The Presidential Library spotlights the feat of Russian soldiers in the Battle of the Neva

"God is not in power, but in truth". According to chroniclers, the famous commander Alexander Yaroslavovich said this phrase before the battle on July 15, 1240. A battle between Russian and Swedish troops on the Neva River, forever entering into the history of Russian victories as the Battle of the Neva, took place on this day.

These were difficult years for Russia, when it was necessary to fight "on two fronts". According to the military historian Vladimir Picheta in his book The Great Russian Generals: Alexander Nevsky (1942), “while the Novgorodians courageously guarded the inviolability of the northwestern border, northeastern Russia was subjected to a terrible Mongol-Tatar invasion. The Mongol-Tatars betrayed to destruction everything that they met on their way. Cities and villages disappeared. The Russian land was turning into a huge cemetery”.     

The Swedes, interested in expanding their own borders at the expense of the Russian northwestern territories, decided to take advantage of the situation and win back these lands. The Presidential Library’s collections contain a digitized copy of Vasily Lapin’s book The Battle of the Neva and the Battle of the Ice (1880), which tells how the Swedish army approached the banks of the Neva.

Veliky Novgorod, which was famous for its craftsmen and artisans, attracted particular attention of the Swedes. In addition, an ancient trade route to the West and East passed through the Novgorod lands. At that time, the city was ruled by a young, but already quite skillful politician, Prince Alexander, the son of the Grand Prince of Vladimir Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. Alexander had the glory of a smart, brave warrior and a wise military leader.

When the news of the enemy's advance reached Veliky Novgorod, the Swedish troops under the command of Birger Magnusson had already reached the mouth of the Izhora River along the Neva River.

“There was no time to hesitate, some 100 miles separated the enemies from Novgorod, there was nowhere to wait for help, to wait until the whole Novgorod land was gathered meant to give up Ladoga for sacrifice and give the enemies time to become a firm foot in the Novgorod land. Alexander quickly realized these circumstances and, placing all his hope in God, gave the order to gather the squad and cash Novgorodians and Ladoga residents”, - we read in Ivan Belyaev’s book Grand Prince Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (1849).

Alexander with the militia moved towards the enemy, - says Sergei Krotkov’s 1900 historical essay The Battle of the Neva and the Battle of the Ice.

The Russians attacked the enemy suddenly in the early morning of July 15, 1240. According to Grigory Kholodny in the book The Life and Deeds of Grand Prince Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky in Connection with the Events in Russia in the XIII century (1883), “the Novgorodians with their prince acted like heroes, and the battle itself looked like a heroic fight”.  

The beginning of the Battle of the Neva is spotlighted in detail in the book of Nikolai Voskresensky The Holy Right-Believing Grand Prince Alexander Nevsky (1898).  

The Swedish army was pushed back into the corner formed by the Neva and Izhora. The Swedes, defeated in all positions, took to flight and were forced to leave on their ships to the other side of the Neva. On the battlefield, so many fell from the Swedes against 20 dead Russian soldiers that “companions of St. Alexander came to believe in the invisible miraculous help from the powers of heaven".

In honor of this victory, which deprived the enemy of the opportunity to capture the Novgorod lands, Alexander Nevsky received his famous nickname. A few centuries later, in 1547, the prince was canonized as a saint.

The major collection Alexander Nevsky (1221-1263), available on the Presidential Library’s portal features the rarest studies of scientists and theologians, essays as well as visual materials dedicated to the Grand Prince.