Battle of the Neva - a battle on the Neva River, between the Novgorod army under the command of the Novgorod prince Alexander Yaroslavich and the Swedish army, which took place on July 15, 1240.
Battle of the Neva - briefly (review of the article)
Before the battle: 1240, summer - the Swedish flotilla led by Ulf Fasi and the son-in-law of King Eric XI Birger Magnusson entered the mouth of the Neva.
Purpose: mastering the Neva, Ladoga in the lower reaches of the Volkhov, and then Novgorod.
The course of the battle: 1240, July 15, morning - the Russians suddenly attacked the Swedes. The Swedish army was dismembered by an unexpected attack into several large and small parts, which the Novgorodians began to crush, pressing one by one to the shore. The Swedes fled to their ships and withdrew from the coast, losing more than 200 noble warriors in the battle, and the rest "without number."
The meaning of the victory: this battle began the struggle of Russia to preserve the access to the sea, which is very important for the future of the Russian people. The victory prevented the loss of the shores of the Gulf of Finland and did not allow the end of trade exchange with other states, thereby making it easier for the Russian people to fight for the overthrow of the Tatar-Mongol yoke. It stopped the Swedish aggression to the east for a long time, and kept the access to the Baltic coast for Russia.
And now in more detail …
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Causes
In the 1230s, a formidable danger loomed over Russia from the West. The German crusaders (knights of the Teutonic Order and the Order of the Swordsmen, who united in 1237 into the Livonian Order), carrying out a wide violent colonization and Christianization of the Baltic tribes, approached the borders of Russia. Meanwhile, the Swedes, having subjugated the Finnish tribes of Sum and Em, did not abandon their old claims to the Novgorod lands - the Neva and Ladoga regions. The main organizer of the campaigns for the conquest of Russian lands was the head of the Catholic Church, the Pope, who sought to unite the forces of the Order, the bishops of Riga and Dorpat, as well as Sweden and Denmark.
How it all began
The Swedish and German knights took advantage of the fact that after the devastation of North-Eastern Russia by the Mongols, Novgorod and Pskov had nowhere to expect help, intensified their expansion in North-Western Russia, hoping for an easy victory. The Swedes made the first attempt to conquer the Russian lands. 1238 - the Swedish king received a "blessing" from the Pope for a crusade; against the Novgorodians. All who agreed to take part in the campaign were promised absolution.
1239 - the Swedes were negotiating with the Germans, outlining a plan of the campaign: the Swedes, who had captured Finland at that time, were to attack Novgorod from the north, from the Neva River, and the Germans - through Izborsk and Pskov. The Swedish government of King Erich Kartavoy allocated an army under the command of Jarl (Prince) Ulf Fasi and the royal son-in-law - Birger for the campaign.
Meanwhile, Alexander, the son of the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, reigned in Novgorod. He was an intelligent, energetic and brave man. Alexander was already known as a skilled politician and understood that the weakened Russian principalities did not have the strength to fight on two fronts. Therefore, the prince tried to maintain peaceful relations with the Tatars, thereby ensuring a safe rear for himself in the event of a struggle against the German-Swedish aggression.
The Novgorodians knew about the plans of the Swedes, as well as about the fact that they boasted to baptize them, like pagans, into the Latin faith (Catholicism). The Swedes seemed to them more terrible than the Mongols, because they were going to instill an alien faith.
On the eve of the battle
1240, summer - the Swedish army under the command of Birger "in great strength, puffing with the spirit of war", appeared on the Neva River on ships that stood at the mouth of the river. Izhora. The army included Swedes, Norwegians, representatives of the Finnish tribes, intending to go directly to Ladoga in order to descend from there to Novgorod. The enemy army also included Catholic bishops; they walked with a cross in one hand and a sword in the other.
Having landed, the Swedes and their allies pitched their tents at the confluence of the Izhora into the Neva. "Bridges were thrown from the moored ships, the Swedish nobility went ashore, including Birger and Ulf Fasi, accompanied by bishops, … knights landed behind them" (VT Pashuto) Birger, not doubting his victory, sent to Prince Alexander with a statement: "If you can resist me, then I am already here, fighting your land."
