Wonderful massacre. Unknown Alexander Nevsky: was the massacre “on ice”, did the prince bow to the Horde and other controversial issues
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 Russian 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 to this day are unsuccessfully trying 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, aggressive actions were intensified by the German crusaders, Danish and Swedish feudal lords. 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 again moved the 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 gathered sufficiently large forces, set out to the East, being 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 placed his army at a bottleneck in the southern part of the lake, thus forcing the enemy to fight in conditions that were not very convenient for them. 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
The two opposing sides 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 battle formation. 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. The striking force was 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 the best forces of 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 warriors 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
The First Novgorod Chronicle says that about 50 Germans were captured. 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 Peipus 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 our 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 Peipsi has gone down in history as a remarkable example of 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 also took into account the weaknesses of the enemy and was able to make the right choice in favor of the place for the battle. He correctly calculated the time for the battle, well organized the pursuit and destruction of superior enemy forces. 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 significance of the battle, it is worth taking into account the traditional point of view in Russian historiography. 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, are 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 Fannell 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. It is almost 100 kilometers away from the real battle site. The monument is dedicated to the “Druzhina of Alexander Nevsky”. Anyone can visit the mountain and see the monument.
In 1938, Sergei Eisenstein made a 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 Peipus.
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 a 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 although the Battle of Chud 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 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.
The site of the Battle of the Ice is a monument in honor of the 750th anniversary of the famous Battle of Lake Peipus, erected as close as possible to the supposed site of the battle, in the village of Kobylye Gorodishche, Gdovsky district, Pskov region.
The Battle of the Ice is one of the largest military clashes of the 13th century. At a time when Rus' was weakened from the east by Mongol raids, the threat from the west came from the Livonian Order. The knights captured the fortresses and, as well as, got as close as possible to. In 1241, the Novgorodians turned to Prince Alexander Nevsky. From there the prince went to Novgorod, and then marched with an army to Koporye, liberating the fortress and destroying the garrison. In March 1242, uniting with the troops of his younger brother, Prince of Vladimir and Suzdal Andrei Yaroslavich, Alexander marched on Pskov and liberated it. Then the knights retreated to Dorpat (the modern Estonian city of Tartu). Alexander made an unsuccessful attempt to attack the Order's possessions, after which the prince's troops retreated to the ice of Lake Peipsi.
The decisive battle took place on April 5, 1242. The Livonian army numbered about 10-15 thousand soldiers, the forces of the Novgorodians and allies were superior to the German ones and numbered about 15-17 thousand soldiers. During the battle, the knights initially broke through to the center of the Russian defense, but were later surrounded and defeated. The remaining Livonian forces retreated, the Novgorodians pursued them for about 7 versts. The losses of the knights amounted to about 400 killed and 50 captured. The Novgorodians lost from 600 to 800 killed (in various historical sources, data on losses on both sides vary greatly).
The significance of the victory on Lake Peipsi has not yet been fully determined. Some historians (mostly Western) believe that its importance is greatly exaggerated, and the threat from the west was insignificant compared to the Mongol invasion from the east. Others believe that it was the expansion of the Catholic Church that posed the main threat to Orthodox Rus', and traditionally call Alexander Nevsky one of the main defenders of Russian Orthodoxy.
For a long time, historians were unable to accurately determine the location of the battle. Research was complicated by the variability of the hydrography of Lake Peipsi. There is still no clear archaeological evidence (any finds related to the major battle that took place). However, it is believed that the most likely location was Tyoploye Lake, the narrowest point between Lake Peipus and Lake Pskov, near Voroniy Island (in legend, the island or “Raven Stone” is mentioned as the place from where Alexander Nevsky watched the battle progress).
In 1992, in the village of Kobylye Gorodishche, which is the closest point to the supposed site of the battle, a monument to Alexander Nevsky and a wooden cross were unveiled nearby, which in 2006 was replaced by a bronze one cast in .
In 1993, a museum dedicated to the victory in the Battle of the Ice was opened near Pskov. From a historical point of view, this position of the monument is not justified, since it is located 100 km away. from the battle site. But from a tourist point of view, the decision is quite successful, since the monument is located next to Pskov, as a result of which it immediately became one of the main attractions.
The defeat of the German knights by the Novgorodians in 1241–1242.
