The defeat of Novgorod German Knights in 1241-1242.
In the summer of 1240, German knights invaded the Novgorod Earth. They appeared under the walls of the Islab and took the city by storm. "No one was left alone from the Russians who only resorted to the defense, he was killed, or captured, and screams spread throughout the land," reported in the "Rhymed Chronicle". Pskovichi rushed to the revenue: "Anti-im (knights. - E. R.) Vyida all hail" - Pskov. But the Pskov urban militia was defeated. Some of the killed Pskovites were more than 800 people. The knights pursued the Pskov militia and many were captured. Now they were approached Pskov, "and he buried the land all, and a lot of evil is, and the pussy of churches ... a lot of snacks near Plskov. Definition under the city week, but the cities are not taken, but the children are like a good husband in Tali, and the other way. "
In the winter of 1240, the German knights invaded the Novgorod land and captured the territory of the tribe, east of the river of the Narov, "we turn everything to be placed on them." Capturing the "Water Five", the knights captured Tesov, and their connectors were 35 km from Novgorod. German feudal feudalles turned into a desert rich to that edge. "Not on what and orati (plow. - E. R.) in the villages," the chronicler reports.
In the same 1240, the "Order of Briat" resumed an offensive for Pskov Earth. The army of the invaders consisted of Germans, Medvezhan, Yuryevtsev and Danish "royal husbands." With them there was a traitor of the Motherland - Prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich. The Germans approached Pskov, crossed r. The Great, broke the tents under the most walls of the Kremlin, lit the dressing and began to destroy the surrounding villages. A week later, the knights prepared to the Kremlin's storm. But Pskovwyanin Zvedido Ivanovich passed the Germans to the Germans who took the hostages and left their garrison in the city.
The appetite of the Germans increased. They have already said: "Ukurim Slovenian is ... to yourself", that is, we subordinate the Russian people. In the Russian land, the invaders sat down in the fortress Koporye.
Despite the political fragmentation of Russia, the idea of \u200b\u200bprotecting her land was strong in the Russian people.
At the request of Novgorod, Prince Yaroslav sent his son Alexander back to Novgorod. Alexander organized the army from Novgorod, Ladozhan, Karelov and Izhorayan. First of all, it was necessary to resolve the issue of action method. In the hands of the enemy were Pskov and Coporye. Actions in two directions sprayed forces. The most threatening was the Kopory direction - the enemy approached Novgorod. Therefore, Alexander decided to apply the first blow to Cavoria, and then free from the invaders of Pskov.
The first stage of hostilities - the campaign of the Novgorod troops on Coporya in 1241
The army under the command of Alexander made a campaign, reached Corustaine, took possession of the fortress "and the monster of hail from the foundation, and the German beabirles themselves, and others with them to bring in Novgorod, and other gap let go, Be Bo mercifully commenced measures, and Voezhan and Czudza "... Water Pyatina was cleared of the Germans. The right flank and rear of Novgorod troops were now safe.
The second stage of hostilities is the campaign of the Novgorod troops in order to liberate Pskov.
In March 1242, Novgorod residents again made a campaign and were soon under Pskov. Alexander, believing that he had no strength to attack a strong fortress, I expected my brother Andrei Yaroslavich with the "lower" troops, which soon approached. The Order did not have time to send reinforcements to his knights. Pskov was surrounded by a knightly garrison taken captive. Ordinant governors Alexander sent in Okov to Novgorod. In battle, 70 noble ordinaries and many ordinary knights were killed.
After that, defeat the Order began to focus his forces within Derpto Bishopria, preparing a reprisal of Russians. "Let's go to Alexandra and the victims of his imam," the knights said. The Order gathered great strength: there were almost all of his knights with Mason (Master) at the head, "with all the biscups (bishops) with their own, and with all many languages \u200b\u200bof them, and the authorities of them that neither I rest in the queen, "i.e. there were German knights, the local population and the army of the Swedish king.
Losses
Monument to Dersey A. Nevsky on Mount Sokolich
The controversial is the question of the loss of parties in the battle. About Russian losses says foggy: "Many Harbor Warriors Palo." Apparently, the losses of Novgorod were really hard. The losses of the knights are indicated by specific numbers, which cause disputes. Russian chronicles, and for them and domestic historians say that the knights were killed about five hundred people, and the Fifty "Brothers", "deliberate governor", were captured by the Knights. Four hundred and five hundred killed knights - the figure is completely unreal, since there was no such quantity in the whole order.
