Many books and articles have been written about the famous battle on the ice of Lake Peipus in April 1242, but it itself has not been fully studied - and our information about it is replete with blank spots...

At the beginning of 1242, the German Teutonic Knights captured Pskov and advanced towards Novgorod. On Saturday, April 5, at dawn, the Russian squad, led by the Novgorod prince Alexander Nevsky, met the crusaders on the ice of Lake Peipsi, at the Raven Stone.

Alexander skillfully flanked the knights, built in a wedge, and with the blow of an ambush regiment took him into the ring. The Battle on the Ice, famous in Russian history, began. “And there was an evil slash, and a crack from breaking spears, and a sound from a sword cut, and the frozen lake moved. And no ice was visible: it was all covered in blood...” The chronicle reports that the ice cover could not withstand the retreating heavily armed knights and collapsed. Under the weight of their armor, the enemy warriors quickly went to the bottom, choking in the icy water.

Some circumstances of the battle remained a real "blank spot" for researchers. Where does truth end and fiction begin? Why did the ice collapse under the feet of the knights and withstand the weight of the Russian army? How could the knights fall through the ice, if its thickness near the shores of Lake Peipsi in early April reaches a meter? Where did the legendary battle take place?

In domestic chronicles (Novgorod, Pskov, Suzdal, Rostov, Lavrentiev, etc.) and the "Senior Livonian Rhymed Chronicle" both the events that preceded the battle and the battle itself are described in detail. Its landmarks are indicated: “On Lake Peipsi, near the Uzmen tract, near the Raven Stone.” Local legends specify that the warriors fought right outside the village of Samolva. The annalistic miniature depicts the confrontation of the parties before the battle, and defensive ramparts, stone and other structures are shown in the background. In ancient chronicles, there is no mention of Voronii Island (or any other island) near the place of the battle. They talk about the battle on the ground, and the ice is mentioned only in the final part of the battle.

In search of answers to the numerous questions of researchers, in the late 50s of the 20th century, Leningrad archaeologists, led by military historian Georgy Karaev, were the first to go to the shores of Lake Peipus. Scientists were going to recreate the events of more than seven hundred years ago.

In the beginning, chance helped. Once, while talking with fishermen, Karaev asked why they called the section of the lake near Cape Sigovets "a cursed place." The fishermen explained: in this place, until the most severe frosts, there remains a polynya, “cigovica”, because whitefish have been caught in it for a long time. In a frost, of course, the ice will seize the "sigovitsa", only it is fragile: a person will go in there and disappear ...

So, it is no coincidence that the locals call the southern part of the lake the Warm Lake. Perhaps this is where the crusaders drowned? Here is the answer: the bottom of the lake in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bSigovits is replete with groundwater outlets that prevent the formation of a solid ice cover.

Archaeologists have found that the waters of Lake Peipsi are gradually advancing on the shores, this is the result of a slow tectonic process. Many ancient villages were flooded, and their inhabitants moved to other, higher shores. The lake level is rising at a rate of 4 millimeters per year. Consequently, since the time of the right-believing Prince Alexander Nevsky, the water in the lake has risen by a good three meters!

G.N. Karaev removed depths of less than three meters from the map of the lake, and the map "rejuvenated" by seven hundred years. This map prompted: the narrowest place of the lake in ancient times was just next door to the “sigovitsy”. This is how the annalistic “Uzmen”, a name that does not exist on the modern map of the lake, received an exact reference.

The most difficult thing was to determine the location of the "Raven Stone", because on the map of the lake of the Raven Stones, rocks and islands, there are more than a dozen. Karaev's divers explored Voronii Island near Uzmen and found that it was nothing more than the top of a huge sheer underwater cliff. A stone rampart was unexpectedly discovered next to it. Scientists decided that the name "Raven Stone" in ancient times referred not only to the rock, but also to a rather strong border fortification. It became clear: the battle began here on that distant April morning.