At that time, the Novgorod borders were guarded by "watchmen". They were also on the sea coast, where local tribes served. For example, in the Neva region, on both shores of the Gulf of Finland, there was a “sea watchman” of the Izhorians, who guarded the routes to Novgorod from the sea. The social elite of this small people already owned the land and adopted Christianity. One day, at dawn on a July day in 1240, the elder of the Izhora land, Pelgusiy, while on patrol, discovered the Swedish flotilla and hastily sent a report to the prince.
Having received news of the appearance of the enemy, Alexander decided to surprise him. There was no time to organize the troops, and the convocation of the veche would have dragged out the case and could have led to the disruption of the suddenness of the impending attack. Therefore, Alexander did not wait until his father's squads arrived or warriors from the Novgorod volosts gathered. He decided to oppose the Swedes with his squad, reinforcing it with Novgorod volunteers. These were no less than three detachments of noble Novgorodians, who had their own squads, and the Ladoga detachment.
According to an old custom, they gathered at Saint Sophia, prayed, received a blessing from their lord Spiridon and set out on a campaign. We walked along the Volkhov to Ladoga, where a detachment of Ladoga residents, contractors of Veliky Novgorod, joined the Novgorod prince. From Ladoga, Alexander's army turned left, heading to the mouth of the river. Izhora.
"The Duel of Alexander Nevsky and Birger" (F. Moller 1856).
The course of the Neva battle
The Swedish camp, located at the mouth of the Izhora, was not guarded, because the Swedes did not suspect that the Russians were approaching. Enemy boats swayed, tied to the shore; tents were white all over the coast, and between them was Birger's golden-domed tent. 1240, 15 July at 11 o'clock the battle began. The Novgorodians unexpectedly attacked the Swedes. Their attack was so sudden that the Swedes did not have time to "gird their swords on their loins."
Birger's troops were taken by surprise. Unable to line up for battle, they were unable to offer organized resistance. With a bold onslaught, the Russian squad passed through the enemy camp and drove the Swedes to the shore. The pedestrian militia moved along the banks of the Neva, not only chopping down the bridges connecting the Swedish ships with the land, but even being able to capture and destroy three enemy augers.
The battle of the Neva lasted until evening; by nightfall, the opponents dispersed. The Swedes were defeated, and by morning they retreated on the surviving ships, and crossed to the other side.
The departure of the remnants of the Swedish army was not hindered. Whether the knightly methods of warfare, which made it possible to bury their own people during a respite, had an effect here, or the Novgorodians considered further bloodshed in vain, or the prince of Novgorod did not want to risk his army, which suffered losses - none of these explanations should be excluded.
Losses
The losses of the Novgorodians were insignificant, only 20 wealthy soldiers (to this number we must add their dead warriors). Whereas the Swedes loaded the bodies of only the initial people on three ships, and left the rest on the shore. In addition, according to the "Life", on the other bank of the Neva the next day, the local population found many unburied bodies of Swedes.
The meaning of the battle
The victory over the Swedish army was of great political importance. She was able to show all Russian people that they have not yet lost their former valor and can stand up for their land. The Swedes were unable to cut off Novgorod from the sea, capture the coast of the Neva and the Gulf of Finland. After repelling the attack of the Swedes from the north, the Russians thwarted the possible interaction of the Swedish and German feudal lords. To combat German aggression, the right flank and rear of this theater of operations were now reliably secured.
Tactically, the role of the "watchman" should be noted, who discovered the enemy and promptly informed the prince of his appearance. An important factor was the surprise factor in the attack on Birger's camp, whose army was taken by surprise and could not offer organized resistance. The chronicler noted the extraordinary bravery of the Russian soldiers. For this victory, Alexander Yaroslavich was nicknamed "Nevsky". By that time he was only 22 years old.
But the victory in the Battle of the Neva calmed the vigilance of many Novgorodians. Due to the fear of strengthening the role of the prince in Novgorod affairs, intrigues against Alexander Nevsky by the boyars began. The winner of the Swedes had to leave Novgorod for a while and go to his father.