According to the Livonian chronicles, it was necessary to collect "many brave heroes, bold and canceled" led by a master, plus Danish vassals with a significant detachment. The "rhymed chronicle" particularly says that twenty knights died, and the six was captured. Most likely, the "chronicle" means only the "brothers" -Repsires, without taking into account their squads and chosen-scored in the army. The Novgorod first chronicle says that the battle fell 400 "Germans", 50 was captured, and "Chud" is also discharged from the accounts: "Bebyssla". Apparently, those suffered really serious losses.
So, it is possible that 400 German horse warriors really fell on the ice on the ice (of these were the real "brothers" -Reztsi), and 50 Germans (of which 6 "brothers") fell into Russian. "Life of Alexander Nevsky" argues that the captives then went around their horses during the joyful entry of Prince Alexander in Pskov.
The direct place of battle, according to the conclusions of the Expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences under the leadership of Karayev, can be considered a section of a warm lake, located 400 meters to the west of the modern shore of Cape Cition, between the northern tip and the latitude of the village of the island. It should be noted that the battle on a flat surface of the ice was more profitable to the heavy Connection of the Order, but traditionally it is believed that the place to meet the enemy was chosen by Alexander Yaroslavich.
Effects
According to the traditional historiography of the point of view, this battle, together with the victories of Prince Alexander over the Swedes (July 15, 1240 on the Neve) and above the Lithuanians (in 1245 near Toroptz, the Lake Lake Slam and near the Combat), had great importance For Pskov and Novgorod, delayed the head of three serious enemies from the West - at the time when the rest of Russia suffered from the princely gravity and consequences tatar conquest Large losses. In Novgorod remembered for a long time Battle on the Ice Germans: together with the Nevskaya Victory over the Swedes, it was still remembered in the XVI century on the objects in all Novgorod churches.
English researcher J. Fannel believes that the meaning of the ice travel (and the Nevsky battle) is greatly exaggerated: "Alexander did only that numerous defenders of Novgorod and Pskov did before him and that many did after him, - namely, they rushed to protect extensive and vulnerable Borders from the tippers detachments. " The Russian professor I. N. Danilevsky is agreed with this opinion. He notes, in particular, that the battle was inferior in its scale battles under Shauliam (G.), in which the Lithuanians were killed by Master of the Order and 48 knights (20 knights died on the chief of the lake), and the battle under the shell in 1268; Modern events sources Even the Nevsky Battle describe in more detail and give it more important. However, even in the "rhymed chronicle", the ice is unequivocally described as the defeat of the Germans, in contrast to the sink.
Battle memory
Films
Music
Music support for the film Eisenstein, written by Sergey Prokofiev, is a symphonic suite dedicated to the events of the battle.
Monument to Alexander Nevsky and Poklonnaya Cross
Bronze Poklonnaya Cross Molds in St. Petersburg to the funds of the Pattius Steel Group (A. V. Ostapenko). The prototype served Novgorod Alekseevsky Cross. The author of the project A. A. Seleznev. Mold a bronze sign under the leadership of D.Goriyaeva Lattechiki CJSC NTCT, architects B. Kostyov and S. Kryukov. When implementing the project, fragments from lost wooden Cross Sculptor V. Roshshikov.
Cultural and Sports Education Raid Expedition
Since 1997, a raid expedition is held annually at the places of military dealers of Alexander Nevsky. During these trips, the arrival participants help the improvement of territories related to the monuments of cultural and historical heritage. Thanks to them, in many places in the North-West, memorial signs are installed in memory of the exploits of Russian warriors, and the village of Kobyl settlement became aware of the whole country.
Until the first courses of the university, I was sure that I know the history of Ice Bullings. Legend that russian warriors witness defeated the knights of the Livonian order. And then the university is asked to find and analyze the problem historical article. And here I am surprised to find out that All that I knew about the Ice Bottling - Lie.
What year was the Ice Boy
Perhaps the truth from my knowledge was only that The ice is happening in 1242. Presumably in the beginning of April. It is no more business, so you yourself understand, it is impossible to determine the exact date. However, historians, based on the chronicle, say that the battle was exactly the 5th. What other facts are known about the battle:
- danish king and Master of the Order decided to divide Estonia and with the help of the Swedes to smash the power of Russia. Swedes, as you know, lost to the Neva, and the order spoke after them.