The expedition members came to the conclusion that several centuries ago the Raven Stone was a high fifteen-meter hill with steep slopes, it was visible from afar and served as a good guide. But time and waves did their job: the once high hill with steep slopes disappeared under the water.

The researchers also tried to explain why the fleeing knights fell through the ice and drowned. In fact, at the beginning of April, when the battle took place, the ice on the lake is still quite thick and strong. But the secret was that not far from the Raven Stone, warm springs form “sigovits” from the bottom of the lake, so the ice here is less strong than in other places. Previously, when the water level was lower, underwater springs undoubtedly hit right on the ice sheet. The Russians, of course, knew about this and bypassed dangerous places, and the enemy ran straight ahead.

So this is the solution to the riddle! But if it is true that in this place the icy abyss swallowed up an entire knightly army, then somewhere here his trace must be hidden. Archaeologists set themselves the task of finding this last proof, but the circumstances prevented the achievement of the ultimate goal. It was not possible to find the burial places of the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Ice. This is clearly stated in the report of the complex expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences. And soon there were allegations that in ancient times the dead were taken with them for burial in their homeland, therefore, they say, their remains cannot be found.

A few years ago, a new generation of search engines - a group of Moscow enthusiasts, lovers of the ancient history of Russia, again tried to solve a centuries-old mystery. She had to find burials hidden in the ground related to the Battle of the Ice on a large territory of the Gdovsky district of the Pskov region.

Studies have shown that in those distant times, in the area south of the village of Kozlovo that exists today, there was some kind of fortified outpost of the Novgorodians. It was here that Prince Alexander Nevsky went to join the detachment of Andrei Yaroslavich, hidden in an ambush. At a critical moment in the battle, an ambush regiment could go behind the knights, surround them and ensure victory. The place is relatively flat. The troops of Nevsky from the north-western side were protected by the "sigovits" of Lake Peipus, and from the eastern side - by the wooded part, where the Novgorodians settled in the fortified town.

On Lake Peipus, scientists were going to recreate the events of more than seven hundred years ago

The knights advanced from the south side (from the village of Tabory). Not knowing about the Novgorod reinforcements and feeling their military superiority in strength, they, without hesitation, rushed into battle, falling into the “nets” placed. From here it can be seen that the battle itself was on land, not far from the shore of the lake. By the end of the battle, the knightly army was driven back to the spring ice of Zhelchinskaya Bay, where many of them died. Their remains and weapons are still at the bottom of this bay.

Battle on the Ice(German Schlachtaufdemeise), also Battle on Lake Peipsi(German SchlachtaufdemPeipussee) - the battle that took place on April 5 (in terms of the Gregorian calendar (New style) - April 12) 1242 (Saturday) between Novgorod and Vladimir under the leadership of Alexander Nevsky and the knights of the Livonian Order, which by that time included the Order of the Sword (after defeat at Saul in 1236), on the ice of Lake Peipus. General battle of the unsuccessful conquest campaign of the Order of 1240-1242.

Preparing for war

The war began with the campaign of Bishop German, Master of the Teutonic Order and their allies against Russia. According to the Rhymed Chronicle, when Izborsk was taken, “not a single Russian was allowed to escape unharmed”, “great lamentation began everywhere in that land.” Pskov was captured without a fight, a small garrison remained in it, most of the troops returned. Arriving in Novgorod in 1241, Alexander found Pskov and Koporye in the hands of the Order and immediately began retaliatory actions. Alexander Nevsky marched on Koporye, took it by storm and killed most of the garrison. Some of the knights and mercenaries from the local population were taken prisoner, but released, and the traitors from among the Chud were executed.

By the beginning of 1242, Alexander waited for his brother Andrei Yaroslavich with the "grassroots" troops of the Suzdal principality. When the "grassroots" army was still on the way, Alexander with the Novgorod forces marched near Pskov. The city was surrounded by them. The order did not have time to quickly gather reinforcements and send them to the besieged. Pskov was taken, the garrison was killed, and the order's governors (2 knight brothers) in chains were sent to Novgorod. According to the Novgorod First Chronicle of the senior edition (reached us as part of the parchment Synodal list of the XIV century, containing records of the events of 1016-1272 and 1299-1333) “In the summer of 6750 (1242/1243). Prince Oleksandr went with the people of Novgorod and with his brother Andrey and from Nizov to the land of Chud to Nemtsi and Chud and Zaya all the way to Plskov; and drive out the prince of Plskov, seizing Nemtsi and Chud, and fettering the streams to Novgorod, and he himself went to Chud.

