1242 ice battle. Battle on the Ice: What Really Happened
The battle on the ice or the Battle of Peipsi is the battle of the Novgorod-Pskov troops of Prince Alexander Nevsky with the troops of the Livonian knights on April 5, 1242 on the ice of Lake Peipsi. In 1240, the knights of the Livonian Order (see Spiritual and Knightly Orders) captured Pskov and advanced their conquests into Vodskaya Pyatina; their patrols approached 30 versts to Novgorod, where at that time there was no prince, because Alexander Nevsky, having quarreled with the veche, retired to Vladimir. Hindered by the knights and Lithuania, which raided southern regions, Novgorodians sent ambassadors to ask Alexander to return. Arriving at the beginning of 1241, Alexander cleared the Vodskaya Pyatina from the enemy, but decided to liberate Pskov only after the Novgorod detachments joined the grassroots troops, who arrived in 1242 under the command of his brother, Prince Andrei Yaroslavich. The Germans did not have time to send reinforcements to their insignificant garrison, and Pskov was taken by storm.
However, it was impossible to end the campaign on this success, as it became known about the preparation of the knights for the fight and about their concentration in the Derpt (Tartu) bishopric. Instead of the usual waiting for the enemy in the fortress, Alexander decided to go towards the enemy and deliver a decisive blow to him with a sudden attack. Following the well-known path to Izborsk, Alexander sent a network of advanced reconnaissance detachments. Soon one of them, probably the most significant, under the command of the mayor's brother Domash Tverdislavich, stumbled upon the Germans and Chud, was defeated and forced to retreat. Further reconnaissance revealed that the enemy, having sent an insignificant part of the forces to the Izborskaya road, moved with the main forces straight to the ice-covered Lake Peipus in order to cut off the Russians from Pskov.
Then Alexander “backed away on the lake; the Germans, on the other hand, went after them, ”that is, by a successful maneuver, the Russian army avoided the danger that threatened it. Turning the situation in his favor, Alexander decided to take the fight and remained at Lake Peipsi in the Uzmeni tract, at the Voronei Kameni. At dawn on April 5, 1242, the knightly army, together with the contingents of the Estonians (Chuds), formed a kind of closed phalanx, known as the “wedge” or “iron pig”. In this order of battle, the knights moved across the ice on the Russians and, crashing into them, broke through the center. Carried away by success, the knights did not notice the Russians bypassing both flanks, who, holding the enemy in pincers, inflicted a defeat on him. The pursuit after the Battle on the Ice was carried out to the opposite Sobolitsky shore of the lake, and the ice began to break under the crowded fugitives. 400 knights fell, 50 were taken prisoner, and the bodies of a lightly armed monster lay 7 miles away. The astonished master of the order awaited Alexander with trepidation under the walls of Riga and asked the Danish king for help against "cruel Russia".
Battle on the Ice. Painting by V. Matorin
After the Battle of the Ice, the Pskov clergy met Alexander Nevsky with crosses, the people called him father and savior. The prince shed tears and said: “Pskovites! If you forget Alexander, if my most distant descendants do not find a true home in misfortune with you, then you will be an example of ingratitude!”
The victory in the Battle of the Ice was of great importance in political life Novgorod-Pskov region. The confidence of the pope, the Bishop of Dorpat and the Livonian knights in the imminent conquest of the Novgorod lands collapsed for a long time. They had to think about self-defense and prepare for the age-old stubborn struggle, which ended with the conquest of the Livonian-Baltic coast by Russia. After the Battle of the Ice, the order's ambassadors made peace with Novgorod, renouncing not only Luga and the Vodskaya volost, but also ceding a large part of Letgalia to Alexander.
On April 5, 1242, the Russian army led by Prince Alexander Nevsky defeated the Livonian knights in the Battle of the Ice on the ice of Lake Peipsi.