- Rus defended Novgorod and representatives of the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality in the amount of 15-17 thousand people.
- Livonian Order and Denmark represented 10-12 thousand people.
The battle under the leadership of Alexander Nevsky is also called the battle on the Church of the Lake. This is the most lake and does not give rest to the Russian people and creates one of the main myths of Russian history.
Myth about Ice Boy
What is the first thing comes to your mind when you remember the Ice Bare? I am sure that many will answer that the battle on the Chief of the Lake was won, because the knights put too heavy armor on themselves. Loda cracked. And warriors bravely sank. And the Russians, dressed in lighter mail, of course, avoided this fatal trouble. For some reason, it even seems to me that we were told about it at school. But - all lies. Knights are not tonulous. And that's why:
- in historical sources (chronicles) there is no mention of this at all;
- the weight of the equipment of the Livonian warrior and Russian about same;
- the exact geographical location of the battle has not been found, the battle was most likely on dry shore.
So where did you get a beautiful fairy tale about the fact that the knights sank under the severity of armor? This legend has no ancient roots. Everything is much prose. In 1938. Eisenstein and Vasilyev removed the film "Alexander Nevsky"which included the scene with the scene of enemies for entertainment. Here is the story of the battle that happened in 1242 and beautiful legend Already in the 20th century.
Useful2 not so
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Last year, we rested on the shore of the lake. Before the trip, I decided to refresh the history of our country in mind and the further I immersed in the study of the famous Ice Easy, the more I understood that my idea of \u200b\u200bmany significant facts of battle is very different from how it really happened.
In what times was the Ice Bare
Perhaps the only thing that the historians converge regarding this battle are her year. The Ice Bobin took place in April 1242 on the Chief of the Lake between the Knights of the Livonian Order and the Novgorod troops under the leadership of Alexander Nevsky.
It is worth noting that a number of scientists believe that the battle was not at all. In their theory, they rely on the fact that it is still not the exact place of its place, in the vicinity of the lake did not find knightly armor and other traces of the battle. Others argue that the meaning of this historical event It is greatly exaggerated, and in fact it was an ordinary interfair teaching. But these theories are refuted by the data of Russian and German chronicle.
True and myths about ice
The main myth sounds like this: Novgorod Prince Alexander Nevsky meets the hordes of the German knights on the ice of the lake, where the heavy knights suffer a crushing defeat, and, retreating, fall under the ice.
Real facts Look a little differently:
- No more than 90 knights participate in the battle. In the Baltic States, the Order had exactly the number of locks by 1290. The rest of the army was a retinue that could reach up to 100 people per noble warrior.
- Nevsky concluded an alliance with Batu-Khan, who helped Novgorod defeat foreign invaders.
- Prince did not plan to specifically lure the knights on thin ice so that they drowned under the severity of their armor. Russian warriors were equipped not worse than the Germans, and such a strategy would be a suicidal.
- The victorious strategy was that Nevsky built it in the central part of his troops the most weak part of his infantry, and the main forces hit the flanks of the enemy's "pig".
The victory in the ice has contributed to the stopping of the expansion of the Livonian Order on Russia. It was the first example of the defeated infantry of the Knight's troops.
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I live in the Pskov region, so I have been lucky enough to walk in places great Battle. On the excursions, I have always experienced two feelings: on the one hand, the pride in the glorious warriors, on the other - sadness. After all, the war is war - these are human sacrifices, first of all.
How was the Ice Boy
The Ice Bare is the famous battle, which took place on the ice of the Church of the Lake, a piggy bank of knowledge about her every year is replenished with new facts. Sometimes fictional.
But, nevertheless, it is known exactly that in 1238, Landmaster Hermann Balk and the Danish king Valdemar decided to share Estonia and capture Rus. It was during this period that Rus's protective forces were weak, more than ever. They were depleted permanent mongolian invasions.
In the struggle performed such military forces:
- swedes and Livonian knights;
- druzhina Yaroslav Vladimirovich;
- estonian army;
- derptic army.
The year in which the ice is lucky
They began their offensive in 1240. In the same year, the Swedish troops were completely overthrown on the Neva.