In the summer of 1240, German knights invaded the Novgorod land. They appeared under the walls of Izborsk and took the city by storm. “None of the Russians were left alone; those who only resorted to defense were killed or taken prisoner, and cries spread throughout the land,” according to the “Rhymed Chronicle.” The Pskovites rushed to the rescue of Izborsk: “the whole city came out against them (the knights - E.R.)” - Pskov. But the Pskov city militia was defeated. The killed Pskovites alone numbered more than 800 people. The knights pursued the Pskov militia and captured many. Now they approached Pskov, “and they set the whole town on fire, and there was a lot of evil, and the churches were burned... many villages were abandoned near Plskov. I stood under the city for a week, but didn’t take the city, but took the children from good husbands in the waist, and left the rest.”
In the winter of 1240, German knights invaded the Novgorod land and captured the territory of the Vod tribe, east of the Narova River, “having fought everything and imposed tribute on them.” Having captured the “Vodskaya Pyatina”, the knights took possession of Tesov, and their patrols were 35 km from Novgorod. The German feudal lords turned the previously rich region into a desert. “There is nothing to plow (plow. - E.R.) around the villages,” the chronicler reports.
In the same 1240, the “brethren of the order” resumed their attack on the Pskov land. The army of invaders consisted of Germans, bears, Yuryevites and Danish “royal men”. With them was a traitor to the motherland - Prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich. The Germans approached Pskov, crossed the river. Great, they pitched tents right under the walls of the Kremlin, set fire to the settlement and began to destroy the surrounding villages. A week later, the knights prepared to storm the Kremlin. But the Pskovite Tverdilo Ivanovich surrendered Pskov to the Germans, who took hostages and left their garrison in the city.
The Germans' appetite increased. They have already said: “We will reproach the Slovenian language... to ourselves,” that is, we will subjugate the Russian people. On Russian soil, the invaders settled in the Koporye fortress.
Despite the political fragmentation of Rus', the idea of protecting their land was strong among the Russian people.
At the request of the Novgorodians, Prince Yaroslav sent his son Alexander back to Novgorod. Alexander organized an army of Novgorodians, Ladoga residents, Karelians and Izhorians. First of all, it was necessary to decide the question of the method of action. Pskov and Koporye were in enemy hands. Actions in two directions scattered forces. The Koporye direction was the most threatening - the enemy was approaching Novgorod. Therefore, Alexander decided to strike the first blow at Koporye, and then liberate Pskov from the invaders.
The first stage of hostilities was the campaign of the Novgorod army against Koporye in 1241.
The army under the command of Alexander set out on a campaign, reached Koporye, took possession of the fortress, “and tore down the city from its foundations, and beat the Germans themselves, and brought some with them to Novgorod, and released others with a grant, for he was more merciful than measure, and informed the leaders and the people of the war. "...Vodskaya Pyatina was cleared of the Germans. The right flank and rear of the Novgorod army were now safe.
The second stage of hostilities is the campaign of the Novgorod army with the aim of liberating Pskov.
In March 1242, the Novgorodians set out on a campaign again and were soon near Pskov. Alexander, believing that he did not have enough strength to attack a strong fortress, was waiting for his brother Andrei Yaroslavich with the “grassroots” troops, who soon arrived. The Order did not have time to send reinforcements to its knights. Pskov was surrounded and the knightly garrison was captured. Alexander sent the order's governors in chains to Novgorod. 70 noble order brothers and many ordinary knights were killed in the battle.
After this defeat, the Order began to concentrate its forces within the Dorpat bishopric, preparing reprisals against the Russians. “Let’s go to Alexander and the imam will triumphantly with his hands,” said the knights. The Order gathered great strength: here were almost all its knights with the “master” (master) at the head, “with all their biskupi (bishops), and with all the multitude of their language, and their power, whatever is on this side, and with help the queen,” that is, there were German knights, the local population and the army of the king of Sweden.
Myths about the Battle of the Ice
Snowy landscapes, thousands of warriors, a frozen lake and crusaders falling through the ice under the weight of their own armor.
For many, the battle, which according to the chronicles took place on April 5, 1242, is not much different from the footage 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 of the Ice truly 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 to thoroughly study all the “components” of the battle.
But upon closer examination, it turns out that the popularity of a historical plot is not at all a guarantee of its comprehensive study.
Thus, the most detailed (and most quoted) description of the battle, recorded “hot on its heels,” is contained in the first Novgorod chronicle of the older edition. And this description is just over 100 words. The rest of the mentions are even more succinct.
Moreover, sometimes they include mutually exclusive information. For example, in the most authoritative Western source - the Elder 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 clash, but, according to experts, they are a literary work and therefore can be used as a source only with “great restrictions.”
As for the historical works of the 19th century, it is believed that they did not bring anything fundamentally new to the study of the Battle of the Ice, mainly retelling what was already stated in the chronicles.