In the XIII century Novgorod was the richest city in Russia. From 1236, the young prince Alexander Yaroslavich reigned in Novgorod. In 1240, when the Swedish aggression against Novgorod began, he was not yet 20 years old. Nevertheless, by that time he already had some experience of participating in his father’s campaigns, was fairly well-read and had an excellent command of military art, which helped him win the first of his great victories: on July 21, 1240, with the help of his small squad and the Ladoga militia, he suddenly and with a swift attack he defeated the Swedish army, which landed at the mouth of the Izhora River (at its confluence with the Neva). For the victory in the battle, later called the Neva Battle, in which the young prince showed himself to be a skilled military leader, showed personal valor and heroism, Alexander Yaroslavich received the nickname Nevsky. But soon, due to the intrigues of the Novgorod nobility, Prince Alexander left Novgorod and went to reign in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky.
However, the defeat of the Swedes on the Neva did not completely eliminate the danger looming over Russia: the threat from the north, from the Swedes, was replaced by a threat from the west, from the Germans.
As early as the 12th century, the advance of German knights from East Prussia east. In pursuit of new lands and free labor force, hiding behind the intention to convert the pagans to Christianity, crowds of German nobles, knights and monks went to the east. With fire and sword, they suppressed the resistance of the local population, sitting comfortably on its lands, built castles and monasteries here and imposed unbearable exactions and tribute on the people. By the beginning of the 13th century, the entire Baltic was in the hands of German rapists. The population of the Baltics groaned under the whip and yoke of warlike newcomers.
And already in the early autumn of 1240, the Livonian knights invaded the Novgorod possessions and occupied the city of Izborsk. Soon Pskov also shared his fate - the betrayal of the Pskov mayor Tverdila Ivankovich, who went over to the side of the Germans, helped the Germans take it. Having subjugated the Pskov volost, the Germans built a fortress in Koporye. It was an important foothold that allowed control of the Novgorod trade routes along the Neva, to plan further advance to the East. After that, the Livonian aggressors invaded the very center of the Novgorod possessions, captured Luga and the Novgorod suburb of Tesovo. In their raids, they approached Novgorod for 30 kilometers. Neglecting past grievances, Alexander Nevsky, at the request of the Novgorodians, returned to Novgorod at the end of 1240 and continued the fight against the invaders. AT next year he recaptured Koporye and Pskov from the knights, returning most of their western possessions to the Novgorodians. But the enemy was still strong, and the decisive battle was yet to come.
In the spring of 1242, reconnaissance of the Livonian Order was sent from Dorpat (former Russian Yuryev, now the Estonian city of Tartu) in order to probe the strength of the Russian troops. 18 versts south of Derpt, the order reconnaissance detachment managed to defeat the Russian "dispersal" under the command of Domash Tverdislavich and Kerebet. It was a reconnaissance detachment moving ahead of the troops of Alexander Yaroslavich in the direction of Dorpat. The surviving part of the detachment returned to the prince and informed him of what had happened. The victory over a small detachment of Russians inspired the order command. He developed a tendency to underestimate the Russian forces, a conviction was born in the possibility of their easy defeat. The Livonians decided to give the Russians a battle and for this they set out from Derpt to the south with their main forces, as well as their allies, led by the master of the order himself. The main part of the troops consisted of armored knights.
The battle on Lake Peipsi, which went down in history as the Battle of the Ice, began on the morning of April 5, 1242. At sunrise, noticing a small detachment of Russian shooters, the knightly "pig" rushed at him. Alexander countered the German wedge with the Russian heel - a system in the form of the Roman numeral "V", that is, the angle facing the enemy with a hole. This very opening was covered by a "brow", which consisted of archers, who took the brunt of the "iron regiment" and, with courageous resistance, noticeably upset its advance. Still, the knights managed to break through the defensive orders of the Russian "chela". A fierce hand-to-hand fight ensued. And at its very height, when the "pig" was completely drawn into the battle, at the signal of Alexander Nevsky, the regiments of the left and right hand. Not expecting the appearance of such Russian reinforcements, the knights were confused and, under their powerful blows, began to gradually retreat. And soon this retreat took on the character of a disorderly flight. Then suddenly, from behind a shelter, a cavalry ambush regiment rushed into battle. The Livonian troops suffered a crushing defeat.