Another 2 years continued the land battle, while in the 1242nd, the main Russian detachments did not take on the ice of the Church of the Lake, in order to carry out the final battle. An important event took place on April 5, 1242, under the leadership of Alexander Nevsky (from the Russian side) and the military Livonian Order - from the enemy.
RESULTS
But, on whose side was victory, there are still disputes. Some claim that she was for Nevsky, others that neither do in general. Because in the same year, Hermann Balk and Teutonic Order:
- refused all the previously seized Russian territories;
- concluded a peace agreement with Novgorod;
- returned prisoners to their homeland.
True, after 10 years, they again attacked Pskov, but this is a completely different story ...
In memory of the ice is afraid
It was a fairly important event in Russia's life, so on April 5 is considered one of the memorable days in our country.
In honor of the battle, many interesting and instructive films were shot, beautiful songs and books were written.
Useful0 not so much
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Some consider the ice side of one of our main events ancient historyOthers refer it to local battles that have no scalability or historical meaning. For me, so this is a good reason to get acquainted better with this corner of Russia, where the knightly armor once thundered and rodied native Rus Novgorod men with Suzdaltsy led by Alexander Nevsky.
When the ice is happening
It is this date that is indicated in the Novgorod first chronicle, in which it is described in more detail. Even the day of the week when it happened is Saturday. But in the Livonian rhymed chronicle (the Russian troops beat the Knights of the Livonian Order, which was a branch of Teutonic), where the battle is mentioned, it is noted that the killed fell into the grass. It turns out that the battle was later, because in these parts in early April there are no herbs
Historical places
About the affairs of the long-lasting years in the Pskov region remind:
monument "Ice Boying", which was opened in 1993 under Pskov, on Mount Sokolich;
The coat of the settlement is an ancient village near the battleship;
the museum in the village of the airwalk, where the materials of the scientific expedition studied the event of 1242.
In the Kobyl, the settlement now does not get two dozen inhabitants. But the place it was hidden from time immemorial and mentioned in the ancient chronicles. About the past well-being testifies to the temple of Archangel Mikhail, built in 1462. The worship of the Cross and the monument to Alexander Nevsky resembles the Ice Lightweight.
A new chance for the development of these places was the ketage " silver ring Alexander Nevsky, "which was invented and embodied by Pieters. Every summer, since 1997, they start out of the Northern Capital and keep the way through the preserved fortresses and monasteries of the Leningrad, Novgorod, Pskov regions on the Kobyl Kostyl. PARTICIPANTS OF RABILLY already landscaped this historic place and installed a new chapel.
Sources reported to us very scarce information about Ice Bare. This contributed to the fact that the battle gradually turned a large number of myths and contradictory facts.
Again the Mongols
The battle on the Chief of the Lake is not entirely correctly called the victory of Russian budgets over German knighthood, since the enemy, according to modern historians, was a coalition forces, including the German Danish knights, Swedish mercenaries and a militia, consisting of Esta (Chud).
It is possible that the troops under the leadership of Alexander Nevsky were not exclusively Russian. Polish historian of German origin Ringold Heidnestein (1556-1620) wrote that Alexander Nevsky pushed the battle mongolian Han. Batu (Baty) and sent him his detachment into his profog.
This version has the right to life. The middle of the XIII century is marked by the confrontation of the Ordane and Western European troops. So, in 1241, Batu's troops were defeated by Teutonic knights in the Battle of Legnica, and 1269 Mongolian troops helped Novgorod to protect the walls of the city from the invasion of the Crusaders.
Who went under the water?
In domestic historiography, one of the factors who contributed to the victory of Russian troops over the Teutonic and Livonian knights called the fragile spring ice and the cumbersome armor of the Crusaders, which resulted in a massive flooding of the enemy. However, if you believe the historian Nikolay Karamzin, then winter was the long and spring ice retained the fortress.
However, determine how much the ice could withstand a large number of warriors, closed in the armor, difficult. The researcher Nikolai Chebotarev notes: "To say who was heavier or easier, it is impossible to say about who was heavier or easier, because the forms of clothing as such, it was not."
Heavy brave armor appeared only in the XIV-XV centuries, and in the XIII century, the main type of armor was the chain co arm, on top of which a leather shirt with steel plates could dress. Relying on this fact, historians suggest that the weight of the equipment of the Russian and the Order Warrior was about the same and reached 20 kilograms. If we assume that the ice did not endure the weight of the warrior in complete equipment, then the sunken should have been on both sides.
