In what year was Alexander Nevsky born. Historical situation at the time of the beginning of the reign of Alexander Nevsky. The origin of Alexander, the beginning of the reign
On May 30, 1220, in the family of Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich and Princess Feodosia, daughter of Prince Mstislav Udatny, a son was born, Alexander, Grand Duke of Novgorod (1236-1251) and Vladimir (from 1252). On the paternal side, he was the grandson of Vsevolod the Big Nest.
In 1228 Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, reigning in Novgorod, came into conflict with the townspeople and was forced to leave for his ancestral inheritance Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. Despite this, he left two young sons Fyodor and Alexander in the care of the trusted boyars in Novgorod. After the death of Fyodor in 1236, Alexander, as the senior heir to Yaroslav, was imprisoned on Novgorod reign... In 1239 he married the Polotsk princess Alexandra Bryachislavna.
In the first years of the reign, the Russian prince was busy fortifying Novgorod. On the river Sheloni he built several fortresses. Glory to the young prince was brought by the victory won in July 1240 at the mouth of the river. Izhora over the Swedish detachment, after which the Swedish aggression on the Novgorod-Pskov lands was stopped. Traditionally, it is believed that for this victory the prince began to be called Nevsky. However, according to Russian sources of the XIV century, some of the prince's descendants also bore the nickname Nevsky.
The victory on the Neva strengthened Alexander's political influence, but at the same time contributed to the aggravation of his relations with the boyars. As a result of clashes with disgruntled boyars, the prince was forced to leave Novgorod and go to Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. The Livonian Order, having gathered German crusaders from the Baltic states and Danish knights from Reval, invaded the Novgorodian lands. In the spring of 1241, Alexander, having gathered a powerful army, recaptured the Koporye and Vodskaya land occupied by the knights, and then drove the Livonian detachment from Pskov. The Novgorodians invaded the territory of the Livonian Order and began to ravage their settlements. Soon a large cavalry army headed by the master of the order came out against the Russian prince and forced him to withdraw his troops to the border of the Livonian Order, which passed along Lake Peipsi. On April 5, 1242, a decisive battle took place on the ice of Lake Peipsi near the Crow Stone, which went down in history as the "Battle on the Ice". German troops suffered a crushing defeat. The Livonian Order was forced to conclude a peace, according to which the crusaders renounced their claims to Russian lands, and also transferred part of Latgale to the Russians. In the history of military art, this victory was of exceptional importance: the Russian foot army surrounded and defeated the knightly cavalry and detachments of foot bollards long before Western Europe the infantry learned to prevail over the mounted knights. The victory in this battle put Alexander Nevsky among the best generals of that time.
In the future, Alexander Nevsky continued to strengthen the northwestern borders of Russia. In 1251 he sent an embassy to Norway, which resulted in the first agreement between Russia and Norway, and also made a successful campaign in Finland against the Swedes, who made a new attempt to close the Russian access to the Baltic Sea.
Alexander made a lot of efforts to strengthen the grand-ducal power in the country. His political line helped to prevent the ruinous invasions of the Tatars to Russia. Several times he himself traveled to the Golden Horde, having achieved the release of the Russians from the obligation to act as an army on the side of the Tatar khans in their wars with other peoples. In 1262, riots broke out in the cities of Suzdal, where the Khan Baskaks were killed and the Tatar merchants were driven out. To appease the Tatar khan, the prince personally went with gifts to the Horde. The khan kept him close to him all winter and summer, and only in the fall did the Russian prince get the opportunity to return to Vladimir, but on the way he fell ill and died on November 14, 1263 in Gorodets. His body was buried in the Vladimir monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin.
In the 1280s. in Vladimir, the veneration of Alexander Nevsky as a saint began, and later he was officially canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.
In 1724, a monastery (Alexander Nevsky Lavra) was founded in St. Petersburg in honor of the noble prince Peter I, where the Russian autocrat ordered to transport the remains of the holy Prince Alexander. May 21 (June 1) 1725 Empress Catherine I established the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky - one of the highest awards of the Russian Empire.
Lit .: Alexander Nevsky and the history of Russia: Proceedings of the scientific-practical conference. Novgorod, 1996; The same [Electronic resource]. Url: http: // bibliotekar. ru / rusNevskiy /; Vernadsky G. B. Two exploits of St.Alexander Nevsky // Eurasian time book. Book. IV ... Prague, 1925.S. 318-337; Voskresensky N. A. Holy Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky; In Memory of the Peacemaker Tsar: A Brief Biography. M., 1898; Danilevsky AND. N. Alexander Nevsky: Paradoxes of Historical Memory// "Chain of Times": Problems of Historical Consciousness. M., 2005.S. 119-132; Life of Alexander Nevsky// Library of Literature of Ancient Rus. T. 5. SPb., 1997; The same [Electronic resource]. Url: http: // lib. pushkinskijdom. ru / Default. aspx? tabid = 4962; E. L. The image of Alexander Nevsky in early annals 2 (36); The same [Electronic resource]. Url: http: // www. drevnyaya. ru / vyp / 2009_2 / part6. pdf; Kuchkin V. A. About the date of birth of Alexander Nevsky// Questions of history. 1986. No. 2; Pashuto V. T. Alexander Nevsky. M., 1974; Holy Noble Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky and the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra: commemorating the bicentennial of the monastery, 1713-1913. SPb., 1913; Seleznev NS. B. The reign of Alexander Nevsky in 1252G .: Political Realities and Their Reflection in the Russian Written Tradition// Ancient Russia. Questions of medieval studies. 2009. No. 1 (35); The same [Electronic resource]. Url: http: // www. drevnyaya. ru / vyp / 2009_1 / hist-3. pdf; Fennell J. The crisis of medieval Russia: 1200-1304: Per. from English M., 1989; Khmyrov M. D. Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky, Grand Duke of Vladimir and All Russia: a historical and biographical sketch. SPb., 1871; Cold G. M. Life and work of the Grand Duke Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky in connection with the events in Russia in XIII century. Tambov, 1883; Tsamutali A. N. Prince Alexander Nevsky (according to Russian and foreign sources)// Star. 2007. No. 10. ;
Tikhonravov K. N. Vladimirsky Rozhdestven Monastery of the XII century, where the holy relics of the Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky rested, before being transferred to St. Petersburg. Vladimir, 1869 .
Yaroslav Vsevolodovich gave his sons a "princely tonsure", after which the experienced voivode, boyar Fyodor Danilovich, began to teach them the military business.
Battle of the Neva
Confident of victory, the royal son-in-law Birger sent Alexander a proud and arrogant declaration of war: “ If you can resist, know that I am already here and will capture your land". Novgorod was left to its own devices. Rus defeated by the Tatars could not provide him with any support. The prince then prayed on his knees in the cathedral church of Sophia the Wisdom of God, and addressing the soldiers, he said the words that are still winged: "God is not in power, but in truth."
Contradictory data on the losses of the Order in Old Russian (Novgorod I Chronicle) and German (Livonian Rhymed Chronicle) sources make it difficult to assess the scale of the battle, but the political significance of this victory of Alexander Nevsky remains beyond doubt: it ensured the status quo on the Livonian-Novgorod border until the 15th century. therefore, attempts to reduce the battle to the level of an ordinary border skirmish are inappropriate.
However, the Novgorodians, always jealous of their liberties, managed to quarrel with Alexander in the same year, and he retired to his father, who gave him Pereslavl-Zalessky for the principality. Meanwhile, the Livonian Germans, Chud and Lithuania were advancing on Novgorod. They fought and imposed tribute on the leaders, built a fortress in Koporye, took the city of Tesov, plundered the land along the Luga River and began to plunder Novgorod merchants 30 miles from Novgorod. The Novgorodians turned to Yaroslav for a prince; he gave them his second son, Andrew. This did not satisfy them. They sent a second embassy to ask for Alexander.
Domestic politics and relations with the Horde
Alexander pursued a completely different policy in relation to the Tatars. According to one point of view, with the then small number and fragmentation of the Russian population in the eastern lands, it was impossible even to think about liberation from their power and could only rely on the generosity of the victors. Other historians believe that the fight against the Tatars could be successful, but Alexander wanted to use their help to establish his rigid power over the free cities. In any case, Alexander decided to get along with the Tatars at all costs. At the same time, knowing what was to come and with whom to meet, Prince Alexander said before leaving for the Horde: "Even though my blood is shed for Christ's sake from the godless king, as my relatives are, I will not worship the bush and fire and idols."... It was a refusal to perform the rituals obligatory in the Horde. The prince kept his word, and the Lord saved him.
Upon learning of the death of the intercessor for Russia, Metropolitan Kirill said in the Assumption Cathedral of the capital city of Vladimir: "My dear child, understand that the sun of the Russian land is behind us," and everyone exclaimed with tears: "We are already perishing." The deceased was transported to Vladimir and laid in the Cathedral of the Theotokos-Rozhdestvensky Monastery on November 23 of the year. At the burial, numerous healings were noted.
