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Entries / Neva Battle (1240)

Neva Battle (1240)


Categories / Army. Navy

NEVA BATTLE (1240) is the name for the battle between Swedish forces and Russian retinue on the Neva River on 15 July 1240. The Swedes tried to capture the mouth of the Neva, Great Novgorod and Russia's only access to the Baltic Sea. The Swedish Army was probably headed by Jarl (Earl) Ulf Fassi (in some sources, Birger, who became a Jarl in 1248, is mentioned). Having entered the Neva, the Swedes camped on the Izhora River's right bank, at the confluence of the Izhora River and the Neva River. The Head of of Izhorskaya Land Pelgusy saw them and informed the Novgorodians. Prince Alexander Yaroslavich secretly approached the Swedish camp with his retinue. It was very misty, and, taking the opportunity, the Russians attacked the Swedes at 11:00, cutting them off from their ships and simultaneously invading the centre of their camp. Only a small part of the Swedish force managed to reach their ships and survive. The Russian success at the Neva Battle was the first blow to the coalition of crusaders attacking Russian lands, and in many respects it prepared Russia for its victory during the German-Danish expansion in 1242, enabling Great Novgorod to maintain access to the Baltic. Prince Alexander was called Nevsky in the 16th century for his courage and military skill. In memory of the Neva Battle, Tsar Peter the Great founded the Alexander Nevsky Monastery in 1710 at the mouth of the Chernaya River (at that time it was mistakenly thought that the battle took place there). In the honour of the victory, a church dedicated to Alexander Nevsky was built in Ust-Izhora; in 1956, a memorial stele was erected there.

Reference: Шаскольский И. П. Борьба Руси против крестоносной агрессии на берегах Балтики в XII-XIII вв. Л., 1978; Князь Александр Невский и его эпоха: Исслед. и материалы. СПб., 1995.

A. I. Razdorsky.

Persons
Alexander Nevsky, Duke
Birger, Jarl
Peter I, Emperor
Ulf Fassi

Bibliographies
Шаскольский И. П. Борьба Руси против крестоносной агрессии на берегах Балтики в XII-XIII вв. Л., 1978
Князь Александр Невский и его эпоха: Исслед. и материалы. СПб., 1995

The subject Index
Alexander Nevsky Lavra
St. Alexander Nevsky Church in Ust-Izhora


Alexander Nevsky Lavra

ALEXANDER NEVSKY LAVRA, located at 1 Alexander Nevsky Square. The monastery dedicated to the Holy Trinity and St. Alexander Nevsky. It was founded in 1710 by Tsar Peter the Great at the confluence of the Chernaya River (today the Monastyrka River)

Alexander Nevsky, Prince (1220 or 1221-1263)

ALEXANDER NEVSKY (1220 or 1221-63), Prince of Novgorod (1236-51, not continously), of Tver (1247-52), Grand Prince of Kiev (1249-52) and Vladimir (1252-63), from the Rurikid Dynasty (11th generation), son of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich

City Archaeology

CITY ARCHAEOLOGY. A branch of archaeological research, developed in St. Petersburg (Leningrad) from the middle of the 20th century. Archaeological research in the city started with archaeological excavations conducted in 1952 by archaeologist A.D

Izhora, river

IZHORA, also known as Inger river, a tributary to the Neva. The river draws its water through the Izhora Hills from a spring near Skvoritsa village of Gatchinsky District

Kolpinsky District

KOLPINSKY DISTRICT, an administrative and territorial unit of Saint Petersburg (with the territorial administration situated in Kolpino, at 1 Uritskogo Street). The name derives from the town of Kolpino which is the centre of the district

St. Alexander Nevsky Church in Ust-Izhora

ST. ALEXANDER NEVSKY CHURCH IN UST-IZHORA, the church dedicated to St. Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, located at Ust-Izhora, 217 Ninth of January Avenue. A memorial church erected on the left bank of the Izhora River at the confluence of the

Swedes

SWEDES, an ethnic community forming a part of the St. Petersburg population. Believers practice Lutheranism. The Swedes attempted to take control of the Neva Region from the 13th century onwards (see the Battle of the Neva 1240, Landskrona)

The Monument to Alexander Nevsky

This outstanding commander of the Ancient Rus, the greatest military leader of that time, the Grand Prince of Novgorod and Vladimir and his small army and Ladoga militia defeated the Swedish forces on July 15 (21), 1240

The Saint Sophia Cathedral

The cathedral was built in commemoration of our victories in the Russo-Turkish wars. The foundation stone of the cathedral was laid in the presence of Catherine II on July 30, 1782. The consecration took place on May 20, 1788

Ust-Izhora, settlement

UST-IZHORA, an urban settlement (1938), within the Kolpinsky District (1952), on the left bank of the Neva River, where it meets the Izhora River (hence the name)