Interestingly, in the Livonian rhymed chronicle and in the initial editorial office of the Novgorod chronicles there is no information that the knights fell under the ice - they were added only after a century after the battle.
On the island of Voronius, near whose Cape Cition is located, because of the peculiarities of the flow is quite weak ice. This gave a reason to some researchers suggest that the knights could fall under the ice exactly where the dangerous plot crossed during the retreat.
Where was it?
Researchers to this day cannot accurately establish the place where the ice is happening. Novgorod sources, as well as historian Nikolai Kostomarov say that the battle was near the crowing stone. But the stone itself was not found. According to some, they had a high sandstone, over time, washed away, others argue that the stone is the Voroniy Island.
Part of the researchers is inclined to believe that it is not connected with the lake at all, since the cluster large number Heavy soldiers and the cavalry would make it impossible to conduct a battle on the Thin April Ice.
In particular, these findings rely on the Livonian rhythm chronicle, which reported that "on both sides, killed fell on the grass." This fact is supported and modern research With the help of the latest equipment, the bottom of the Church of the Lake, during which neither weapons nor the armor of the XIII century were found. Excavations failed and on the shore. However, it is not difficult to explain: the armor and weapons were very valuable prey, and even damaged they could be quickly carried out.
However, in soviet time The expedition group of the Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Sciences under the leadership of Georgy Karaieva established an estimated battlefield. According to the researchers, it was a plot of a warm lake, located 400 meters to the west of Cape Cition.
Number of side
Soviet historians, determining the number of strength colliding on the mud, declare that Alexander Nevsky's troops numbered about 15-17 thousand people, and the number of German knights reached 10-12 thousand.
Modern researchers consider such numbers clearly overestimated. In their opinion, the Order could give no more than 150 knights, which were joined by about 1.5 thousand knektov (soldiers) and 2 thousand militias. They were opposed by the squads from Novgorod and Vladimir in the amount of 4-5 thousand soldiers.
The true ratio of forces to determine is quite difficult, since in the annals the number of German knights is not specified. But they can be counted according to the number of castles in the Baltic States, which, according to historians, in the middle of the XIII century there were no more than 90.
Each castle owned one knight, who came to the campaign from 20 to 100 people from mercenaries and chelyads. In this case maximum amount Warriors, excluding militia, could not exceed 9 thousand people. But, most likely, real numbers Much more modest, as part of the knights per year before that died in the battle of Legnica.
With confidence, modern historians can only say one thing: a significant superiority had no one of the opposing parties. Lion Gumilev may have been right, assuming that Russians and Teutons were collected for 4 thousand soldiers.
Victims
The number of those who died in the Ice Bottling is also difficult to calculate, as well as the number of participants. In the Novgorod chronicle, the victims of the opponent are reported: "And Pade Beschisl Schi, and Nѣmets 400, and 50 Hands of Yasha and brought in Novgorod." But the Livonian rhymed chronicle speaks of only 20 dead and 6 captive knights, the truth is not a mention of victims among soldiers and militia. Written later, the chronicle of grandmasters reports the death of 70 ordinar knights.
But none of the chronicles have no information about the loss of Russian troops. There is no consensus on this account and in historians, although according to some data, the loss of the troops of Alexander Nevsky was not smaller than the opponent.
Myths about Ice Bare
Snow-covered landscapes, thousands of warriors, frozen lake and crusaders, failing under the ice under the severity of their own armor.
For many battle, according to the annals that occurred on April 5, 1242, there is little different from the frames from the film Sergey Eisenstein "Alexander Nevsky".
But was it really possible?
The myth that we know about the ice side
The ice is really becoming one of the most resonant events of the XIII century, which was displayed not only in the "domestic", but also in Western chronicles.
And at first glance it seems that we have a sufficient number of documents in order to thoroughly explore all the "components" of the battle.
But upon closer examination, it turns out that the popularity of the historical plot is not at all a guarantee of its comprehensive learning.
So, the most detailed (and most quoted) description of the battle, recorded "on hot splashes", is found in the Novgorod first chronicle of the older favor. And this description has a little more than 100 words. The remaining mention is even more concise.
Moreover, sometimes they include mutually exclusive information. For example, in the most authoritative Western source - the older Livonian rhymed chronicle - there is not a word that the battle occurred on the lake.