The Russians drove them across the ice for another seven versts to the western shore of Lake Peipus. 400 knights were destroyed and 50 were taken prisoner. Part of the Livonians drowned in the lake. Those who escaped from the encirclement were pursued by the Russian cavalry, completing their rout. Only those who were in the tail of the "pig" and were on horseback managed to escape: the master of the order, commanders and bishops.
The victory of the Russian troops under the leadership of Prince Alexander Nevsky over the German "dog-knights" is of great historical importance. The Order asked for peace. Peace was concluded on terms dictated by the Russians. Order ambassadors solemnly renounced all encroachments on Russian lands, which were temporarily captured by the order. The movement of Western invaders to Russia was stopped. The western borders of Russia, established after the Battle of the Ice, held out for centuries. The battle on the ice also went down in history as a remarkable example of military tactics and strategy. Skillful construction order of battle, a clear organization of the interaction of its individual parts, especially infantry and cavalry, constant reconnaissance and accounting weaknesses enemy when organizing a battle, right choice place and time good organization tactical pursuit, the destruction of most of the superior enemy - all this determined the Russian military art as the best in the world.
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Whoever comes to us with a sword will die by the sword.
Alexander Nevskiy
The battle on 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, he 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 in a completely different direction, 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 on the Ice, it is necessary to understand what preceded it, and how the opponents went to battle. So ... After the Swedes lost the Battle of the Neva, the Germans-crusaders decided to more carefully prepare for a new campaign. The Teutonic Order also allocated part of its army to help. Back in 1238 the master Livonian Order became Dietrich von Grüningen, many historians attribute to him a decisive role in shaping the idea of a campaign against Russia. The crusaders were additionally motivated by Pope Gregory IX, who in 1237 announced a crusade against Finland, and in 1239 called on the princes of Russia to respect the border orders.
Novgorodians at this point already had a successful experience of the war with the Germans. In 1234 Alexander's father Yaroslav defeated them in a battle on the Omovzha River. Alexander Nevsky, knowing the plans of the crusaders, from 1239 began to build a line of fortifications along the southwestern border, but the Swedes made minor adjustments to his plans, attacking from the northwest. After their defeat, Nevsky continued to strengthen the borders, and also married the daughter of the Polotsk prince, thereby enlisting his support in case of a future war.
At the end of 1240, the Germans began a campaign against the lands of Russia. In the same year they took Izborsk, and in 1241 they besieged Pskov. At the beginning of March 1242, Alexander helped the inhabitants of Pskov to liberate their principality and forced the Germans to the north-west of the city, to the area of Lake Peipsi. 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 battle on the ice began in early April 1242 on the northern shore of Lake Peipsi. The crusaders were led by a famous commander Andreas von Velfen, who was twice as old as the Novgorod prince. The army of Nevsky consisted of 15-17 thousand soldiers, while the Germans had about 10 thousand of them. However, according to the chroniclers, both in Russia and abroad, the German troops were much better armed. But as shown further development events, it played a cruel joke with the crusaders.
The battle on the ice took place on April 5, 1242. German troops, who own the technique of attacking "pigs", that is, a strict and disciplined system, 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 pushed forward onto the ice of Lake Peipus. Winter at that time was long and cold, so at the time of April, ice (very fragile) remained on the reservoir. After the Germans realized that they were retreating to the ice, it was already too late: the ice began to crack under the pressure of heavy German armor. That is why historians called the battle "battle on the ice." As a result, some of the soldiers drowned, the other part was killed in battle, but most still managed to escape. After that, Alexander's troops finally expelled the crusaders from 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 a very variable hydrography. In 1958-1959, the first archaeological expedition was organized, but no traces of the battle were found.
History reference
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 Russia. Alexander himself became the de facto ruler of Northern Russia. Already after his death, in 1268, the Livonian Order violated the truce: the Battle of Rakov took place. But this time, the troops of Russia won the victory.
After the victory in the “battle on the ice”, the 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.
