Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich lived a short time (1220-1263), but a bright life. During his reign, he conducted at least 12 military operations and battles, including the Battle of the Neva and the Battle of the Ice. He had to fight with the Germans, Swedes and Lithuanians. And in all these battles the prince achieved success. And most of all he had to fight for the period when he was a prince of Novgorod. This is 1236 - 1252 years. The times were difficult then, and Alexander managed to show his talent as a military commander in full.
And in 1237 - 1241 years in Russia was unfoldingA severe military catastrophe, which was associated with the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols. Most of the Russian lands were destroyed by these tribes, and from the west the borders of Rus were threatened by Livonians. And the Swedes, seeing this situation, in early July 1240 began their naval march on the north-western Russian lands. Plans of the invaders were the most ambitious. They planned to capture, if not all, at least a strategically important part of the Novgorod lands. In this way they would block Russia's access to the Baltic Sea, as well as to the Finnish and Karelian lands. That is, the trade routes to the West for the Russians would have been cut off.
Intelligence in those days, too, worked well.And as soon as the Swedes approached the mouth of the Neva, the Novgorod prince was informed about this. Alexander Nevsky reacted to this threat instantly. He managed to gather an army within one day. Swedes during this time managed to approach the mouth of the river Izhora and encamp there. And the young 20-year-old commander, apparently, was in a hurry not in vain. He did not want the Swedes to reach Ladoga and destroy the places adjacent to the Neva.
And on July 15, 1240 the troops of Alexander Nevskysuddenly came to the camp of the Swedes, and the well-known Neva battle began. In this battle, the Novgorodians showed courage, perseverance and desperate courage. They held the fighting initiative in their hands from the very beginning of the battle. The Swedes also had fierce resistance. This was due to the fact that in fact they had nowhere to retreat. There was water behind them, and if they had rushed to the ships in panic, they would have been completely destroyed.
The Battle of Neva in 1240 unfolded ontactical rules that were adopted in the Middle Ages. Usually in such fights involved rallied units, which were built into the echeloned battle formations. These units under the command of their voivode converged with the enemy on the battlefield. And if the first attack did not bring success, then they broke up and again converged. And such bumps were repeated time after time. This kind of combat is possible only when the units retain the battle formation during the attack and retreat and are always obedient to control.
According to historical sources, the squadAlexander Nevsky was divided into five detachments. In these sources, the names of some of the military leaders were preserved. For example, two noble Novgoroders are mentioned: Sbyslav Yakunovich and Gavrila Oleksich. They undoubtedly led separate detachments. The Swedish army was also divided into tactical units. In such a detachment the noble knight commanded simple soldiers.
The Battle of Neva, as was customary at that time,began with an attack of cavalry armed with spears. And at the first attack, the Novgorodians caused considerable damage to the Swedes. In the annals are mentioned fighters, who in a special way distinguished themselves in this battle. They fought with special courage, joining single combat with the enemy out of order. During the battle, these brave men used battle axes. There were six such brave men during this battle. They cut themselves into the middle of the troops of the Swedes, reached the tent of the commander and staked out his pillar. And the fall of the tent of the commander demoralized the Swedish soldiers. Also these brave men managed to break through to the enemy ships and destroy three of them.
And this suggests that the ranks of the Swedes during themelee have been torn and upset. And their troops fought not together, but separately. It turns out that the strike of the lancers, from which the Battle of Neva began, predetermined the outcome of the whole battle. From the very beginning, the Novgorodians gained the superiority that led them to victory. Also, some historians believe that the reason for this victory is the breakthrough of Russians in the rear to the Swedes and cutting them off from the ships. But whatever the reason, Alexander Nevsky managed to achieve the main thing: the Swedes were defeated. They left the battlefield and simply fled. And Rus retained free access to the Baltic.