A peculiar "synthesis" of early chronicle mentions of the collision can be considered by the lives of Alexander Nevsky, but, according to experts, they are a literary work and therefore can be used as a source with only "big limitations".
As for the historical works of the XIX century, they are considered, they did not bring anything fundamentally new to the study of ice traveling, predominantly retelling the already outlined in the chronicles.
The beginning of the 20th century is characterized by an ideological rethinking of the battle, when the symbolic value of the victory over the "German-knight aggression" was put forward to the fore. According to the historian Igor Danilevsky, before the release of the film Sergey Eisenstein "Alexander Nevsky", the study of the ice, even not included in the university lecture courses.
The myth of the Unified Rus
In the consciousness of many ice, it is a victory of the United Russian troops on the forces of the German Crusaders. Such a "generalizing" idea of \u200b\u200bthe battle was formed already in the XX century, in the realities of the Great Patriotic WarWhen Germany performed the main rival of the USSR.
However, 775 years ago, the ice is rather "local", rather than a national conflict. In the XIII century, Russia was experiencing a period of feudal fragmentation and consisted of about 20 independent principalities. Moreover, the policy of cities that formally relate to one territory could differ significantly.
So, de Jura Pskov and Novgorod were located in Novgorod Earth, one of the largest territorial units of Russia time. De facto, each of these cities was "autonomy", with its own political and economic interests. It concerned relationships with nearest neighbors in Eastern Baltic.
One of these neighbors was catholic order The launders, after defeat in the battle of Saul (Shaulay) in 1236, attached to the Teutonic Order as Livonsky Landmaster. The latter became part of the so-called Livonian Confederation, in addition to the Order, there were five Baltic bishops.
As the historian Igor Danilevsky notes, the main cause of territorial conflicts between Novgorod and the Order were Esta lands who lived in the western shower of the Lake Music (the medieval population of modern Estonia, in most Russian-speaking chrops appearing under the name "Chud"). At the same time, the campaigns organized by Novgorod, almost no way affected the interests of other lands. The exception was "border" Pskov, which was constantly subjected to response raids of the Livonians.
According to the historian Alexei Valerova, it is the need to simultaneously confront both the forces of the Order and the regular attempts of Novgorod to encroach on the independence of the city could force the Pskov in 1240 to "open the gate" Livonians. In addition, the city was seriously weakened after the defeat under Izborsso and, allegedly, was not capable of prolonged resistance to the Crusaders.
At the same time, as reported by the Livonian rhymed chronicle, in 1242 in the city there was not full-fledged " german army", and only two knights-fogt (presumably, accompanied by small detachments), which, according to Valerova, performed the judicial functions on underlying lands and followed the activities of the" local Pskov administration ".
Further, as we know from the chronicles, the Novgorod Prince Alexander Yaroslavich, together with his younger brother Andrei Yaroslavich (sent by their father, Vladimir Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich) "expelled" the Germans from Pskov, after which they continued their campaign, having passed "on Chud" (t. e. In the lands of the Livonsky Landmaster).
Where they met the united forces of the Order and Derpto Bishop.
The myth of the scale of the battle
Thanks to the Novgorod chronicles, we know that on April 5, 1242 was Saturday. Everything else is not so unequivocal.
Difficulties begin already when trying to establish the number of participants in the battle. The only figures we have are talking about losses in the ranks of the Germans. So, the Novgorod first chronicle reports about 400 killed and 50 prisoners, the Livonian rhymed chronicle - that "twenty brothers remained killed and the six fell in captivity."
Researchers believe that these data is not so contradictory, as it seems at first glance.
Historians Igor Danilevsky and Klim Zhukov converge in the opinion that several hundred people participated in the battle.
So, on the part of the Germans, this is 35-40 knight brothers, about 160 knechtov (on average four servants per knitter) and Esta mercenaries ("Chok No Number"), which could "expand" a detachment for another 100-200 warriors . At the same time, by the standards of the XIII century, a similar army was considered quite serious (presumably, during the heyday, the maximum number of the former Order of the Middle Easterns in principle did not exceed 100-120 knights). The author of the Livonian rhymed chronicle also complained that the Russians were almost 60 times more, which, according to Danilevsky, although it is an exaggeration, still gives reason to assume that Alexander's army significantly exceeded the forces of the Crusaders.