The beginning of the 20th century is characterized by an ideological rethinking of the battle, when the symbolic meaning of victory over “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 of the Ice was not even included in university lecture courses.
The myth of a united Rus'
In the minds of many, the Battle of the Ice is a victory of the united Russian troops over the forces of the German crusaders. This “generalizing” idea of the battle was formed already 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” rather than a national conflict. In the 13th century, Rus' was experiencing a period of feudal fragmentation and consisted of approximately 20 independent principalities. Moreover, the policies of cities that formally belonged to the same territory could differ significantly.
Thus, de jure Pskov and Novgorod were located in the Novgorod land, one of the largest territorial units of Rus' at that time. De facto, each of these cities was an "autonomy", with its own political and economic interests. This also applied to relations with its closest neighbors in the Eastern Baltic.
One of these neighbors was the Catholic Order of the Sword, which, after the defeat at the Battle of Saul (Šiauliai) in 1236, was annexed to the 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 historian Igor Danilevsky notes, the main cause of territorial conflicts between Novgorod and the Order was the lands of the Estonians who lived on the western shore of Lake Peipsi (the medieval population of modern Estonia, who appeared in most Russian-language chronicles 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 subject to retaliatory raids by the Livonians.
According to historian Alexei Valerov, it was the need to simultaneously resist both the forces of the Order and Novgorod’s regular attempts to encroach on the city’s independence that could force Pskov to “open the gates” to the Livonians in 1240. 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, as the Livonian Rhymed Chronicle reports, in 1242 there was not a full-fledged “German army” present in the city, but only two Vogt knights (presumably accompanied by small detachments), who, according to Valerov, performed judicial functions on controlled lands and monitored the activities of the “local Pskov administration”.
Further, as we know from the chronicles, the Novgorod prince Alexander Yaroslavich, together with his younger brother Andrei Yaroslavich (sent by their father, the Vladimir prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich), “expelled” the Germans from Pskov, after which they continued their campaign, going “to the chud” (i.e. e. in 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 determine the number of participants in the battle. The only figures we have tell us about losses in the ranks of the Germans. Thus, the Novgorod First Chronicle reports about 400 killed and 50 prisoners, the Livonian Rhymed Chronicle reports that “twenty brothers were killed and six were captured.”
Researchers believe that these data are not as contradictory as they seem at first glance.
Historians Igor Danilevsky and Klim Zhukov agree that several hundred people took part in the battle.
So, on the German side, these are 35–40 brother knights, about 160 knechts (an average of four servants per knight) and mercenaries-ests (“Chud without number”), who could “expand” the detachment by another 100–200 warriors . Moreover, by the standards of the 13th century, such an army was considered a fairly serious force (presumably, in its heyday, the maximum number of the former Order of the Swordsmen, 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 gives reason to assume that Alexander’s army was significantly superior to the forces of 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 hardly exceeded 800 people.
From chronicle reports we also know that the German detachment was lined up as a “pig”.
According to Klim Zhukov, we are most likely not talking about a “trapezoidal” pig, which we are used to seeing in diagrams in textbooks, but about a “rectangular” one (since the first description of a “trapezoid” in written sources appeared only in the 15th century). Also, according to historians, the estimated size of the Livonian army gives reason to talk about the traditional formation of the “hound banner”: 35 knights making up the “wedge of banners”, plus their detachments (totalling up to 400 people).
As for the tactics of the Russian army, the Rhymed Chronicle only mentions that “the Russians had many riflemen” (who, apparently, made up the first formation), and that “the army of the brothers was surrounded.”
We don't know anything else about it.
The myth that the Livonian warrior is heavier than the Novgorod one
There is also a stereotype according to which the combat clothing 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.
After all, on both sides, exclusively heavily armed horsemen took part in the battle (it is believed that all assumptions about infantrymen are a transfer of the military realities of subsequent centuries to the realities of the 13th 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 to withdraw troops against him under such conditions?
The myth of the battle on ice and drowned knights
Let us disappoint you right away: there are no descriptions of how 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 “to 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 the shallow waters where the battle took place (version of the Soviet military historian Georgy Karaev, shown on the map).
As for the chronicle references to the fact that the Germans were driven “across the ice,” modern researchers agree that this detail could have been “borrowed” by the Battle of the Ice from the description of the later Battle of Rakovor (1268). According to Igor Danilevsky, reports that Russian troops drove the enemy seven miles (“to the Subolichi shore”) are quite justified for the scale of the Rakovor battle, but look strange in the context of the battle on Lake Peipus, where the distance from shore to shore in the supposed location the battle is no more than 2 km.