Concerning historical significance Battles on Lake Peipus the main role Alexander in that he managed to stop the offensive of a powerful crusader army on Russian lands. The well-known historian L. Gumelev argues that the fact of the conquest by the Crusaders would mean the end for the very existence of Russia, and hence the end of the future Russia.
Some historians criticize Nevsky for his truce with the Mongols, that he did not help defend Russia from them. In this discussion, most historians are still on the side of Nevsky, because in the situation in which he found himself, it was necessary either to negotiate with the Khan, or to fight with 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, according to the old style. In the 20th century, the difference between the styles consisted of 13 days, which is why April 18 was assigned to the holiday. However, from the point of view of historical justice, it is worth recognizing that in the 13th century (when there was a battle) the difference was 7 days. Based on this logic, the Battle of the Ice took place on April 12 in a new style. Nevertheless, today, April 18th, is Public Holiday in 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 XVI there was a decline of 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 on Lake Peipsi
Due to the fact that during the archaeological expedition of 1958-1959 no traces were found and exact location battle, and given the fact that the annals of the 13th century contain very little information about the battle, two alternative views on the Battle of the Ice of 1242 have been formed, which are briefly discussed below:
- At 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 due to the fact that it was necessary to justify Nevsky's cooperation with the Mongols, as well as to show the strength of Russia in relation to Catholic Europe. Basically, a small number of historians adhere to this theory, since it is very difficult to deny the very existence of the battle, because the battle on Lake Peipus is described in some chronicles of the late 13th century, as well as in the chronicles of the Germans.
- The second alternative theory: The Battle on the Ice is briefly described in the annals, which means that 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 professional theory Russian historians deny how historical fact, then 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 Peipus. Archaeologists have found several new likely sites of the Battle of the Ice, in addition, the study of the bottom showed the presence of a sharp decrease in depth near Vorony Island, which suggests the existence of the legendary "Raven Stone", that is, the approximate location of the battle, named in the annals of 1463.
Battle on the Ice in the culture of the country
1938 has great importance in the history of lighting historical events in contemporary culture. famous this year Russian writer Konstantin Simonov wrote the poem "Battle on the Ice", and director Sergei Eisenstein made the film "Alexander Nevsky", in which he singled out the two main battles of the Novgorod ruler: on the Neva River and Lake Peipsi. Of particular importance was the image of Nevsky during the Great Patriotic War. Poets, artists, directors turned to him to show citizens Soviet Union an example of a 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 settlement (as close as possible to the battle locality) erected a monument to Nevsky. In 2012, the Museum of the Battle on the Ice of 1242 was opened in the village of Samolva, Pskov Region.
As we see, even Short story The battle on the ice is not only the battle on April 5, 1242 between the Novgorodians and the Germans. This is very an important event in the history of Russia, because thanks to the talent of Alexander Nevsky, Russia was saved from being conquered by the crusaders.
Russia in the XIII century and the arrival of the Germans
In 1240, Novgorod was attacked by the Swedes, by the way, allies of the Livonians, the 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 receives the nickname "Nevsky". In the same year, the Mongols burned Kyiv, that is most of Russia was busy with the war with the Mongols, Nevsky and its Novgorod Republic were left alone with strong enemies. The Swedes were defeated, but Alexander was ahead of a stronger and more powerful rival: the German crusaders. In the XII century, the Pope created the Order of the Sword and sent to the coast Baltic Sea where they received from him the right to own all the conquered lands. These events went down in history as the North crusades. Since most of the members of the Order of the Sword were immigrants from Germany, therefore this order was called German. At the beginning of the 13th century, the order split into several military organizations, the main of which were the Teutonic and Livonian orders. In 1237, the Livonians recognized their dependence on the Teutonic Order, but had the right to choose their master. It was the Livonian Order that were the closest neighbors of the Novgorod Republic.
Myths about the Ice Battle
Snow-covered landscapes, thousands of warriors, a frozen lake and crusaders falling through the ice under the weight of their own armor.
For many, the battle, according to the annals, which took place on April 5, 1242, is not much different from the shots from Sergei Eisenstein's film "Alexander Nevsky".
But was it really so?