The people were in sorrow. Contemporaries perceived the deceased as a special prayer book and intercessor for Russia and Orthodoxy. Conquering everywhere, he was not defeated by anyone. A knight who came from the west to see Alexander Nevsky said that he had traveled through many countries and peoples, but nowhere did he see such a thing “neither in the tsars of the tsar, nor in the princes of the prince”. The Tatar Khan himself allegedly gave the same opinion about him, and the Tatar women frightened children with his name.
When the faithful Grand Duke Dimitri Donskoy was praying in the Cathedral of the Nativity Monastery at his grave before the year's march to Kulikovo Field, two elders suddenly appeared at the grave and exclaimed: “O Lord Alexander, rise up and hasten to help his great-grandson, Grand Duke Dimitri, who overcomes existence from foreigners ". After this vision, the tomb was opened in the name of the Metropolitan of Moscow and the local veneration of the holy prince was established. They made a special service for him. During the fire of the year, the cathedral burned, but even the shroud on the tomb survived. The general church glorification of the blessed prince Alexander by the Russian Church followed at the Moscow Council in the year when they ordered him to compose a lengthy life, a service and a word of praise.
The holy relics by decree of Emperor Peter I were solemnly sent to St. Petersburg on July 14, and laid on August 30 in the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. From a year on, the holy relics rest in a silver shrine. The day of August 30 is revered as the day of the transfer of the holy relics. This event secured the title of the new capital of Russia for St. Petersburg.
View of historians of the XVIII-XIX centuries
A number of historians do not attach such great importance to the personality of Alexander Nevsky. Major Russian historians Sergei Soloviev and Vasily Klyuchevsky devoted a minimum of lines to the prince's activities, but at the same time paid tribute to his activities.
In the editions of the 1980s and later, the words "holding a relative of yours" are replaced by: "the Russian state" or "our country".
Prince Alexander Nevsky, whose biography is very remarkable, became one of those Russian rulers who are not only remembered to this day, but also revered. His battles and exploits dominate the minds of representatives of modern generations, although he himself lived a long time ago.
Birth and family
Alexander Nevsky (his biography is known, in principle, quite well) in 1221 with the princely couple Yaroslav Vsevolodich and Theodosia Mstislavovna (the young prince began to rule in his beloved Novgorod since 1236, and his entire reign is filled with disputes with wayward townspeople. was a free city that did not want to obey anyone unquestioningly.Alexander married in 1239, choosing the Polotsk princess Alexandra Bryachislavna as his wife.This marriage brought three sons: Daniel later became a Moscow prince, and Dimitri and Andrei - Vladimirs.
and the battle on Lake Peipsi
The glorious battle, for which the prince got his nickname, took place on July 15, 1240 on Alexander managed to repel the attack of the Swedish troops under the command of the famous Jarl Birger (later he would become the ruler of Poland), preserve the territory on the coast of the Gulf of Finland and for a long time close the question of the Swedes' claims to these land. Alexander Nevsky (his biography describes this fact) soon after the battle leaves Novgorod, once again not getting along with the residents (and the thing, as always, was in the love of Novgorodians), and moved to Pereslavl-Zalessky.
However, such a disgrace did not last long. Novgorod could not do without a glorious military leader, because there were always those who wanted to encroach on his land. This time it turned out to be the forces of the Lithuanian prince and, in fact, the order itself was not officially at enmity with the Russian princes. A split had been brewing in its ranks for a long time. Some of the knights advocated the continuation of the campaigns to the Holy Land, while the other wished that Crusades moved to the east, to the lands of Russia and its neighbors. Actually, few Livonian knights participated in the famous battle, most of the troops belonged to the Lithuanian prince. Prince Alexander Nevsky, whose biography is described in the article, responded to the prayer of the Novgorodians and returned. The battle, glorified over the centuries, took place on the chained in ice (although the exact place is still not known) in 1242 on April 5. The defeat of the enemy forces turned out to be complete, this defeat was hard for the order. Thus, Prince Alexander Nevsky (his biography is filled with such acts) ensured the security of the western borders of Russia.
Rome and the Horde
These two battles - on the Neva and Lake Peipsi- so glorified in the centuries also because they were the only ones for Russia at that time. In the east, things were terrible. The Russian princes were unable to unite in time and repulse the attack of a powerful enemy - the Horde, and now they had to obey the khans, travel to their capital to obtain labels for the right to rule in their native lands. For this, after the death of their father, brothers Alexander and Andrey also went to the Horde. The eldest in the reign got the southern lands of Russia, including Kiev, and the youngest - the northern ones. However, the prince still returns to his beloved Novgorod. And then another event occurs, which is the biography of Alexander Nevsky ( summary it should also include this fact) emphasizes especially. Despite the power of the Mongols and his own troubles, the prince does not accept help from the West in exchange for the adoption of the Catholic faith. Innocent IV makes such an offer to him, but receives a categorical refusal.
After internal troubles in the Horde itself (the overthrow of the khansha Ogul Gashim khan Mongke), Alexander receives in Novgorod in 1242. But he did not succeed in reigning in the city - his brother Andrei, having enlisted the support of the Galician prince Daniil Romanovich and the prince of Tver, refused to give up power. However, soon Alexander was still able to get to Novgorod. Alexander Nevsky (his biography is full of glorious victories in the diplomatic field), during a trip to the Golden Horde, managed to knock out his soldiers the opportunity not to participate in the conquering Mongol campaigns. However, on the way back, the prince falls ill and dies in Gorodets, located on the Volga River, on November 14, 1263. There is a version about the poisoning of it by the Mongols, but today there is no way to prove it.
Veneration of the saint
In Vladimir, they began to read him back in the 1280s, but the official canonization came later. The blessed prince Alexander Nevsky became the patron saint of not only Russia, but later also Russia, and his exploits were reflected not only in folklore and folk legends, but later in literature and cinema.
The history of our country contains many glorious battles. Some of them became especially famous. For example, almost any person in conversation about famous battles will mention Battle of the Neva and Battle on the Ice... It is not surprising, because thanks to these events, Russia was once able to preserve and defend its borders. But both the Battle of the Neva and the Battle on the Ice could have ended more pitifully, if not for great commander who led our troops - Alexander Nevskiy.
short biography
began on May 13, 1221. His father was Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, and his mother was Rostislav Mstislavna. The boy's childhood passed in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, but it did not last long. Already at the age of nine, Alexander was sent to rule Novgorod along with his brother Fyodor. In 1233 Fyodor died, and three years later Yaroslav Vsevolodovich left for Kiev.
Thus, Alexander became the sole ruler of Novgorod at the age of 15.
Personal life
In 1239, the prince found family happiness in Toropets with Princess Alexandra of Polotsk... The wedding took place in the church of St. George. This marriage resulted in the birth of several children:
- Basil - 1240;
- Dmitry - 1250;
- Andrew - 1255;
- Daniel - 1261
- Evdokia.
Battle of the Neva
Alexander began to be called Nevsky, thanks to the battle on the Neva... This battle brought the prince worldwide fame. The battle of the Neva took place in 1240 on the banks of the Neva River. The battle was fought against the Swedes, who wanted to capture Pskov and Novgorod. It is noteworthy that the army of Alexander, without the support of the main army, was able to defeat the enemy. Before the battle, the prince went out to the troops with words of support, which have survived to this day thanks to the chronicles.
These words inspired the warriors, and they were able to win a confident and crushing victory. The Swedes suffered huge losses and were forced to retreat.
In spite of successful outcome of the Battle of the Neva, Alexander had a conflict with the Novgorodians, and the prince was forced to leave the city. But in 1241 the Livonian Order, consisting of German and Danish troops, invaded the territory of Novgorod. Novgorodians were forced to turn to the prince for help. Alexander did not disappoint - having come with his army, he liberated the cities captured by the Livonian Order, and then led his troops to the enemy border. There, on Lake Peipsi, the decisive battle took place.
Battle on the Ice
April 5, 1242 on the ice of Lake Peipsi the troops of Alexander Nevsky and the Livonian Order met. Thanks to the prince's cunning tactics, the enemy troops were flanked and defeated. The remnants of the troops tried to escape from the battlefield, fleeing along the frozen lake. For 7.4 km they were pursued by the princely troops.
There are several versions of this chase. Information is very popular that the soldiers of the Livonian Order were dressed in heavy armor. The thin ice of Lake Peipsi could not bear their weight and cracked. Therefore, most of those enemies who survived drowned. However, Wikipedia mentions that this information appeared only in later sources. But in the records made in the coming years after the battle, nothing is said about this.
Anyway, The battle on the ice had crucial ... After him, a truce was concluded and for the cities of Russia there was no longer a threat from the Order.
Years of reign
Alexander became famous not only for victories in famous battles. He understood that battles alone were not enough to defend the country. Therefore, in 1247, after the death of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, Alexander went on a visit to the Horde Khan Batu. The negotiations were successful, so the prince was given control over the Kiev principality, and his brother Andrey - the Vladimir principality.
