The victory in the Battle on the Ice faced off the threat of losing the sovereignty of Russia

On April 5, 1242 a decisive battle took place between the German crusaders and the Russian squad, led by Prince Alexander Nevsky, who rebuffed the enemy on the ice of Lake Peipsi near Voronny Stone; it went down in history as the Battle on the Ice. The electronic collection Alexander Nevsky (1221–1263), available on the Presidential Library’s portal, provides studies of scholars and theologians, essays and visual materials dedicated to the Grand Duke, diplomat and warrior; whose victory in the confrontation with the German knights largely predetermined the fate of Russia.  

Everything that Prince Nevsky did, he did with faith in God and in higher justice. Mikhail Khitrov tried to determine the source of the inner strength of the personality of the young prince: “To explain the secrets of this charm, pointing only to courage and prudence is not enough. Along with these qualities, there was something higher in him that irresistibly attracted him: the seal of a genius shone on his forehead. Like a bright lamp, the gift of God was clearly burning in it for everyone. This gift of God was admired by everyone”.

Anticipating a difficult struggle with the German knights, Alexander Nevsky showed the talent of a diplomat, making peace with the most powerful enemy - the Golden Horde. And in this he was helped not only by the glory of a warrior and a wise ruler: “Batu, this cruel Batu, rude and adamant”, - we read in a historical study by M. Khitrov, “the terrible scourge of God, when he saw Nevsky before him, was surprised, and for the first time in life felt that respect, which is involuntarily inspired by the vision of a holy man. Such a strong impression was made by the beauty and sanctity of Alexander in people arrogant with their greatness, in the rulers of the proud and arrogant”.

It was not easy to restrain the ongoing onslaught from the West. Pskov has already fallen, a threat looms over Veliky Novgorod. The time has come to face off with a formidable enemy, to whom the army of Alexander Nevsky was inferior both in numbers and in equipment.

All the necessary information is available in the editions The Battle of Neva and the Battle of Ice: Historical Outline (1900) by S. Krotkova (1900), The Battle on Ice by V. Mavrodin (1941), The Battle on Ice by S. Glazer (1941), A laudable word to the Holy Right Prince Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky, read in the Voronezh Provincial Gymnasium on September 10, 1836, by its senior teacher, Nikolai Savostyanov (1841) and others.

“It was Saturday, April 5, 1242”, - we read in the book The Holy Right Grand Duke Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky when at sunrise the wedge-shaped system of the German army, which the Russians called the pig, opened before the Russians. This system is terrible for a weak army, which it cuts in two and splits into small groups like a rock breaking sea waves. The scattered enemies, losing contact between themselves and at the same time the presence of the spirit, scatter in different directions".

The Germans expected to easily cope with the Russians, knowing their combat system, but Alexander outwitted them. While the advance detachment of knights made their way through the formation of the Novgorod infantry, the prince's squads did not budge, and horse detachments stood on the flanks. The infantry was ordered to move further onto the ice, dragging along the heavy cavalry of the knight dogs. When they were on the ice, the Russian cavalry advanced from the flanks, taking the Germans in the ring. It was then that a powerful princely squad hit. Trying to escape, many knights began to sink. Spring thin ice could not withstand the heavily armed Germans, because the weight of one knight reached 120 kilograms.

The crushing victory of the Russians ended one of the most famous battles of the Russian Middle Ages, called the Battle on the Ice. After the defeat on Lake Peipsi, the Teutonic Order was forced to make peace.

The historian Mikhail Khmyrov writes in his book Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky, Grand Duke of Vladimir and All Russia (1871): “The exploits of Alexander are all the more brilliant, famous and popular because they are alien to self-love, to a greater or lesser extent characteristic of the activities of other, historically remarkable Russian sovereigns ".

It is also important to emphasize another personality trait of this defender of his native land: “Tirelessly fighting against Western enemies, he essentially conducts a defensive war and does not seek to seize other people's possessions, being in this respect a completely representative of his people. He is forced to resort to weapons by the need for self-defence. Selfless and generous, gracious “more than measure” he would no doubt have abandoned military laurels if his enemies had not called him. But, once holding his sword, he no longer stops halfway, but strives to achieve more or less lasting results, as far as possible for him with the insignificant forces that he had". The prince had the right to say: "Who comes to us with a sword will die by the sword".

After death, Alexander Nevsky became the patron saint of his Motherland. The church ranked him as a saint.