The myth of what we know about the Battle of the Ice
The battle on the ice really became one of the most resonant events of the 13th century, reflected not only in "domestic", but also in Western chronicles.
And at first glance it seems that we have enough documents in order to thoroughly study all the "components" of the battle.
But upon closer examination, it turns out that the popularity of a historical plot is by no means a guarantee of its comprehensive study.
Thus, the most detailed (and most quoted) description of the battle, recorded "in hot pursuit", is contained in the Novgorod First Chronicle of the senior version. And this description has just over 100 words. The rest of the references are even more concise.
Moreover, sometimes they include mutually exclusive information. For example, in the most authoritative Western source - the Senior Livonian rhymed chronicle - there is not a word that the battle took place on the lake.
The lives of Alexander Nevsky can be considered a kind of "synthesis" of early chronicle references to the collision, but, according to experts, they are literary work and therefore can be used as a source only with "great restrictions".
Concerning historical works XIX century, it is believed that they did not bring anything fundamentally new to the study of the Battle on the Ice, mainly retelling what was already stated in the annals.
The beginning of the 20th century is characterized by an ideological rethinking of the battle, when symbolic meaning victory over the "German-knightly aggression" was brought to the fore. According to historian Igor Danilevsky, before the release of Sergei Eisenstein's film "Alexander Nevsky", the study of the Battle on the Ice was not even included in university lecture courses.
The myth of a united Russia
In the minds of many, the Battle on the Ice is the victory of the united Russian troops over the forces of the German crusaders. Such a "generalizing" idea of the battle was already formed in the 20th century, in the realities of the Great Patriotic War, when Germany was the main rival of the USSR.
However, 775 years ago, the Battle of the Ice was more of a "local" than a nationwide conflict. In the XIII century, Russia experienced a period feudal fragmentation and consisted of about 20 independent principalities. Moreover, the policies of cities that formally belonged to the same territory could differ significantly.
So, de jure Pskov and Novgorod were located in the Novgorod land, one of the largest territorial units Russia of that time. De facto, each of these cities was "autonomy", with its own political and economic interests. This also applied to relations with the closest neighbors in the Eastern Baltic.
One of these neighbors was the Catholic Order of the Sword, after the defeat in the battle of Saul (Shauliai) in 1236, attached to Teutonic Order as the Livonian Landmaster. The latter became part of the so-called Livonian Confederation, which, in addition to the Order, included five Baltic bishoprics.
As the historian Igor Danilevsky notes, the main reason for the territorial conflicts between Novgorod and the Order were the lands of the Estonians who lived on west bank Peipus Lake (the medieval population of modern Estonia, in most Russian-language chronicles, appeared under the name "chud"). At the same time, the campaigns organized by the Novgorodians practically did not affect the interests of other lands. The exception was the "border" Pskov, which was constantly subjected to retaliatory raids by the Livonians.
According to the historian Alexei Valerov, it was the need to simultaneously resist both the forces of the Order and the regular attempts of Novgorod to encroach on the independence of the city that could force Pskov in 1240 to “open the gates” to the Livonians. In addition, the city was seriously weakened after the defeat at Izborsk and, presumably, was not capable of long-term resistance to the crusaders.
At the same time, according to the Livonian rhymed chronicle, in 1242 there was not a full-fledged " german army", and only two Vogt knights (presumably accompanied by small detachments), who, according to Valerov, performed judicial functions in controlled lands and monitored the activities of the "local Pskov administration."
Further, as we know from the annals, Prince Alexander Yaroslavich of Novgorod, together with his younger brother Andrei Yaroslavich (sent by their father, Vladimir Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich), "expelled" the Germans from Pskov, after which they continued their campaign, setting off "to the Chud" (i.e. e. to the lands of the Livonian Landmaster).
Where they were met by the combined forces of the Order and the Bishop of Dorpat.
The myth of the scale of the battle
Thanks to the Novgorod chronicle, we know that April 5, 1242 was a Saturday. Everything else is not so clear.
