Nevsky, troops from Vladimir and Suzdal under the command of his brother Prince Andrei arrived to help the Novgorodians. The united Novgorod-Vladimir army in the winter of 1241-1242 undertook a campaign in the Pskov land and, cutting off all roads from Livonia to Pskov, took this city, as well as Izborsk, by storm.
After this, both warring sides began to prepare for decisive battle and announced a new gathering of troops. Russian army gathered in liberated Pskov, and the Teutonic and Livonian knighthood - in Dorpat (now Tartu).
In the spring of 1242, the army of the Crusaders, consisting of knightly cavalry and infantry from the Livs, conquered by the Order of the Chuds and other peoples (12 thousand people), moved to Rus'. Near the village of Hammast, a Russian patrol discovered a large Teutonic army. The patrol was defeated in the battle, and the survivors reported the approach of the crusaders. The Russian army retreated to the east. Alexander Nevsky occupied with his regiments the narrow strait between Lakes Peipus and Pskov and forced a battle on the enemy in the place he had chosen, which covered the routes to Veliky Novgorod and Pskov.
The ice battle took place near Voronie Island, adjacent to the eastern shore of the narrow southern part of Lake Peipsi. The chosen position took into account to the maximum extent all favorable geographical features localities and put them in the service of the Russian army. Behind the back of the Novgorod army there was a bank overgrown with dense forest with steep slopes, which excluded the possibility of maneuver.
The right flank was protected by a zone of water called Sigovica. Here, due to some features of the flow and large number keys, the ice was very fragile. The left flank was protected by a high coastal cape, from where a wide panorama opened up all the way to the opposite shore.
Alexander Nevsky, skillfully using the terrain and the numerical advantage of his troops (15-17 thousand people), taking into account the nature of the enemy’s actions (an attack with an armored “wedge”, called a “pig” in Rus'), concentrated 2/3 of his forces on the flanks (regiments of the right and left hands) in order to cover the enemy from both sides and inflict on him decisive defeat. At the same time, he increased the depth of the battle formation.
Ahead of the main forces was placed an advanced regiment, reinforced with archers. The third line consisted of cavalry, part of which was in reserve (princely squad).
At dawn on April 5, 1242, the crusaders approached the Russian position on the ice of the lake at a slow trot. They advanced in a “wedge”, at the tip of which was the main group of knights, some of them covered the flanks and rear of the “wedge”, in the center of which the infantry was located. The Germans' plan was to crush and defeat a large Russian regiment and then the flanking regiments with the blow of a powerful armored "wedge".
Having fired arrows at the crusaders, the archers retreated behind the flanks of the leading regiment. The knights immediately attacked the leading Russian regiment and, after a fierce battle, crushed it. Developing their success, they broke through the center of the Russian army, came out to the steep shore of the lake and huddled in front of an obstacle that suddenly appeared in front of them. At this moment the shelves of the left and right hand The Russians, reinforced by cavalry, struck at the enemy’s flanks, overturned them and squeezed the “wedge” that had lost its striking power, not giving it the opportunity to turn around.
Under the onslaught of Russian regiments, the knights mixed their ranks and, having lost freedom of maneuver, were forced to defend themselves. A brutal battle ensued. Russian infantrymen pulled the knights off their horses with hooks and chopped them down with axes. Hemmed in on all sides in a limited space, the crusaders fought desperately. But their resistance gradually weakened, it became disorganized, and the battle broke up into separate pockets. Where they accumulated large groups knights, the ice could not withstand their weight and broke. Many knights drowned.
The Russian cavalry pursued the defeated enemy for over seven kilometers, to the opposite shore of Lake Peipsi.
The army of the Livonian Order suffered a complete defeat and suffered huge losses for those times: up to 450 knights died and 50 were captured. Several thousand infantrymen were killed.
According to the peace treaty concluded a few months later, the order renounced all claims to Russian lands and returned the territories captured earlier. The victory in the Battle of the Ice thwarted the advance of the Livonian knights to the east and secured the western borders of Rus'.
The material was prepared based on information from open sources
(Additional
Many memorable battles have taken place throughout history. And some of them are famous for the fact that Russian troops inflicted a devastating defeat on enemy forces. All of them carried great significance for the history of the country. It is impossible to cover absolutely all the battles in one short review. There is not enough time or energy for this. However, one of them is still worth talking about. And this battle is an ice battle. We will try to talk briefly about this battle in this review.