In 1252, Andrei renounced the Vladimir principality and fled. This almost provoked a new conflict with the Tatar-Mongols, but Alexander again paid a visit to the Horde. Thus, he achieved the opportunity to manage the Vladimir principality.
In the future, Alexander continued to adhere to the same line of behavior. This policy is perceived in two ways by the society. Many considered and still consider Nevsky to be practically a traitor, not understanding why he was in constant contact with the Horde. In addition, Nevsky not only visited the khans, but also in every possible way contributed to the implementation of their plans. For example, in 1257, Alexander helped the Horde to conduct a census of the population of Rus, against which the entire people were opposed. And in general, in relations with the Tatar-Mongols, he showed obedience and, without stint, paid tribute.
On the other hand, thanks to such a policy, he was able to free Russia from the obligation to provide the Horde with troops for military campaigns and saved the country from the Tatar-Mongol raids. The main thing for him was survival, both his own and that of the whole people. And he successfully coped with this task.
Death
During another visit to the Tatar-Mongols, which took place in 1262, Prince Alexander Nevsky fell seriously ill. By the time he returned to his homeland, his condition was very difficult. Before his death, the prince managed to convert to Orthodoxy under the name of Alexy. His life ended on November 14, 1263, and his funeral took place in the Vladimir Rozhdestvensky Monastery.
Curious facts
Alexander Nevsky is a great Russian ruler, commander, thinker and, finally, a saint, especially revered among the people. His life, icons and prayers are in the article!
Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (1220 - November 14, 1263), Prince of Novgorod, Pereyaslavsky, Grand Duke of Kiev (from 1249), Grand Duke of Vladimir (from 1252).
Canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in the guise of the faithful under Metropolitan Macarius at the Moscow Cathedral in 1547.
Memorial Day Alexander Nevsky
Commemoration of December 6 and September 12 in a new style (transfer of relics from Vladimir-on-Klyazma to St. Petersburg, to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery (from 1797 - Lavra) on August 30, 1724). In honor of the memory of St. Alexander Nevsky, many churches have been built throughout Russia, where prayers are held these days. There are such churches outside our country: the Patriarchal Cathedral in Sofia, Cathedral in Tallinn, temple in Tbilisi. Alexander Nevsky is such a significant Saint for the Russian people that an order was established in his honor back in Tsaras Russia. It is surprising that in the Soviet years the memory of Alexander Nevsky was honored: on July 29, 1942, the Soviet military order of Alexander Nevsky was established in honor of the great commander.
Alexander Nevsky: only facts
- Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich was born in 1220 (according to another version - in 1221) and died in 1263. V different years In his life, Prince Alexander had the titles of Prince of Novgorod, Kiev, and later the Grand Duke of Vladimir.
- Prince Alexander won his main military victories in his youth. During the Battle of the Neva (1240) he was at most 20 years old, during the Battle of the Ice - 22 years old. Subsequently, he became famous more as a politician and diplomat, but occasionally acted as a military leader. Throughout his life, Prince Alexander has not lost a single battle.
– Alexander Nevsky canonized as a faithful prince... The laity, who are famous for their sincere deep faith and good deeds, as well as Orthodox rulers who managed to remain faithful to Christ in their public service and in various political conflicts. Like any Orthodox saint, the noble prince is not at all an ideal sinless person, but he is primarily a ruler who was guided in his life primarily by the highest Christian virtues, including mercy and philanthropy, and not a thirst for power and not selfishness.
- Contrary to popular belief that the Church canonized almost all the rulers of the Middle Ages in the face of the faithful, only a few of them were glorified. Thus, among the Russian saints of princely origin, the majority are glorified as saints for their martyrdom for the sake of their neighbors and for the preservation of the Christian faith.
–Through the efforts of Alexander Nevsky, the preaching of Christianity spread to the northern lands of the Pomors. He also managed to contribute to the creation Orthodox diocese in the Golden Horde.
- The modern idea of Alexander Nevsky was influenced by Soviet propaganda, which spoke exclusively about his military merits. As a diplomat who built relations with the Horde, and even more so as a monk and a saint, he was completely out of place for the Soviet regime. That is why Sergei Eisenstein's masterpiece "Alexander Nevsky" tells not about the prince's whole life, but only about the battle on Lake Peipsi. This gave rise to the widespread stereotype that Prince Alexander was numbered among the saints for his military services, and that holiness itself became something of a "reward" from the Church.
- The veneration of Prince Alexander as a saint began immediately after his death, at the same time a rather detailed "The Story of the Life of Alexander Nevsky" was compiled. The official canonization of the prince took place in 1547.
The life of the holy blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky
Portal "Word"
Prince Alexander Nevsky is one of those great people in the history of our Fatherland, whose activities not only influenced the fate of the country and the people, but in many ways changed them, predetermined the course of Russian history for many centuries to come. It fell to him to rule Russia in the most difficult, a turning point that followed the ruinous Mongol conquest, when it came to the very existence of Russia, about whether it will be able to survive, preserve its statehood, its ethnic independence, or disappear from the map, like many other peoples of Eastern Europe , underwent an invasion at the same time.
He was born in 1220 (1), in the city of Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, and was the second son of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, then a Pereyaslavl prince. His mother Theodosia, apparently, was the daughter of the famous Toropets prince Mstislav Mstislavich Udatny, or Udatny (2).
Very early Alexander became involved in the turbulent political events that unfolded around the reign in Veliky Novgorod - one of the largest cities in medieval Russia. It is with Novgorod that most of his biography will be associated. For the first time, Alexander came to this city as a baby - in the winter of 1223, when his father was invited to the Novgorod reign. However, the reign was short-lived: at the end of the same year, having quarreled with the Novgorodians, Yaroslav and his family returned to Pereyaslavl. So Yaroslav will put up, then quarrel with Novgorod, and then the same will be repeated in the fate of Alexander. The explanation was simple: the people of Novgorod needed a strong prince from close to them North-Eastern Russia so that he could defend the city from external enemies. However, such a prince ruled Novgorod too abruptly, and the townspeople usually soon quarreled with him and invited some southern Russian prince to reign, who did not annoy them too much; and everything would be fine, but he, alas, could not protect them in case of danger, and he cared more about his southern possessions - so Novgorodians had to turn to the Vladimir or Pereyaslavl princes for help again, and everything was repeated anew.
Prince Yaroslav was again invited to Novgorod in 1226. Two years later, the prince left the city again, but this time he left his sons in it as princes - nine-year-old Fedor (his eldest son) and eight-year-old Alexander. Together with the children, Yaroslav's boyars - Fyodor Danilovich and the princely tiun Yakim - remained. However, they did not manage to cope with the Novgorod "freemen" and in February 1229 they had to flee with the princes to Pereyaslavl. For a short time, Prince Mikhail Vsevolodovich of Chernigov, the future martyr for the faith and revered saint, established himself in Novgorod. But the South Russian prince, who ruled distant Chernigov, could not defend the city from outside threats; in addition, a severe famine and pestilence began in Novgorod. In December 1230, the Novgorodians invited Yaroslav for the third time. He hastily arrived in Novgorod, concluded an agreement with the Novgorodians, but stayed in the city for only two weeks and returned to Pereyaslavl. His sons Fyodor and Alexander remained in the reign of Novgorod again.
Novgorod reign of Alexander
So, in January 1231, Alexander formally became the prince of Novgorod. Until 1233, he ruled with his older brother. But this year Fedor died (his sudden death happened just before the wedding, when everything was already ready for the wedding feast). Real power remained entirely in the hands of his father. Probably, Alexander took part in his father's campaigns (for example, in 1234 under Yuryev, against the Livonian Germans, and in the same year against the Lithuanians). In 1236 Yaroslav Vsevolodovich occupied the vacated Kiev throne. From that time on, sixteen-year-old Alexander became the independent ruler of Novgorod.
The beginning of his reign fell on terrible time in the history of Russia - the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars. The hordes of Batu, which fell on Russia in the winter of 1237/38, did not reach Novgorod. But most of North-Eastern Russia, its Largest cities- Vladimir, Suzdal, Ryazan and others were destroyed. Many princes died, including Alexander's uncle, the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yuri Vsevolodovich and all his sons. Alexander's father Yaroslav (1239) received the Grand Ducal throne. The disaster that occurred turned the whole course of Russian history and left an indelible imprint on the fate of the Russian people, including, of course, Alexander. Although in the first years of his reign, he did not have to directly face the conquerors.
The main threat in those years came to Novgorod from the west. From the very beginning of the 13th century, the Novgorod princes had to restrain the onslaught of the growing Lithuanian state. In 1239, Alexander built fortifications along the Sheloni River, protecting the southwestern borders of his principality from Lithuanian raids. In the same year, an important event took place in his life - Alexander married the daughter of the Polotsk prince Bryachislav, his ally in the struggle with Lithuania. (Later sources call the name of the princess Alexandra (3).) The wedding was held in Toropets, an important city on the Russian-Lithuanian border, and the second wedding feast was in Novgorod.