Difficulties begin already when trying to establish the number of participants in the battle. The only figures we have are those of German casualties. So, the Novgorod First Chronicle reports about 400 killed and 50 prisoners, the Livonian rhymed chronicle - that "twenty brothers were killed and six were captured."
The researchers believe that these data are not as contradictory as it seems at first glance.
Historians Igor Danilevsky and Klim Zhukov agree that several hundred people participated in the battle.
So, on the part of the Germans, these are 35–40 knight brothers, about 160 knechts (on average, four servants per knight) and Estonian mercenaries (“chud without number”), who could “expand” the detachment by another 100–200 soldiers . At the same time, by the standards of the 13th century, such an army was considered a fairly serious force (presumably, during the heyday, the maximum number former Order sword-bearers, in principle, did not exceed 100-120 knights). The author of the Livonian Rhymed Chronicle also complained that there were almost 60 times more Russians, which, according to Danilevsky, although an exaggeration, still suggests that Alexander's army significantly outnumbered the Crusaders.
Thus, the maximum number of the Novgorod city regiment, the princely squad of Alexander, the Suzdal detachment of his brother Andrei and the Pskovites who joined the campaign was unlikely to exceed 800 people.
From chronicles we also know that the German detachment was lined up by a "pig".
According to Klim Zhukov, this is most likely not about the "trapezoid" pig, which we are used to seeing in the diagrams in textbooks, but about the "rectangular" one (since the first description of the "trapezium" in written sources appeared only in the 15th century). Also, according to historians, the estimated size of the Livonian army gives grounds to talk about the traditional construction of the "hound banner": 35 knights that make up the "wedge of the banner", plus their detachments (up to 400 people in total).
As for the tactics of the Russian army, the Rhymed Chronicle mentions only that "the Russians had many shooters" (who, apparently, made up the first line), and that "the army of the brothers was surrounded."
We don't know anything more about this.
The myth that the Livonian warrior is heavier than the Novgorod one
There is also a stereotype according to which the combat attire of Russian soldiers was many times lighter than the Livonian one.
According to historians, if there was a difference in weight, it was extremely insignificant.
Indeed, on both sides, exclusively heavily armed horsemen participated in the battle (it is believed that all assumptions about foot soldiers are a transfer of the military realities of subsequent centuries to the realities of the XIII century).
Logically, even the weight of a war horse, without taking into account the rider, would be enough to break through the fragile April ice.
So did it make sense in such conditions to withdraw troops to it?
The myth of the battle on ice and drowned knights
Let's disappoint right away: there are no descriptions of how the German knights fall through the ice in any of the early chronicles.
Moreover, in the Livonian Chronicle there is a rather strange phrase: "On both sides, the dead fell on the grass." Some commentators believe that this is an idiom meaning "fall on the battlefield" (version of the medievalist historian Igor Kleinenberg), others that we are talking about thickets of reeds that made their way from under the ice in shallow water, where the battle took place (version of the Soviet military historian Georgy Karaev, displayed on the map).
As for the chronicles mentioning that the Germans were driven "on the ice", modern researchers agree that the Battle on the Ice could "borrow" this detail from the description of the later Battle of Rakovor (1268). According to Igor Danilevsky, reports that the Russian troops drove the enemy seven miles ("to the Subolichi coast") are quite justified for the scale of the Rakovor battle, but they look strange in the context of the battle on Lake Peipsi, where the distance from coast to coast in the supposed location battle is no more than 2 km.
Speaking of the "Raven Stone" (a geographical landmark mentioned in part of the annals), historians emphasize that any map indicating a specific battle site is nothing more than a version. Where exactly the massacre took place, no one knows: the sources contain too little information to draw any conclusions.
In particular, Klim Zhukov is based on the fact that during the archaeological expeditions in the area of Lake Peipus not a single "confirming" burial was found. The researcher connects the absence of evidence not with the mythical nature of the battle, but with looting: in the 13th century, iron was highly valued, and it is unlikely that the weapons and armor of the dead soldiers could have been preserved to this day.
The myth of the geopolitical significance of the battle
In the view of many, the Battle on the Ice "stands apart" and is perhaps the only "action-packed" battle of its time. And it really became one of the most significant battles of the Middle Ages, "suspending" the conflict between Russia and the Livonian Order for almost 10 years.