A battle of great historical significance
On April 5, in 1242, a battle took place between the Russians and Livonian troops(German and Danish knights, Estonian soldiers and Chud). This happened on the ice of Lake Peipsi, namely in its southern part. As a result, the battle on the ice ended with the defeat of the invaders. The victory that took place on Lake Peipus is of great historical significance. But you should know that German historians and to this day they unsuccessfully try to downplay the results that were achieved in those days. But Russian troops managed to stop the advance of the crusaders to the East and prevented them from achieving the conquest and colonization of Russian lands.
Aggressive behavior on the part of the Order's troops
In the period from 1240 to 1242, the German crusaders, Danish and Swedish feudal lords were activated aggressive actions. They took advantage of the fact that Rus' was weakened due to regular attacks from the Mongol-Tatars under the leadership of Batu Khan. Before the battle on the ice broke out, the Swedes had already suffered defeat during the battle at the mouth of the Neva. However, despite this, the crusaders launched a campaign against Rus'. They were able to capture Izborsk. And after some time, with the help of traitors, Pskov was conquered. The crusaders even built a fortress after taking the Koporye churchyard. This happened in 1240.
What preceded the ice battle?
The invaders also had plans to conquer Veliky Novgorod, Karelia and those lands that were located at the mouth of the Neva. The Crusaders planned to do all this in 1241. However, Alexander Nevsky, having gathered the people of Novgorod, Ladoga, Izhora and Korelov under his banner, was able to drive the enemy out of the lands of Koporye. The army, together with the approaching Vladimir-Suzdal regiments, entered the territory of Estonia. However, after this, unexpectedly turning to the East, Alexander Nevsky liberated Pskov.
Then Alexander moved again fighting to the territory of Estonia. In this he was guided by the need to prevent the crusaders from gathering their main forces. Moreover, by his actions he forced them to attack prematurely. The knights, having collected enough great forces, set out to the East, fully confident of their victory. Not far from the village of Hammast they defeated the Russian detachment of Domash and Kerbet. However, some warriors who remained alive were still able to warn of the approach of the enemy. Alexander Nevsky stationed his army on bottleneck the southern part of the lake, thus forcing the enemy to fight in conditions that were not very convenient for themselves. It was this battle that later acquired such a name as the Battle of the Ice. The knights simply could not make their way towards Veliky Novgorod and Pskov.
The beginning of the famous battle
Two warring parties met on April 5, 1242, early in the morning. The enemy column, which was pursuing the retreating Russian soldiers, most likely received some information from the sentinels sent ahead. Therefore, the enemy soldiers took to the ice in full order of battle. In order to get close to the Russian troops, the united German-Chud regiments, it was necessary to spend no more than two hours, moving at a measured pace.
Actions of the Order's warriors
The battle on the ice began from the moment when the enemy discovered Russian archers about two kilometers away. Order Master von Velven, who led the campaign, gave the signal to prepare for military operations. By his order, the battle formation had to be compacted. All this was done until the wedge came within range of a bow shot. Having reached this position, the commander gave an order, after which the head of the wedge and the entire column set off their horses at a fast pace. A ramming attack performed by heavily armed knights on huge horses, completely clad in armor, was supposed to bring panic to the Russian regiments.
When there were only a few tens of meters left to the first rows of soldiers, the knights set their horses into a gallop. They performed this action in order to enhance the fatal blow from the wedge attack. The Battle of Lake Peipus began with shots from archers. However, the arrows bounced off the chained knights and did not cause serious damage. Therefore, the riflemen simply scattered, retreating to the flanks of the regiment. But it is necessary to highlight the fact that they achieved their goal. Archers were placed on the front line so that the enemy could not see the main forces.
An unpleasant surprise that was presented to the enemy
The moment the archers retreated, the knights noticed that Russian heavy infantry in magnificent armor was already waiting for them. Each soldier held a long pike in his hands. It was no longer possible to stop the attack that had begun. The knights also did not have time to rebuild their ranks. This was due to the fact that the head of the attacking ranks was supported by the bulk of the troops. And if the front rows had stopped, they would have been crushed by their own people. And this would lead to even greater confusion. Therefore, the attack was continued by inertia. The knights hoped that luck would accompany them, and the Russian troops simply would not hold back their fierce attack. However, the enemy was already psychologically broken. The entire force of Alexander Nevsky rushed towards him with pikes at the ready. The Battle of Lake Peipus was short. However, the consequences of this collision were simply terrifying.