An even greater danger for Novgorod was the advance from the west of the German knights-crusaders from the Livonian Order of the Swordsmen (united in 1237 with the Teutonic Order), and from the north - to Sweden, which in the first half of the 13th century intensified the offensive on the lands of the Finnish tribe Eme (Tavastov), traditionally included in the sphere of influence of the Novgorod princes. One might think that the news of Batu's terrible defeat of Russia prompted the rulers of Sweden to transfer hostilities to the territory of the Novgorod land proper.
The Swedish army invaded the Novgorod borders in the summer of 1240. Their ships entered the Neva and stopped at the mouth of its tributary Izhora. Later Russian sources report that the Swedish army was led by the future famous Jarl Birger, the son-in-law of the Swedish king Eric Erikson and the long-term ruler of Sweden, but researchers are doubtful about this news. According to the chronicle, the Swedes intended “to seize Ladoga, or to put it simply, Novgorod and the entire Novgorod region”.
Battle with the Swedes on the Neva
This was the first truly serious test for the young Novgorod prince. And Alexander withstood it with honor, showing the qualities of not only a born commander, but also a statesman. It was then, upon receiving the news of the invasion, that his famous words sounded: “ God is not in power, but in truth!”
Gathering a small squad, Alexander did not wait for help from his father and set out on a campaign. On the way, he joined up with the Ladozhians and on July 15, he suddenly attacked the Swedish camp. The battle ended in complete victory for the Russians. The Novgorod Chronicle reports on huge losses on the part of the enemy: “And many of them fell; filled two ships with bodies best husbands And they let them out in front of them on the sea, and for the rest they dug a hole and threw it there without number. " The Russians, according to the same chronicle, lost only 20 people. It is possible that the losses of the Swedes are exaggerated (it is significant that there is no mention of this battle in the Swedish sources), and the losses of the Russians are understated. The synodikon of the Novgorod church of Saints Boris and Gleb in Plotniki, compiled in the 15th century, has survived, mentioning “the princely governors, and the Novgorod governors, and all our slaughtered brethren” who fell “on the Neva from the Germans under the Grand Duke Alexander Yaroslavich”; their memory was honored in Novgorod in the 15th and 16th centuries and later. Nevertheless, the significance of the Battle of the Neva is obvious: the Swedish onslaught in the direction of North-Western Russia was stopped, and Russia showed that, despite the Mongol conquest, it was able to defend its borders.
The life of Alexander highlights the feat of six "brave men" from Alexander's regiment: Gavrila Oleksich, Sbyslav Yakunovich, Yakov from Polotsk, Misha from Novgorod, Sava's warrior from the junior squad (who chopped down the golden-domed royal tent) and Ratmir, who died in the battle. The Life also tells about the miracle performed during the battle: on the opposite side of Izhora, where there were no Novgorodians at all, later found many corpses of fallen enemies, who were struck by the angel of the Lord.
This victory brought resounding glory to the twenty-year-old prince. It was in her honor that he received the honorary nickname - Nevsky.
Soon after his victorious return, Alexander fell out with the Novgorodians. In the winter of 1240/41, the prince, together with his mother, wife and “his court” (that is, the army and the princely administration) left Novgorod for Vladimir, to his father, and from there - “to reign” to Pereyaslavl. The reasons for his conflict with the Novgorodians are unclear. It can be assumed that Alexander strove imperiously, following the example of his father, to rule Novgorod, and this provoked resistance from the Novgorod boyars. However, having lost a strong prince, Novgorod could not stop the offensive of another enemy - the crusaders. In the year of the Neva victory, the knights, in alliance with the "Chud" (Estonians), captured the city of Izborsk, and then Pskov, the most important outpost on the western borders of Russia. The next year, the Germans invaded the Novgorod lands, took the city of Tesov on the Luga River and built the Koporye fortress. The Novgorodians turned to Yaroslav for help, asking him to send a son. Yaroslav first sent his son Andrey to them, younger brother Nevsky, but after a repeated request from the Novgorodians, he agreed to let Alexander go again. In 1241, Alexander Nevsky returned to Novgorod and was enthusiastically received by the residents.
Battle on the Ice
Once again, he acted decisively and without delay. In the same year, Alexander took the Koporye fortress. He took the Germans partly, and partly let them go home, while the traitors to the Estonians and the leaders were hanged. The next year, with the Novgorodians and the Suzdal squad of his brother Andrei, Alexander moved to Pskov. The city was taken without much difficulty; the Germans who were in the city were killed or sent as war booty to Novgorod. Building on this success, Russian troops entered Estonia. However, in the very first clash with the knights, Alexander's guard detachment was defeated. One of the governors, Domash Tverdislavich, was killed, many were taken prisoner, and the survivors fled to the regiment to the prince. The Russians had to retreat. On April 5, 1242, a battle took place on the ice of Lake Peipsi (“on Uzmen, near the Crow's Stone”), which went down in history as the Battle of the Ice. The Germans and Estonians, moving in a wedge (in Russian, "pig"), pierced the advance regiment of the Russians, but were then surrounded and completely defeated. “And they chased them, beating them, seven miles on the ice,” the chronicler testifies.
In assessing the losses of the German side, Russian and Western sources differ. According to the Novgorod Chronicle, countless "Chuds" and 400 (in another list of 500) German knights perished, and 50 knights were taken prisoner. “And Prince Alexander returned with a glorious victory,” says the Life of the saint, “and there were many prisoners in his army, and they led barefoot beside horses those who call themselves“ God's knights ”.” There is a story about this battle in the so-called Livonian Rhymed Chronicle of the late 13th century, but it only reports about 20 dead and 6 captured German knights, which is, apparently, a strong understatement. However, the differences with Russian sources can partly be explained by the fact that the Russians counted all the killed and wounded Germans, and the author of the Rhymed Chronicle - only the “knight brothers”, that is, the actual members of the Order.
The Battle on the Ice was of great importance for the fate of not only Novgorod, but the whole of Russia. On the ice of Lake Peipsi, the crusading aggression was stopped. Russia received peace and stability on its northwestern borders. In the same year, a peace treaty was concluded between Novgorod and the Order, according to which an exchange of prisoners took place, and all the Russian territories captured by the Germans were returned. The chronicle conveys the words of the German ambassadors, addressed to Alexander: “What we took by force without the prince Vod, Luga, Pskov, Latygola - we retreat from everything. And that they took your husbands prisoner - we are ready to exchange them: we will release yours, and you will let ours ”.
Battle with the Lithuanians
Alexander was also successful in the battles with the Lithuanians. In 1245, he inflicted a severe defeat on them in a number of battles: at Toropets, near Zizhich and near Usvyat (not far from Vitebsk). Many Lithuanian princes were killed, and others were captured. “His servants, mocking, tied them to the tails of their horses,” says the author of the Life. “And from that time they began to be afraid of his name.” So the Lithuanian raids on Russia were also stopped for a while.
Another one is known, later Alexander's campaign against the Swedes - in 1256... It was undertaken in response to a new attempt by the Swedes to invade Russia and establish a fortress on the eastern, Russian, bank of the Narova River. By that time, the fame of Alexander's victories had already spread far beyond the borders of Russia. Having learned not even about the performance of the Russian army from Novgorod, but only about the preparation for the action, the invaders "fleeing across the sea." This time Alexander sent his squads to Northern Finland, recently annexed to the Swedish crown. Despite the hardships of the winter crossing over the snow-covered desert terrain, the campaign ended successfully: “And they fought all of Pomorie: they killed some, and took others in full, and returned back to their land with a lot of fullness”.
But Alexander was not only at war with the West. Around 1251, an agreement was concluded between Novgorod and Norway on the settlement of border disputes and delimitation in collecting tribute from the vast territory inhabited by the Karelians and the Sami. At the same time, Alexander was negotiating the marriage of his son Vasily to the daughter of the Norwegian king Hakon Hakonarson. True, these negotiations were not crowned with success due to the invasion of Russia by the Tatars - the so-called “Nevruyeva rati”.
V last years life, between 1259 and 1262, Alexander, on his own behalf and on behalf of his son Dmitry (proclaimed in 1259 by the Novgorod prince) "with all Novgorodians" concluded a trade agreement with the "Gothic Coast" (Gotland), Lubeck and German cities; this treaty played an important role in the history of Russian-German relations and proved to be very durable (it was referred to even in 1420).
In the wars with Western opponents - the Germans, Swedes and Lithuanians - Alexander Nevsky's military leadership was clearly manifested. But his relationship with the Horde was completely different.