Speaking about the “Raven Stone” (a geographical landmark mentioned in part of the chronicles), historians emphasize that any map indicating a specific location of the battle is nothing more than a version. No one knows where exactly the massacre took place: the sources contain too little information to draw any conclusions.
In particular, Klim Zhukov is based on the fact that during archaeological expeditions in the area of Lake Peipsi, not a single “confirming” burial was discovered. The researcher associates the lack of evidence not with the mythical nature of the battle, but with looting: in the 13th century, iron was very highly valued, and it is unlikely that the weapons and armor of the dead soldiers could have remained intact to this day.
The Myth of the Battle's Geopolitical Significance
In the minds of many, the Battle of the Ice “stands apart” and is perhaps the only “action-packed” battle of its time. And it really became one of the significant battles of the Middle Ages, “suspending” the conflict between Rus' and the Livonian Order for almost 10 years.
Nevertheless, the 13th century was 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 united army of seven Northern Russian principalities came out against the Livonian Landmaster and Danish Estland.
Also, the 13th century is the time of the Horde invasion.
Despite the fact that the key battles of this era (the Battle of Kalka and the capture of Ryazan) did not directly affect the North-West, they significantly influenced the further political structure of medieval Rus' and all its components.
Moreover, if we compare the scale of the Teutonic and Horde threats, the difference is calculated in tens of thousands of soldiers. Thus, the maximum number of crusaders who ever participated in campaigns against Rus' rarely exceeded 1000 people, while the estimated maximum number of participants in the Russian campaign from the Horde was up to 40 thousand (version by historian Klim Zhukov).
TASS expresses gratitude for the assistance in preparing the material to the historian and specialist on Ancient Rus' Igor Nikolaevich Danilevsky and the military historian and medievalist Klim Aleksandrovich Zhukov.
© TASS INFOGRAPHICS, 2017
Worked on the material:
The Battle of the Ice on Lake Peipsi occurred on April 5, 1242. It became known as one of the most important victories in the history of the country. The date of this battle put an end to the claims of the Livonian Order to Russian lands. But, as often happens, many facts related to an event that occurred in the distant past are controversial for modern scientists. And the reliability of most sources can be questioned. As a result, modern historians do not know the exact number of troops who took part in the battle. This information is not found either in the Life of Alexander Nevsky or in the chronicles. Presumably the number of Russian soldiers who took part in the battle was 15 thousand; the Livonian knights brought with them about 12 thousand soldiers, mostly militias.
Alexander's choice of the ice of Lake Peipsi (near the Raven Stone) as the site for the battle was important. First of all, the position occupied by the young prince’s soldiers made it possible to block the approaches to Novgorod. Surely, Alexander Nevsky also remembered that heavy knights are more vulnerable in winter conditions. So, the Battle of the Ice can be briefly described as follows.
The Livonian knights formed a well-known battle wedge. Heavy knights were placed on the flanks, and warriors with light weapons were located inside this wedge. Russian chronicles call this construction the “great pig.” But modern historians know nothing about what construction Alexander Nevsky chose. This could well have been a “regimental row”, traditional for Russian squads. The knights decided to attack on open ice, even without accurate information about the number or location of enemy troops.
The diagram of the Battle of the Ice is missing from the chronicle sources that have reached us. But it is quite possible to reconstruct it. The knight's wedge attacked the guard regiment and moved on, quite easily breaking through its resistance. However, the attackers encountered many completely unexpected obstacles on their further path. It is quite possible to assume that this success of the knights was prepared in advance by Alexander Nevsky.
The wedge was caught in pincers and almost completely lost maneuverability. The attack of the ambush regiment finally tipped the scales in favor of Alexander. The knights, dressed in heavy armor, were completely helpless, pulled from their horses. Those who were able to escape after the battle were pursued by the Novgorodians, according to the chronicles, “to the Falcon Coast.”
Alexander won the Battle of the Ice, which forced the Livonian Order to conclude peace and renounce all territorial claims. Warriors captured in battle were returned by both sides.
It is worth noting that the Battle of Lake Peipsi is unique in its own way. For the first time in history, a foot army was able to defeat heavily armed cavalry. Of course, weather conditions, terrain, and surprise played an important role.
Thanks to the victory of Alexander Nevsky, the threat of the capture of the northwestern Russian territories by the Order was eliminated. Also, this allowed the Novgorodians to maintain trade ties with Europe.