You can't win by standing in one place
There is an opinion that the Russian army was waiting for the Germans without moving. However, it should be understood that the strike will only be stopped if there is a retaliatory strike. And if the infantry under the leadership of Alexander Nevsky had not moved towards the enemy, it would have simply been swept away. In addition, it is necessary to understand that those troops that passively wait for the enemy to strike always lose. History clearly demonstrates this. Therefore, the Battle of the Ice of 1242 would have been lost by Alexander if he had not taken retaliatory actions, but had waited for the enemy, standing still.
The first infantry banners that collided with German troops were able to extinguish the inertia of the enemy wedge. Impact force has been spent. It should be noted that the first onslaught was partially extinguished by archers. However, the main blow still fell on the front line of the Russian army.
Fighting against superior forces
It was from this moment that the Battle of the Ice of 1242 began. The trumpets began to sing, and Alexander Nevsky’s infantry simply rushed onto the ice of the lake, raising their banners high. With one blow to the flank, the soldiers were able to cut off the head of the wedge from the main body of the enemy troops.
The attack took place in several directions. A large regiment was to deliver the main blow. It was he who attacked the enemy wedge head-on. The mounted squads attacked the flanks of the German troops. The warriors were able to create a gap in the enemy forces. There were also mounted detachments. They were assigned the role of striking the chud. And despite the stubborn resistance of the surrounded knights, they were broken. It should also be taken into account that some of the miracles, having found themselves surrounded, rushed to run away, only noticing that they were being attacked by cavalry. And, most likely, it was at that moment that they realized that it was not an ordinary militia that was fighting against them, but professional squads. This factor did not give them any confidence in their abilities. The battle on the ice, pictures of which you can see in this review, also took place due to the fact that the soldiers of the Bishop of Dorpat, who most likely never entered the battle, fled from the battlefield after the miracle.
Die or surrender!
The enemy soldiers, who were surrounded on all sides by superior forces, did not expect help. They didn't even have the opportunity to change lanes. Therefore, they had no choice but to surrender or die. However, someone was still able to break out of the encirclement. But best forces The crusaders remained surrounded. The Russian soldiers killed the main part. Some of the knights were captured.
The history of the Battle of the Ice claims that while the main Russian regiment remained to finish off the crusaders, other soldiers rushed to pursue those who were retreating in panic. Some of those who fled ended up on thin ice. It happened on Teploe Lake. The ice could not stand it and broke. Therefore, many knights simply drowned. Based on this, we can say that the site of the Battle of the Ice was chosen successfully for the Russian army.
Duration of the battle
In the First Novgorod Chronicle it is said that about 50 Germans were taken prisoner. About 400 people were killed on the battlefield. The death and capture of such a large number of professional warriors, by European standards, turned out to be a rather severe defeat that borders on catastrophe. Russian troops also suffered losses. However, compared to the enemy’s losses, they turned out to be not so heavy. The entire battle with the head of the wedge took no more than an hour. Time was still spent pursuing the fleeing warriors and returning to their original position. This took about 4 more hours. The ice battle on Lake Peipsi was completed by 5 o'clock, when it was already getting a little dark. Alexander Nevsky, with the onset of darkness, decided not to organize persecution. Most likely, this is due to the fact that the results of the battle exceeded all expectations. And there was no desire to risk their soldiers in this situation.
The main goals of Prince Nevsky
1242, the Battle of the Ice brought confusion to the ranks of the Germans and their allies. After a devastating battle, the enemy expected that Alexander Nevsky would approach the walls of Riga. In this regard, they even decided to send ambassadors to Denmark to ask for help. But Alexander, after the won battle, returned to Pskov. In this war, he sought only to return the Novgorod lands and to strengthen power in Pskov. This is exactly what was successfully accomplished by the prince. And already in the summer, ambassadors of the order arrived in Novgorod with the aim of concluding peace. They were simply stunned by the Battle of the Ice. The year when the order began to pray for help is the same - 1242. This happened in the summer.
The movement of Western invaders was stopped
The peace treaty was concluded on the terms dictated by Alexander Nevsky. The ambassadors of the order solemnly renounced all the encroachments on Russian lands that occurred on their part. In addition, they returned all the territories that had been captured. Thus, the movement of Western invaders towards Rus' was completed.