All these events took place in March 1242. The knights were only able to concentrate their forces in the Derpt bishopric. The Novgorodians outplayed them in time. Alexander then led troops to Izborsk, his intelligence crossed the border of the Order. One of the reconnaissance detachments was defeated in a collision with the Germans, but in general, Alexander was able to determine that the knights moved with their main forces much further north, to the junction between Pskov and Peipus Lakes. Thus, they went to Novgorod by a short road and cut off the Russian troops in the Pskov region.

The same chronicle says that “And as if bysh on the earth (chud), let the whole regiment live; and Domash Tverdislavichi Kerbet was in dispersal, and I killed Nemtsi and Chud at the bridge and bisha that; and kill that Domash, the brother of the posadnik, the husband is honest, and beat him with him, and take him with his hands, and run to the prince in the regiment; the prince is back on the lake"

Position of Novgorod

The troops that opposed the knights on the ice of Lake Peipsi had a heterogeneous composition, but a single command in the person of Alexander.

"Grassroots regiments" consisted of princely squads, squads of boyars, city regiments. The army sent by Novgorod had a fundamentally different composition. It included the squad of the prince invited to Novgorod (that is, Alexander Nevsky), the squad of the bishop (“lord”), the garrison of Novgorod, who served for a salary (gridi) and was subordinate to the posadnik (however, the garrison could remain in the city itself and not participate in the battle) , Konchansky regiments, militia of settlements and squads of "freemen", private military organizations of boyars and wealthy merchants.

On the whole, the army deployed by Novgorod and the "grassroots" lands was a rather powerful force, distinguished by a high fighting spirit. The total number of Russian troops was 15-17 thousand people, similar numbers were indicated by Henry of Latvia when describing Russian campaigns in the Baltic states in the 1210-1220s.

Position of the Order

According to the Livonian chronicle, for the campaign it was necessary to collect "many brave heroes, brave and excellent" led by the master, plus Danish vassals "with a significant detachment." The militia from Dorpat also participated in the battle. The latter included a large number of Estonians, but there were few knights. The Livonian rhymed chronicle reports that at the time of the encirclement of the knights by the Russian squad, “the Russians had such an army that perhaps sixty people attacked each German”; even if the number "sixty" is a strong exaggeration, the numerical superiority of the Russians over the Germans, most likely, really took place. The number of troops of the Order in the battle on Lake Peipsi is estimated at 10-12 thousand people.

The question of who commanded the troops of the Order in battle is also unresolved. Given the heterogeneous composition of the troops, it is possible that there were several commanders. Despite the recognition of the defeat of the Order, the Livonian sources do not contain information that any of the Order's chiefs was killed or captured

Battle

The opposing armies met on the morning of April 5, 1242. The details of the battle are poorly known, and much can only be guessed at. The German column, pursuing the retreating Russian detachments, apparently received some information from the patrols sent ahead, and already entered the ice of Lake Peipus in battle formation, the bollards walked ahead, followed by a discordant column of “chudins”, after which there was a line knights and sergeants of the Derpt bishop. Apparently, even before the collision with the Russian troops, a small gap formed between the head of the column and the Chud.