Nevertheless, the XIII century is rich in other events.
From the point of view of the clash with the crusaders, these include the battle with the Swedes on the Neva in 1240, and the already mentioned battle of Rakovor, during which the combined army of the seven northern Russian principalities opposed the Livonian Landmaster and Danish Estland.
Also, the XIII century is the time of the Horde invasion.
Despite the fact that the key battles of this era (the Battle of the Kalka and the capture of Ryazan) did not directly affect the North-West, they significantly influenced the future political structure medieval Russia and all its components.
In addition, if we compare the scale of the Teutonic and Horde threats, then the difference is calculated in tens of thousands of soldiers. Thus, the maximum number of crusaders who ever participated in campaigns against Russia rarely exceeded 1000 people, while the alleged maximum number of participants in the Russian campaign from the Horde was up to 40 thousand (version of the historian Klim Zhukov).
TASS is grateful for the help in preparing the material to the historian and specialist in Ancient Russia Igor Nikolaevich Danilevsky and military medievalist historian Klim Aleksandrovich Zhukov.
© TASS INFOGRAPHICS, 2017
Materials worked on:
The place of the Battle on the Ice is a monument in honor of the 750th anniversary of the famous battle on Lake Peipsi, installed as close as possible to the alleged battle site, in the village of Kobylye Gorodishche, Gdovsky district, Pskov region.
Battle on the Ice - one of the largest military clashes of the XIII century. During the period when Russia was weakened from the east by the raids of the Mongols, from the west the threat came from the Livonian Order. The knights captured the fortresses and, as well, and got as close as possible to. In 1241, the Novgorodians turned to Prince Alexander Nevsky. From the prince went to Novgorod, and then set out with an army in Koporye, freeing the fortress and destroying the garrison. In March 1242, having united with the troops of his younger brother, Prince Andrei Yaroslavich of Vladimir and Suzdal, Alexander marched on Pskov and freed him. Then the knights retreated to Dorpat (modern Estonian city of Tartu). Alexander made an unsuccessful attempt to attack the possessions of the Order, after which the prince's troops retreated to the ice of Lake Peipus.
The decisive battle took place on April 5, 1242. The Livonian army numbered about 10-15 thousand soldiers, the forces of Novgorodians and allies outnumbered the German ones and numbered about 15-17 thousand soldiers. During the battle, the knights initially broke into the center of the Russian defenses, but were later surrounded and defeated. The remaining forces of the Livonians retreated, the Novgorodians pursued them for about 7 miles. The losses of the knights amounted to about 400 killed and 50 captured. Novgorodians lost from 600 to 800 killed (in various historical sources data on losses on both sides are very different).
The significance of the victory on Lake Peipsi has not yet been finally determined. Some historians (mostly Western) believe that its significance is greatly exaggerated, and the threat from the west was insignificant compared to Mongol invasion from the east. Others believe that it is the expansion Catholic Church posed the main threat to Orthodox Russia, and traditionally call Alexander Nevsky one of the main defenders of Russian Orthodoxy.
For a long time, historians could not accurately determine the location of the battle. Research was complicated by the variability of the hydrography of Lake Peipus. There are still no clear archaeological evidence (any finds related to the past major battle). However, it is believed that the most plausible place was Teploye Lake, the narrowest place between Lake Peipus and Pskov, not far from Voronii Island (in legends, the island or "Crow's Stone" is mentioned as the place from which Alexander Nevsky watched the battle).
In 1992, in the village of Kobylye Gorodishche, which is the closest point from the alleged battle site, a monument to Alexander Nevsky and a wooden cross were opened near, which in 2006 was replaced by a bronze one cast in.
In 1993, not far from Pskov, was opened, dedicated to victory in Ice Battle. From a historical point of view, this position of the monument is not justified, since it is located 100 km. from the battlefield. But from a tourist point of view, the decision is quite successful, since the monument is located near Pskov, as a result of which it immediately became one of the main attractions.