Relations with the Horde
After the death in 1246 of Father Alexander, the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, who was poisoned in the distant Karakorum, the Grand Duke's throne passed to Alexander's uncle, Prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich. However, a year later, Alexander's brother Andrei, a warlike, energetic and decisive prince, overthrew him. Subsequent events are not entirely clear. It is known that in 1247 Andrei, and after him Alexander, made a trip to the Horde, to Batu. He sent them even further, to Karakorum, the capital of the huge Mongol empire (“to the Kanovichs,” as they said in Russia). The brothers returned to Russia only in December 1249. Andrei received from the Tatars a label for the grand-princely throne in Vladimir, Alexander - Kiev and “the entire Russian land” (that is, South Russia). Formally, the status of Alexander was higher, for Kiev was still considered the main capital city of Russia. But devastated by the Tatars and depopulated, it completely lost its meaning, and therefore Alexander could hardly be satisfied the decision... Without even visiting Kiev, he immediately went to Novgorod.
Negotiations with the papal see
By the time of Alexander's trip to the Horde, his negotiations with the papal see were related. Two bulls of Pope Innocent IV, addressed to Prince Alexander and dated 1248, have survived. In them, the primate of the Roman Church offered the Russian prince an alliance to fight the Tatars - but on condition that he accepts the church union and passes under the patronage of the Roman throne.
The papal legates did not find Alexander in Novgorod. However, one can think that even before his departure (and before receiving the first papal message), the prince held some kind of negotiations with representatives of Rome. In anticipation of the upcoming trip “to the Kanovichs,” Alexander gave an evasive answer to the Pope's proposals, calculated to continue the negotiations. In particular, he agreed to the construction of a Latin church in Pskov - a kirche, which was quite common in ancient Russia (such Catholic Church- "Varangian goddess" - existed, for example, in Novgorod since the XI century). The Pope regarded the prince's consent as a willingness to go to union. But this assessment was deeply mistaken.
The prince probably received both papal messages on his return from Mongolia. By this time, he had made a choice - and not in favor of the West. Researchers believe that what he saw on the way from Vladimir to Karakorum and back made a strong impression on Alexander: he became convinced of the indestructible power of the Mongol Empire and the impossibility of ruined and weakened Russia to resist the power of the Tatar “kings”.
This is how the Life of his prince is conveyed famous response to papal messengers:
“Once ambassadors from the Pope came to him from great Rome with the following words:“ Our Pope says so: We have heard that you are a worthy and glorious prince and your land is great. Therefore, out of the twelve cardinals, two of the most skilled were sent to you ... so that you would listen to their teaching about the law of God. "
Prince Alexander, having thought with his wise men, wrote to him, thus saying: “From Adam to the flood, from the flood to the separation of tongues, from the confusion of tongues to the beginning of Abraham, from Abraham to the passage of Israel through the Red Sea, from the exodus of the sons of Israel to death King David, from the beginning of the kingdom of Solomon to August the king, from the beginning of August to Christ's Nativity, from the Nativity of Christ to the Suffering and Resurrection of the Lord, from His Resurrection to His Ascension to Heaven, from Ascension to Heaven to the kingdom of Constantine, from the beginning of the kingdom of Constantine to the first cathedral, from the first cathedral to the seventh - all that we know well, but we do not accept teachings from you“. They have returned home. "
In this response of the prince, in his unwillingness to even enter into a debate with the Latin ambassadors, it was not at all some of his religious limitations that appeared, as it might seem at first glance. It was a choice, both religious and political. Alexander was aware that the West would not be able to help Russia in liberation from the Horde yoke; the struggle with the Horde, to which the papal throne called, could be disastrous for the country. Alexander was not ready to go to union with Rome (namely, this was an indispensable condition of the proposed union). The acceptance of the union - even with the formal consent of Rome to the preservation of all Orthodox rituals in worship - in practice could only mean simple submission to the Latins, both political and spiritual at the same time. The history of the domination of the Latins in the Baltics or in Galich (where they briefly established themselves in the 10s of the XIII century) clearly proved this.
So Prince Alexander chose a different path for himself - the path of refusal of any cooperation with the West and at the same time the path of forced obedience to the Horde, acceptance of all its conditions. It was in this that he saw the only salvation both for his power over Russia - albeit limited by the recognition of Horde sovereignty - and for Russia itself.
The period of the short great reign of Andrei Yaroslavich is very poorly covered in Russian chronicles. However, it is obvious that a conflict was brewing between the brothers. Andrei - unlike Alexander - showed himself to be an enemy of the Tatars. In the winter of 1250/51, he married the daughter of the Galician prince Daniil Romanovich, a supporter of decisive resistance to the Horde. The threat of the unification of the forces of North-Eastern and South-Western Russia could not but alarm the Horde.
The denouement came in the summer of 1252. Again, we do not know exactly what happened then. According to the chronicles, Alexander went to the Horde again. During his stay there (or maybe after returning to Russia) a punitive expedition led by Nevryu was sent from the Horde against Andrey. In the battle at Pereyaslavl, the squad of Andrei and his brother Yaroslav, who supported him, was defeated. Andrei fled to Sweden. The northeastern lands of Russia were plundered and ruined, many people were killed or taken prisoner.
In the Horde
St. blgv. book Alexander Nevskiy. From the site: http://www.icon-art.ru/
The sources at our disposal are silent about any connection between Alexander's trip to the Horde and the actions of the Tatars (4). However, one can guess that Alexander's trip to the Horde was associated with changes in the khan's throne in Karakorum, where in the summer of 1251 Mengu, an ally of Batu, was proclaimed great khan. According to sources, “all the labels and seals that were issued to princes and nobles indiscriminately in the previous reign”, the new khan ordered to take away. This means that those decisions, in accordance with which Alexander's brother Andrei received a label for the great reign of Vladimir, also lost force. Unlike his brother, Alexander was extremely interested in revising these decisions and getting his hands on the great reign of Vladimir, to which he - as the eldest of the Yaroslavichi - had more rights than his younger brother.
One way or another, but in the last open military clash between the Russian princes and the Tatars in the history of the turning-point of the 13th century, Prince Alexander ended up - perhaps through no fault of his own - in the Tatars' camp. It was from this time that we can definitely talk about the special “Tatar policy” of Alexander Nevsky - the policy of appeasing the Tatars and unquestioning obedience to them. His subsequent frequent trips to the Horde (1257, 1258, 1262) were aimed at preventing new invasions of Russia. The prince strove to regularly pay a huge tribute to the conquerors and not allow any uprisings against them in Russia itself. Historians have different assessments of Alexander's Horde policy. Some see it as a simple servility before a ruthless and invincible enemy, a desire by any means to keep power over Russia in their hands; others, on the contrary, consider it the most important merit of the prince. “Two exploits of Alexander Nevsky - a feat of battle in the West and a feat of humility in the East, - wrote the prominent historian of the Russian Diaspora GV Vernadsky, - had one goal: the preservation of Orthodoxy as a moral and political force of the Russian people. This goal was achieved: the growth of the Russian Orthodox kingdom took place on the soil prepared by Alexander. " A close assessment of the policy of Alexander Nevsky was also given by the Soviet researcher of medieval Russia, VT Pashuto: “With his cautious, prudent policy, he saved Russia from the final ruin of the nomads' armies. Armed struggle, trade policy, electoral diplomacy, he avoided new wars in the North and West, a possible, but disastrous for Russia, alliance with the papacy and rapprochement of the curia and crusaders with the Horde. He gained time, allowing Russia to grow stronger and recover from the terrible devastation. "
Be that as it may, it is indisputable that the policy of Alexander for a long time determined the relationship between Russia and the Horde, largely determined the choice of Russia between East and West. Subsequently, this policy of appeasing the Horde (or, if you like, currying favor with the Horde) will be continued by the Moscow princes - the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Alexander Nevsky. But the historical paradox - or rather, the historical pattern - lies in the fact that it is they, the heirs of the Horde policy of Alexander Nevsky, who will be able to revive the power of Russia and eventually throw off the hated Horde yoke.
The prince erected churches, rebuilt cities
... In the same 1252, Alexander returned from the Horde to Vladimir with the label of the great reign and was solemnly seated on the grand throne. After the terrible devastation of Nevryuev, he first of all had to take care of the restoration of the destroyed Vladimir and other Russian cities. The prince "erected churches, rebuilt cities, gathered people who were dispersed into their homes," the author of the prince's Life testifies. The prince showed special care in relation to the Church, decorating churches with books and utensils, granting them rich gifts and land.
Novgorod unrest
Novgorod caused a lot of troubles for Alexander. In 1255, the Novgorodians expelled the son of Alexander Vasily and put Prince Yaroslav Yaroslavich, brother of Nevsky, on the reign. Alexander approached the city with his retinue. However, bloodshed was avoided: as a result of negotiations, a compromise was reached, and the Novgorodians obeyed.
New unrest in Novgorod occurred in 1257. It was caused by the appearance in Russia of the Tatar “census” - census takers, who were sent from the Horde for a more accurate taxation of the population with tribute. The Russian people of that time treated the census with mystical horror, seeing in it the sign of the Antichrist - a harbinger of the last times and the Last Judgment. In the winter of 1257, the Tatar “census” “numbered all the land of Suzdal, Ryazan, and Murom, and appointed foremen, and thousanders, and temniks," the chronicler wrote. From the “number”, that is, from tribute, only the clergy - “church people” were exempted (the Mongols invariably freed servants of God from tribute in all the countries they conquered, regardless of religion, so that they could freely turn to various gods with words of prayer for their conquerors).