Thus, the maximum number of Novgorod city regiment, the prince's squad of Alexander, the Suzdal detachment of his brother Andrei and joined Pskovich's campaign, hardly exceeded 800 people.
From the chronicles we also know that the German squad was built by "pigs".
According to Klim Zhukov, it is most likely not about the "trapezoid" pig, which we used to see in the schemes in textbooks, but about the "rectangular" (since the first description of the "trapezoid" in writing sources appeared only in the XV century). Also, according to historians, the estimated number of Livonian troops gives reason to talk about the traditional building "Honed Horugwy": 35 knights that make up "Khorugvi Wedge", plus their squads (cumulatively up to 400 people).
As for the tactics of Russian troops, then in the rhythm chronicle, it is mentioned only that "the Russians had many shooters" (which, apparently, constituted the first system), and that the "brothers's army turned out to be surrounded."
We don't know anything else about it.
The myth that the Livonian warrior is heavier than Novgorod
There is also a stereotype, according to which the combat vestments of Russian warriors were many times easier than Livonsky.
According to historians, if the difference in weight and was, then extremely insignificant.
After all, and from that, and on the other hand, only heavy riders participated in the battle (it is believed that all the assumptions about the infantrymen are the transfer of military realities of subsequent centuries to the realities of the XIII century).
According to the logic, even the weight of the combat horse, excluding the rider, would be enough to break the brittle April ice.
So did it make sense in such conditions to bring troops on him?
Myth about the battle on ice and drowned knights
Disappoint immediately: descriptions of how German knights fall under the ice, there is neither in one of the early chronicles.
Moreover, in the Livonian chronicle there is a rather strange phrase: "On both sides, killed fell on the grass." Some commentators believe that it is an idiome, meaning "fall on the battlefield" (version of the Historic-media master Igor Klenenberg), others - that it is about the thickets of the canthaw, who made his way out of the ice on the shallow water, where the battle took place (version of the Soviet Military Historian Georgy Karaieva, displayed on the map).
As for the chronicles, references to the fact that the Germans drove "on ice", then modern researchers agree that this detail the Ice Battle could "borrow" from the description of the later Squorian battle (1268). According to Igor Danilevsky, reports that the Russian troops chase opponents seven miles ("to Sidolithic Coast") are fully justified for the scale of the missum battle, but they look strange in the context of the battle on the Church of the Lake, where the distance from the coast to the shore in the intended place The battle is no more than 2 km.
Speaking of "Voroniem Stone" (geographical landmark, mentioned in part of the chronicles), historians emphasize that any card indicating a particular place of battle is nothing more than a version. Where exactly happened, no one knows: the sources contain too little information to make any conclusions.
In particular, Klim Zhukov is based on the fact that in the course of archaeological expeditions, not a single "confirming" burial was not discovered during the archaeological expeditions. The lack of evidence researcher does not associate with the mythicity of the battle, but with looting: in the XIII century Iron appreciated very highly, and hardly the weapons and armor of the deceased warriors would be able to lie in preservation to the present day.
Myth about the geopolitical value of the battle
In the presentation of many Ice Babies "stands by a mansion" and is hardly the only "outstanding" battle of his time. And it really became one of the significant battles of the Middle Ages, the "suspended" conflict of Russia with a Livonian Order for almost 10 years.
Nevertheless, the XIII century is rich in other events.
From the point of view of the collision with the Crusaders, they also include the battle with the Swedes at the Neveau 1240, and the already mentioned Square battle, during which a joint argent of seven Seven Navigan principalitys opposed the Lovonsky Landmaster and Danish Estonia.
Also, the XIII century is the time of the Orda invasion.
Despite the fact that the key battles of this era (the battle on rolling and the capture of Ryazan) did not affect the north-west directly, they significantly affected the further political device of medieval Russia and all its components.
In addition, if you compare the scale of the Teutonic and Ordan threat, the difference is calculated in tens of thousands of warriors. Thus, the maximum number of Crusaders, ever participating in the campaigns against Russia, rarely exceeded the mark of 1,000 people, while the estimated maximum number of participants in the Russian campaign from the Horde-to 40 thousand (version of the historian Klim Zhukov).
TASS is grateful to help in the preparation of material historian and specialist Ancient Russia Igor Nikolayevich Danilev and Military Historic Medievistist Klim Alexandrovich Zhukov.
© TASS Infographics, 2017
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