Alexander Nevsky, for whom the Battle of the Ice became the determining factor in his reign, was able to return the lands. The western borders, which he established after the battle with the order, were held for centuries. The Battle of Lake Peipus went down in history as a remarkable example military tactics. There are many determining factors in the success of Russian troops. This includes the skillful construction of a combat formation, the successful organization of the interaction of each individual unit with each other, and clear actions on the part of intelligence. Alexander Nevsky took into account and weaknesses enemy, was able to do right choice in favor of a place to fight. He correctly calculated the time for the battle, well organized the pursuit and destruction superior forces enemy. The Battle of the Ice showed everyone that Russian military art should be considered advanced.
The most controversial issue in the history of the battle
The losses of the parties in the battle - this topic is quite controversial in the conversation about the Battle of the Ice. The lake, together with Russian soldiers, took the lives of approximately 530 Germans. About 50 more warriors of the order were captured. This is said in many Russian chronicles. It should be noted that the numbers indicated in the “Rhymed Chronicle” are controversial. The Novgorod First Chronicle indicates that about 400 Germans died in the battle. 50 knights were captured. During the compilation of the chronicle, the Chud were not even taken into account, since, according to the chroniclers, they simply died in huge numbers. The Rhymed Chronicle says that only 20 knights died, and only 6 warriors were captured. Naturally, 400 Germans could fall in the battle, of which only 20 knights could be considered real. The same can be said about captured soldiers. The chronicle “The Life of Alexander Nevsky” says that in order to humiliate the captured knights, their boots were taken away. Thus, they walked barefoot on the ice next to their horses.
The losses of Russian troops are quite vague. All chronicles say that many brave warriors died. It follows from this that losses on the part of the Novgorodians were heavy.
What was the significance of the Battle of Lake Peipsi?
In order to determine the meaning of the battle, it is worth taking into account the traditional Russian historiography point of view. Such victories of Alexander Nevsky, such as the battle with the Swedes in 1240, with the Lithuanians in 1245 and the Battle of the Ice, have of great importance. It was the battle on Lake Peipsi that helped hold back the pressure of quite serious enemies. It should be understood that in those days in Rus' there were constantly civil strife between individual princes. One could not even think about cohesion. In addition, constant attacks from the Mongol-Tatars took their toll.
However, the English researcher Fannel said that the significance of the battle on Lake Peipus is quite exaggerated. According to him, Alexander did the same as many other defenders of Novgorod and Pskov in maintaining long and vulnerable borders from numerous invaders.
The memory of the battle will be preserved
What else can you say about the Battle of the Ice? A monument to this great battle was erected in 1993. This happened in Pskov on Mount Sokolikha. From real place battles, it is located almost 100 kilometers away. The monument is dedicated to the “Druzhina of Alexander Nevsky”. Anyone can visit the mountain and see the monument.
In 1938, Sergei Eisenstein filmed feature film, which it was decided to call “Alexander Nevsky”. This film depicts the Battle of the Ice. The film became one of the most striking historical projects. It was thanks to him that it was possible to shape the idea of the battle in modern viewers. It examines almost to the smallest detail all the main points that are associated with the battles on Lake Peipsi.
In 1992, a documentary film entitled “In Memory of the Past and in the Name of the Future” was shot. In the same year, in the village of Kobylye, in a place as close as possible to the territory where the battle took place, a monument to Alexander Nevsky was erected. He was located near the Church of the Archangel Michael. There is also worship cross, which was cast in St. Petersburg. For this purpose, funds from numerous patrons were used.
The scale of the battle is not so huge
In this review, we tried to consider the main events and facts that characterize the Battle of the Ice: on what lake the battle took place, how the battle took place, how the troops behaved, what factors were decisive in victory. We also looked at the main points related to losses. It should be noted that Chudskaya battle Although it went down in history as one of the most grandiose battles, there were wars that surpassed it. It was inferior in scale to the Battle of Saul, which took place in 1236. In addition, the battle of Rakovor in 1268 also turned out to be larger. There are also some other battles that are not only not inferior to the battles on Lake Peipus, but also surpass them in grandeur.
Conclusion
However, it was for Rus' that the Battle of the Ice became one of the most significant victories. And this has been confirmed by numerous historians. Despite the fact that many specialists who are quite attracted to history perceive the Battle of the Ice from the perspective of a simple battle, and also try to downplay its results, it will remain in everyone’s memory as one of the largest battles that ended in a complete and unconditional victory for us. We hope that this review helped you understand the main points and nuances that accompanied the famous massacre.