In Novgorod, which was not directly affected by either Batu's invasion or Nevryuev's army, the news of the census was greeted with particular bitterness. The riots in the city continued for a whole year. Even the son of Alexander, Prince Vasily, was on the side of the townspeople. When his father appeared, accompanying the Tatars, he fled to Pskov. This time the Novgorodians avoided the census, limiting themselves to paying a rich tribute to the Tatars. But their refusal to fulfill the Horde's will provoked the wrath of the Grand Duke. Vasily was exiled to Suzdal, the instigators of the riots were severely punished: some, by order of Alexander, were executed, others "cut off" their nose, others were blinded. It was only in the winter of 1259 that the Novgorodians finally agreed to "give the number." Nevertheless, the appearance of Tatar officials provoked a new revolt in the city. Only with the personal participation of Alexander and under the protection of the princely squad was the census carried out. “And the damned began to travel through the streets, rewriting Christian houses,” says the Novgorod chronicler. After the end of the census and the departure of the Tatars, Alexander left Novgorod, leaving his young son Dmitry as a prince.
In 1262 Alexander made peace with the Lithuanian prince Mindovg. In the same year, he sent a large army under the nominal command of his son Dmitry against the Livonian Order. This campaign was attended by the squads of Alexander Nevsky's younger brother Yaroslav (with whom he managed to reconcile), as well as his new ally, the Lithuanian prince Tovtivila, who settled in Polotsk. The campaign ended with a major victory - the city of Yuryev (Tartu) was taken.
At the end of the same 1262, Alexander went to the Horde for the fourth (and last) time. “There was great violence from the infidels in those days,” says the prince’s Life, “they persecuted Christians, forcing them to fight on their side. The great prince Alexander went to the king (the Horde khan Berke. - A. K.) to pray to his people to pray for this misfortune. " Probably, the prince also sought to rid Russia of a new punitive expedition of the Tatars: in the same 1262, a popular uprising broke out in a number of Russian cities (Rostov, Suzdal, Yaroslavl) against the atrocities of the collectors of Tatar tribute.
The last days of Alexander
Alexander, obviously, managed to achieve his goals. However, Khan Berke detained him for almost a year. Only in the fall of 1263, already sick, did Alexander return to Russia. Reaching Nizhny Novgorod, the prince fell completely ill. In Gorodets on the Volga, already feeling the approach of death, Alexander took monastic vows (according to later sources, with the name of Alexei) and died on November 14. His body was transported to Vladimir and on November 23 was buried in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Vladimir Rozhdestvensky monastery with a huge crowd of people. The words with which Metropolitan Kirill announced to the people about the death of the Grand Duke are known: “My children, know that the sun of the land of Suzdal has already set!” The Novgorod chronicler put it differently - and perhaps more accurately: Prince Alexander “worked for Novgorod and for the entire Russian land”.
Church veneration
The church veneration of the holy prince began, apparently, immediately after his death. The Life tells about a miracle that happened at the very burial: when the prince's body was placed in the tomb and Metropolitan Kirill, as usual, wanted to put a spiritual letter in his hand, people saw how the prince, “as if alive, stretched out his hand and received the letter from his hand Metropolitan ... Thus God glorified his saint. "
A few decades after the death of the prince, his Life was compiled, which was subsequently repeatedly subjected to various alterations, revisions and additions (there are up to twenty editions of the Life dating back to the 13th-19th centuries). The official canonization of the prince by the Russian Church took place in 1547, at a church council convened by Metropolitan Macarius and Tsar Ivan the Terrible, when many new Russian miracle workers, previously venerated only locally, were canonized. The Church equally glorifies the military valor of the prince, “she is conquered in battle, but always conquers”, and his feat of meekness, patience “more than courage” and “invincible humility” (according to the outwardly paradoxical expression of Akathist).
If we turn to the subsequent centuries of Russian history, then we will see a kind of second, posthumous biography of the prince, whose invisible presence is clearly felt in many events - and above all at the turning point, the most dramatic moments in the life of the country. The first acquisition of his relics took place in the year of the great Kulikovo victory won by the great-grandson of Alexander Nevsky, the great Moscow prince Dmitry Donskoy in 1380. In miraculous visions, Prince Alexander Yaroslavich appears as a direct participant in both the Battle of Kulikovo itself and the Battle of Molodya in 1572, when the troops of Prince Mikhail Ivanovich Vorotynsky defeated the Crimean Khan Devlet-Girey just 45 kilometers from Moscow. The image of Alexander Nevsky is seen over Vladimir in 1491, a year after the final overthrow of the Horde yoke. In 1552, during a campaign against Kazan, which led to the conquest of the Kazan Khanate, Tsar Ivan the Terrible performs a prayer service at the tomb of Alexander Nevsky, and during this prayer service a miracle occurs, regarded by everyone as a sign of the coming victory. The relics of the holy prince, which remained until 1723 in the Vladimir Nativity monastery, exuded numerous miracles, information about which was carefully recorded by the monastic authorities.
A new page in the veneration of the saint and faithful Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky began in the 18th century, under the emperor Peter the Great... The winner of the Swedes and the founder of St. Petersburg, which became a "window to Europe" for Russia, Peter saw in Prince Alexander his immediate predecessor in the struggle against Swedish rule in the Baltic Sea and hastened to transfer the city he founded on the banks of the Neva to his heavenly patronage. Back in 1710, Peter ordered to include the name of St. Alexander Nevsky as a prayer representative for the "Nevskaya Strana" in the service dispensations. In the same year, he personally chose a place to build a monastery in the name of the Holy Trinity and St. Alexander Nevsky - the future Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Peter wanted to transfer here from Vladimir the relics of the holy prince. The wars with the Swedes and Turks slowed down the fulfillment of this desire, and only in 1723 they began to fulfill it. On August 11, with all appropriate solemnity, the holy relics were carried out of the Nativity monastery; the procession went to Moscow and then to St. Petersburg; everywhere she was accompanied by prayers and crowds of believers. According to Peter's plan, the holy relics were supposed to be brought into the new capital of Russia on August 30 - on the day of the conclusion of the Nystadt peace with the Swedes (1721). However, the range of the path did not allow this plan to be implemented, and the relics arrived in Shlisselburg only on October 1. By order of the emperor, they were left in the Shlisselburg Church of the Annunciation, and their transfer to St. Petersburg was postponed until next year.
The meeting of the shrine in St. Petersburg on August 30, 1724 was distinguished by special solemnity. According to legend, on the last stretch of the journey (from the mouth of Izhora to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery), Peter personally ruled a galley with a precious cargo, and behind the oars were his closest associates, the first dignitaries of the state. At the same time, an annual celebration of the memory of the holy prince was established on the day of the transfer of the relics on August 30.
Today, the Church celebrates the memory of the saint and faithful Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky twice a year: on November 23 (December 6 in the new style) and August 30 (September 12).
Days of celebration of St. Alexander Nevsky:
May 23 (June 5 new.Art.) - Cathedral of the Rostov-Yaroslavl Saints
August 30 (September 12, new. Art.) - the day of the transfer of the relics to St. Petersburg (1724) - the main
November 14 (November 27 new.Art.) - the day of death in Gorodets (1263) - canceled
November 23 (December 6 according to new Art.) - the day of burial in Vladimir, in the schema of Alexy (1263)
Myths about Alexander Nevsky
1. The battles for which Prince Alexander became famous were so insignificant that they are not even mentioned in Western chronicles.
Not true! This idea was born out of sheer ignorance. The battle on Lake Peipsi is reflected in German sources, in particular, in the "Elder Livonian Rhymed Chronicle". Based on it, some historians talk about the insignificant scale of the battle, because the Chronicle reports the death of only twenty knights. But here it is important to understand that we are talking about the "knight brothers" who performed the role of the highest commanders. Nothing is said about the death of their warriors and the representatives of the Baltic tribes recruited into the army, who formed the backbone of the army.
As for the Battle of the Neva, it did not find any reflection in the Swedish chronicles. But, according to Igor Shaskolsky, a prominent Russian specialist in the history of the Baltic region in the Middle Ages, “... this should not be surprising. In medieval Sweden until the beginning of the XIV century, there were no major narrative works on the history of the country such as Russian chronicles and large Western European chronicles ”. In other words, the Swedes have no place to look for traces of the Battle of the Neva.
2. The West did not pose a threat to Russia at that time, unlike the Horde, which Prince Alexander used exclusively to strengthen his personal power.
Wrong again! It is unlikely that in the 13th century one can speak of a “united West”. Perhaps it would be more correct to talk about the world of Catholicism, but as a whole it was very motley, heterogeneous and fragmented. It was not the "West" that really threatened Russia, but the Teutonic and Livonian orders, as well as the Swedish conquerors. And for some reason they smashed them on Russian territory, and not at home in Germany or Sweden, and, therefore, the threat posed by them was quite real.
