April 18, 2016

Alexander Nevsky: Russia's Hero


Alexander Nevsky: Russia's Hero

In 2008 a public poll chose Alexander Nevsky as Russia’s most notable personality. If you’ve never heard of him – don’t worry! You’re not alone, and you’ve come to the right place. In honor of his 795th birthday,* allow us to offer a short introduction.

It was the spring of ’42. The Germans were advancing into Russia from the West, apparently unstoppable, threatening the very existence of the free Russian state. But under the courageous leadership of one man, the Russians earned a decisive victory and eliminated the German threat.

No, we’re not talking about Stalingrad. Turns out, the twentieth century wasn’t the only one where Russia faced a German invasion. The decisive victory in question actually occurred in the thirteenth century, on April 5, 1242, and the courageous leader was none other than Alexander Nevsky.

The Novgorod Chronicle says of Alexander that his "beauty was like that of Joseph, his strength was like part of Samson's, and his voice reached the people like a trumpet." Might come with being a prince, though.

Unlike Minin and Pozharsky, heroes from a few centuries later, Nevsky was no commoner. He was, in fact, a prince (knyaz), from a long line of rulers. At the age of 7 he was already nominally ruling Novgorod with his brother. By age 15 he was ruling all by himself, even independent of his father, Yaroslav.

And it was a tricky time to be a ruler. The “Germans” of the thirteenth century were Teutonic knights, ordered by the pope to embark on a crusade toward Finland and maybe crush Russia along the way. Meanwhile, the Mongolian Golden Horde was expanding into Russian territory, crushing armies and demanding tribute. Caught between two (three, if you count a vaguely-threatening Lithuania) fires, throughout his life Nevsky made the choice to buy off the Mongols but fight all the Catholics head-on.

Despite the Teutonic invasion, the people of Novgorod – who considered themselves a republic and retained the right to “fire” princes – kicked Nevsky out of the city in late 1240, just as the Germans took the nearby city of Pskov and the Izborsk fortress. Whatever the Novgorod people were thinking, they soon realized their mistake, as the Germans kept advancing. With the enemy just 30 versts away, the people wrote to Yaroslav and asked to have Alexander back. No other son would do, they said.

This time around, Nevsky delivered. He had already led a successful raid on the knights’ Swedish allies on the Neva river (hence Alexander's surname) in July 1240. Upon his return to Novgorod, he immediately cleared the area of German forces, then pursued them toward their Baltic lands. On April 5, 1242, Nevsky retreated onto the thick ice of Chudskoye Lake (Lake Peipus), on the modern-day border with Estonia, and the knights made the mistake of following him. After suffering defeat on the ice, the knights and their allies left Russia alone for at least a century.

Nikolay Cherkasov as Nevsky in Sergei Eisenstein's epic film Alexander Nevsky. Possible origin of the myth that the knights were so heavy they fell through the ice.
Watch a subtitled clip of the Battle or the entire film (Russian only).

Long story short, Russia’s most notable historical figure eliminated a major foreign threat to his country at the age of 21. What did you accomplish by that age?

 

* In fact, based on information on his older brother and the saint he was named after, Nevsky was most likely born May 13, 1221. This date is about one year off from the traditional guess, which placed his birthday on May 30, 1220. (Russian source [x])

 

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

You Might Also Like

Alexander Nevsky
  • November 15, 2000

Alexander Nevsky

Controversial actions of the Russian leader during the Mongol domination of the 13th century.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955