As for the Horde, there is a source (Ustyug Chronicle), which makes it possible to assume the organizing role of Prince Alexander Yaroslavich in the anti-Horde uprising.
3. Prince Alexander did not defend Russia and the Orthodox faith, he simply fought for power and used the Horde to physically eliminate his own brother.
This is just speculation. Prince Alexander Yaroslavich primarily defended what he inherited from his father and grandfather. In other words, with great skill he performed the task of a guardian, a keeper. As for the death of his brother, it is necessary, before such verdicts, to study the question of how he, in recklessness and youth, put the Russian army uselessly and in what way he generally acquired power. This will show: not so much Prince Alexander Yaroslavich was his destroyer, as he himself claimed the role of an early destroyer of Russia ...
4. Turning to the east, not to the west, Prince Alexander laid the foundations for the future revelry of despotism in the country. His contacts with the Mongols made Russia an Asian power.
This is already completely groundless journalism. All Russian princes were then in contact with the Horde. After 1240, they had a choice: to die on their own and subject Russia to another ruin, or to survive and prepare the country for new battles and, ultimately, for liberation. Someone rushed headlong into battle, but 90 percent of our princes of the second half of the 13th century chose a different path. And here Alexander Nevsky is no different from our other sovereigns of that period.
As for the "Asian power", here today they really sound different points vision. But as a historian, I believe that Russia has never become it. It was not and is not part of Europe or Asia, or something like a mixture, where European and Asian take on different proportions depending on the circumstances. Russia is a cultural and political essence that is sharply different from both Europe and Asia. In the same way, Orthodoxy is neither Catholicism, nor Islam, nor Buddhism, nor any other confession.
Metropolitan Kirill about Alexander Nevsky - named after Russia
On October 5, 2008, in a television program dedicated to Alexander Nevsky, Metropolitan Kirill made a fiery 10-minute speech in which he tried to reveal this image so that it would become available to a wide audience. The Metropolitan began with questions: p Why can a faithful prince from the distant past, from the XIII century, become the name of Russia? What do we know about him? Answering these questions, the Metropolitan compares Alexander Nevsky with the other twelve applicants: “You need to know history very well and you need to feel history in order to understand the modernity of this person ... I carefully looked at the names of everyone. Each of the candidates is a representative of his own shop: a politician, scientist, writer, poet, economist ... Alexander Nevsky was not a representative of the shop, because he was at the same time the greatest strategist ... a man who sensed not political, but civilizational dangers for Russia. He fought not with specific enemies, not with the East or the West. He fought for national identity, for national self-understanding. Without him there would be no Russia, no Russians, no our civilizational code. "
According to Metropolitan Kirill, Alexander Nevsky was a politician and defended Russia with "very subtle and courageous diplomacy." He understood that it was impossible at that moment to defeat the Horde, which “ironed Russia twice”, captured Slovakia, Croatia, Hungary, entered the Adriatic Sea, invaded China. “Why doesn't he raise the fight against the Horde? - asks the metropolitan. - Yes, the Horde captured Russia. But the Tatar-Mongols did not need our soul and did not need our brains. The Tatar-Mongols needed our pockets, and they turned out these pockets, but did not encroach on our national identity. They were not able to transcend our civilization code. But when a danger arose from the West, when the Teutonic knights clad in armor went to Russia - there was no compromise. When the Pope writes a letter to Alexander, trying to take him to his side ... Alexander replies “no”. He sees a civilizational danger, he meets these armored knights on Lake Peipsi and breaks them, just as he miraculously breaks with a small squad of Swedish soldiers who entered the Neva. "
Alexander Nevsky, according to the metropolitan, gives "superstructure values", allowing the Mongols to collect tribute from Russia: “He understands that this is not scary. Mighty Russia will get all this money back. It is necessary to preserve the soul, national identity, national will, and it is necessary to give an opportunity for what our remarkable historiosophist Lev Nikolayevich Gumilyov called “ethnogenesis”. Everything is destroyed, you have to accumulate strength. And if it had not accumulated forces, if it had not pacified the Horde, if it had not stopped the Livonian invasion, where would Russia be? She wouldn't exist. "
According to Metropolitan Kirill, following Gumilyov, Alexander Nevsky was the creator of the multinational and multi-confessional “Russian world” that exists to this day. It was he who “tore the Golden Horde away from the Great Steppe” *. With his cunning political move, he “persuaded Batu not to pay tribute to the Mongols. And the Great Steppe, this center of aggression against the whole world, was isolated from Russia by the Golden Horde, which began to be drawn into the area of Russian civilization. These are the first vaccinations of our union with the Tatar people, with the Mongol tribes. These are the first vaccinations of our multinationality and multi-religiousness. This is how it all started. He laid the foundation for such a world of our people, which determined the further development of Russia as Russia, as a great state. "
Alexander Nevsky, according to Metropolitan Kirill, is a collective image: he is a ruler, thinker, philosopher, strategist, warrior, hero. Personal courage is combined in him with deep religiosity: “At a critical moment, when the power and strength of the commander should be shown, he enters into single combat and stabs Birger in the face with a spear ... And how did it all start? He prayed at St. Sophia in Novgorod. Nightmare, hordes many times greater. What is the resistance? Goes out and addresses his people. With what words? God is not in power, but in truth ... Can you imagine what words? What a power! ”
Metropolitan Kirill calls Alexander Nevsky “an epic hero”: “He was 20 years old when he defeated the Swedes, 22 years old when he drowned the Livonians on Lake Peipsi ... A young, handsome guy! .. Brave ... strong.” Even his appearance is “the face of Russia”. But the most important thing is that, being a politician, strategist, military leader, Alexander Nevsky became a saint. “Oh my God! - exclaims Metropolitan Kirill. - If in Russia there were saints rulers after Alexander Nevsky, what would our history be! This is a collective image as much as there can be a collective image ... This is our hope, because even today we need what Alexander Nevsky did ... We will give our not only our votes, but also our hearts to the holy noble Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky - the savior and organizer of Russia ! ”
(From the book of Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev) "Patriarch Kirill: Life and Worldview")
Vladyka Metropolitan Kirill's answers to questions from viewers of the "Name of Russia" project about Alexander Nevsky
Wikipedia calls Alexander Nevsky "the beloved prince of the clergy." Do you share this assessment and, if so, what is the reason for it? Semyon Borzenko
Dear Semyon, it's hard for me to say what exactly the authors of the free encyclopedia "Wikipedia" were guided by, calling St. Alexander Nevsky. Perhaps, because the prince was canonized and is venerated in the Orthodox Church, solemn services are performed in his honor. However, other holy princes are also venerated by the Church, for example, Demetrius Donskoy and Daniel of Moscow, and it would be wrong to single out “beloved” from them. I believe that such a naming could also have been adopted by the prince because during his lifetime he favored and patronized the Church.
Unfortunately, the pace of my life and the volume of work allow me to use the Internet exclusively for business purposes. I regularly visit, say, informational sites, but I have absolutely no time left to view those sites that would be personally interesting to me. Therefore, I could not take part in the voting on the site "Name of Russia", but supported Alexander Nevsky by voting by phone.
He defeated the descendants of Rurik (1241), fought for power in civil wars, took part, betrayed his brother to the pagans (1252), gouged out the eyes of Novgorodians with his own hands (1257). Is the Russian Orthodox Church ready to canonize Satan to maintain the schism in the churches? Ivan Nezabudko
Speaking about certain acts of Alexander Nevsky, it is necessary to take into account many different factors. This and historical era, where St. Alexander - then many actions that seem strange to us today were completely business as usual... This is the political situation in the state - remember that at that time the country was experiencing a serious threat from the Tatar-Mongols, and St. Alexander did his best to minimize this threat. As for the facts you cite from the life of St. Alexander Nevsky, historians still cannot confirm or deny many of them, let alone give them an unambiguous assessment.
For example, there are many ambiguities in the relationship between Alexander Nevsky and his brother Prince Andrey. There is a point of view according to which Alexander complained to the khan about his brother and asked to send an armed detachment in order to deal with him. However, this fact is not mentioned in any ancient source. The first time this was reported only by VN Tatishchev in his "History of Russia", and there is every reason to believe that the author was carried away by historical reconstruction here - he "thought out" something that actually did not exist. In particular, N.M. Karamzin thought so: “According to Tatishchev’s invention, Alexander informed Khan that his younger brother Andrey, having appropriated the Great Duke for himself, was deceiving the Mughals, giving them only a part of the tribute, and so on.” (Karamzin N.M. History of the Russian state. M., 1992. Vol. 4. P. 201. Approx. 88).
Many historians today tend to adhere to a point of view different from Tatishchev's. Andrei, as you know, pursued a policy independent of Batu, relying on the Khan's rivals. As soon as Batu took power into his own hands, he immediately dealt with his opponents, sending detachments not only to Andrei Yaroslavich, but also to Daniil Romanovich.
I am not aware of a single fact that could at least indirectly testify to the fact that the veneration of St. Alexander Nevsky is a pretext for a schism in the Church. In 1547, the noble prince was canonized, and his memory is sacredly honored not only in the Russian, but also in many other Local Orthodox churches.
Finally, let's not forget that when deciding on the canonization of a person, the Church takes into account such factors as the prayerful veneration of the people and the miracles performed through these prayers. Both that, and another in the multitude took place in connection with Alexander Nevsky. As for the mistakes made by such a person in life, or even his sins, it must be remembered that "a person is not, who will live and will not sin." Sins are expiated by repentance and sorrow. Both that and especially the other were present in the life of the faithful prince, as was also present in the life of such sinners who became saints, like Mary of Egypt, Moses Murin and many others.
I am sure that if you carefully and thoughtfully read the life of St. Alexander Nevsky, you will understand why he was canonized.
How does the Russian Orthodox Church feel about the fact that Prince Alexander Nevsky handed over his brother Andrei to the Tatars for reprisal and threatened his son Vasily with war? Or is it as canonical as the consecration of warheads? Alexey Karakovsky
Alexey, in the first part your question echoes the question of Ivan Nezabudko. As for the "consecration of warheads", I am not aware of any such case. The Church has always blessed her children to defend the Fatherland, guided by the Savior's commandment. It is for these reasons that since ancient times there has been a rite of consecration of weapons. During each Liturgy, we pray for the army of our country, realizing how heavy the responsibility lies on the people who, with arms in their hands, are guarding the security of the Fatherland.
Is it not so, Vladyka, that in choosing Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky we will choose a myth, a cinematic image, a legend?
I’m sure not. Alexander Nevsky is a completely concrete historical personality, a man who has done a lot for our Fatherland and laid the foundations of the very existence of Russia for a long time. Historical sources allow us to know quite definitely about his life and work. Of course, during the time that has passed since the death of the saint, human rumor has brought into his image a certain element of legend, which once again testifies to the deep veneration that the Russian people have always accorded the prince, but I am convinced that this shade of legend cannot serve as an obstacle to that. so that we today perceive Saint Alexander as a real historical character.
Dear Vladyka. What, in your opinion, the qualities of the Russian hero, St. Alexander Nevsky, could the current Russian government draw attention to, and, if possible, adopt them? What principles of state governance are still relevant to this day? Victor Zorin
Victor, Saint Alexander Nevsky belongs not only to his time. His image is relevant for Russia today, in the 21st century. The most important quality, which, as it seems to me, should be inherent in power at all times, is boundless love for the Fatherland and its people. The entire political activity of Alexander Nevsky was determined precisely by this strong and sublime feeling.
Dear Vladyka, tell me if Alexander Nevsky is close to the souls of the people of today's modern Russia, and not just Ancient Russia. Especially nations professing Islam and not Orthodoxy? Sergey Krainov
Sergei, I am sure that the image of St. Alexander Nevsky is close to Russia at all times. Despite the fact that the prince lived several centuries ago, his life, his activities are relevant to us today. Do such qualities as love for the Motherland, for God, for one's neighbor, as the willingness to lay down one's life for the peace and well-being of the Motherland have a statute of limitations? Can they be inherent only in Orthodox Christians and be alien to Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, who have lived peacefully for a long time, side by side in multinational and multi-confessional Russia - a country that has never known wars on religious grounds?
As for the Muslims themselves, I will give you just one example that speaks for itself - in the program "The Name of Russia", shown on November 9, there was an interview with a Muslim leader who spoke in support of Alexander Nevsky because it was the holy prince who laid the foundations for the dialogue east and west, Christianity and Islam. The name of Alexander Nevsky is equally dear to all people living in our country, regardless of their nationality or religious affiliation.
Why did you decide to take part in the "Name of Russia" project and act as a "lawyer" for Alexander Nevsky? In your opinion, why do most people today choose the name of Russia not for a politician, scientist or cultural figure, but a saint? Vika Ostroverkhova
Vika, several circumstances prompted me to participate in the project as a “defender” of Alexander Nevsky.
First, I am convinced that it is Saint Alexander Nevsky who should become the name of Russia. In my speeches, I have repeatedly argued my position. Who, if not a saint, can and should be called "the name of Russia"? Holiness is a timeless concept that extends into eternity. If our people choose a saint as their national hero, this testifies to the spiritual rebirth taking place in the minds of people. This is especially important today.
Secondly, this saint is very close to me. My childhood and youth were spent in St. Petersburg, where the relics of St. Alexander Nevsky rest. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to often resort to this shrine, to pray to the holy prince at his place of rest. While studying at the Leningrad Theological Schools, which are located in the immediate vicinity of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, all of us, then students, clearly felt the blessed help that Alexander Nevsky provided to those who, with faith and trust, called on him in their prayers. At the relics of the holy prince, I received the ordination in all degrees of the priesthood. Therefore, I have deeply personal experiences associated with the name of Alexander Nevsky.
Dear Vladyka! The project is called "The Name of Russia". For the first time, the word Russia was spoken almost 300 years after the dormition of the prince! Under Ivan the Terrible. And Alexander Yaroslavich only reigned in one of the fragments of Kievan Rus - an upgraded version of Great Scythia. So what does St. Alexander Nevsky have to do with Russia?
The most direct. In your question, you are raising a fundamentally important topic. Who do we consider ourselves today? The heirs of what culture? The bearers of which civilization? From what point in history should we count our existence? Is it really only since the reign of Ivan the Terrible? A lot depends on the answer to these questions. We have no right to be Ivanov who do not remember their kinship. The history of Russia begins long before Ivan the Terrible, and it is enough to open a school history textbook in order to be convinced of this.
Please tell us about the posthumous miracles of Alexander Nevsky from the moment of his death to the present day. Anisina natalya
Natalia, there are a great many such miracles. You can read more about them in the life of the saint, as well as in many books dedicated to Alexander Nevsky. Moreover, I am sure that every person who sincerely, with deep faith invoked the holy prince in his prayers, had his own little miracle in his life.
Dear Vladyka! Is the ROC not considering the canonization of other Princes, such as Ivan IV the Terrible and JV Stalin? After all, they were autocrats who increased the power of the state. Alexey Pechkin
Alexey, many princes besides Alexander Nevsky are canonized. When deciding on the canonization of a particular person, the Church takes into account many factors, and achievements in the political arena play here by no means a decisive role. The Russian Orthodox Church does not consider the question of the canonization of Ivan the Terrible or Stalin, who, although they did a lot for the state, did not display qualities in their lives that could testify to their holiness.
Prayer to the Holy Blessed Great Great Prince Alexander Nevsky
(in schemonasekh to Alexy)
An early helper of all those who are earnestly running towards you, and our warm greetings to the Lord's proponent, holy faithful Grand Duke Alexandre! Seemingly mercifully unworthy of us, who have created many iniquities for themselves, who now come to your relics and cry out from the depths of your soul: in your life you are a zealot and defender of the Orthodox faith you were, and your Gods are invincible to us in her. You have carefully passed the great service entrusted to you, and with your help, take someone, you are called to be, instruct us. You, having defeated the regiments of supostats, drove you away from the limits of the Russians, and put down all visible and invisible enemies against us. You, having left the perishable crown of the earthly kingdom, have chosen a silent life, and now, rightly crowned with an incorruptible crown, reigning in heaven, come to us, we humbly pray thee, a quiet and serene life, and the eternal procession of God. Standing with all the saints in the prayer of God, pray for all Orthodox Christians, may the Lord God preserve them by His grace in peace, health, long life and all prosperity in the due summer, may we praise and bless God in the Holy Father and the Holy Father. Holy Spirit, now and in order and forever and ever. Amen.
Troparion, Voice 4:
Get to know your brethren, Russian Joseph, not in Egypt, but reigning in heaven, faithful to Prince Alexandra, and accept their prayers, multiplying the life of people with the fruitfulness of your land, protecting the cities of your dominion with prayer, with Orthodox people fighting to resist.
In troparion, Glas the same:
As for the pious root, the most honorable branch was you, blessed Alexandra, for Christ as a kind of Divine treasure of the Russian land, the new wonder-worker is glorious and God-favorable. And today, having come together in your memory, by faith and love, in psalms and songs we joyfully praise the Lord, who gave you the grace of healings. Himself pray to save this city, and to the country of our God-pleasing existence, and to be saved as a Russian son.
Kontakion, Voice 8:
As if we honor the bright star that shone from the east, and came to the west, enrich this whole country with miracles and kindness, and enlighten with faith honoring your memory, blessed Alexandra. For this, for the sake of this day we celebrate yours, your people in existence, pray to save your Fatherland, and everything that flows to the race of your relics, and truly crying to you: Rejoice, our hail affirmation.
Ying kondak, Voice 4:
Like your relatives, Boris and Gleb, appearing to you from Heaven to help you ascetic to Veilger Sveiskago and fighting him: so you now, blessed Alexandra, come to the aid of your relatives, and overcome the struggling us.
Icons of the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky
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