The Rhymed Chronicle describes the moment of the beginning of the battle as follows:

Apparently, the archers did not inflict serious losses. Having fired at the Germans, the archers had no choice but to withdraw to the flanks of a large regiment. However, as the Chronicle continues,

In Russian chronicles, this is displayed as follows:

Then the troops of the Teutonic Order were surrounded by Russians and destroyed, other German units retreated to avoid the same fate:

There is a persistent myth, reflected in the cinema, that the ice of Lake Peipsi could not withstand the weight of the armor of the Teutonic Knights and cracked, as a result of which most of the knights simply drowned. Meanwhile, if the battle really took place on the ice of the lake, then it was more profitable for the Order, since the flat surface made it possible to maintain formation during a massive horse attack, which the sources describe. The weight of the full armor of a Russian warrior and an order knight of that time were approximately comparable to each other, and the Russian cavalry could not gain an advantage due to lighter equipment.

Losses

The question of the losses of the parties in the battle is controversial. About Russian losses, it is said vaguely: "many brave soldiers fell." Apparently, the losses of the Novgorodians were really heavy. The losses of the "Germans" are indicated by specific numbers, which cause controversy. Russian chronicles say: “and pade Chyudi beschisla, and Nѣmets 400, and 50 with the hands of Yash and brought to Novgorod ".

The Rhymed Chronicle specifically says that twenty knights died and six were taken prisoner. The discrepancy in estimates can be explained by the fact that the “Chronicle” refers only to “brothers”-knights, not taking into account their squads, in this case, out of 400 Germans who fell on the ice of Lake Peipsi, twenty were real “brothers”-knights, and from 50 captured "brothers" were 6.

According to the conclusions of the expedition of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR under the leadership of Karaev, the site of the Warm Lake, located 400 meters west of the modern shore of Cape Sigovets, between its northern tip and the latitude of the village of Ostrov, can be considered the immediate place of the battle. It should be noted that the battle on a flat surface of ice was more beneficial for the heavy cavalry of the Order, however, it is traditionally believed that Alexander Yaroslavich chose the place to meet the enemy.

Effects

According to the point of view traditional in Russian historiography, this battle, together with the victories of Prince Alexander over the Swedes (July 15, 1240 on the Neva) and over the Lithuanians (in 1245 near Toropets, near Lake Zhiztsa and near Usvyat), was of great importance for Pskov and Novgorod. , delaying the pressure of three serious enemies from the west - at the very time when the rest of Russia was greatly weakened by the Mongol invasion. In Novgorod, the Battle on the Ice, together with the Neva victory over the Swedes, was recalled at litanies in all Novgorod churches back in the 16th century.

The English researcher J. Fannel believes that the significance of the Battle of the Ice (and the Battle of the Neva) is greatly exaggerated: “Alexander did only what the numerous defenders of Novgorod and Pskov did before him and what many did after him - namely, they rushed to protect the extended and vulnerable borders from invaders. The Russian professor I. N. Danilevsky agrees with this opinion. He notes, in particular, that the battle was inferior in scale to the battles of Saul (1236), in which the master of the order and 48 knights were killed by the Lithuanians (20 knights died on Lake Peipsi), and the battle of Rakovor in 1268; contemporary sources even describe the Battle of the Neva in more detail and attach more importance to it. However, even in the Rhymed Chronicle, the Battle of the Ice is unequivocally described as a defeat for the Germans, in contrast to Rakovor.

The memory of the battle

Films

In 1938, Sergei Eisenstein filmed the feature film Alexander Nevsky, in which the Battle on the Ice was filmed. The film is considered one of the most prominent representatives of historical films. It was he who largely shaped the modern viewer's idea of ​​​​the battle.

In 1992, a documentary film "In memory of the past and in the name of the future" was filmed. The film tells about the creation of a monument to Alexander Nevsky on the occasion of the 750th anniversary of the Battle on the Ice.

In 2009, Russian, Canadian and Japanese studios jointly filmed the animated film The First Squad, where the Battle on the Ice plays a key role in the plot.

Music

The musical accompaniment to the Eisenstein film, written by Sergei Prokofiev, is a symphonic suite dedicated to the events of the battle.

Rock band Aria on the album "Hero of Asphalt" released the song " Ballad of an Old Russian Warrior”, telling about the Battle of the Ice. This song has gone through many different adaptations and re-releases.

monuments

Monument to the squads of Alexander Nevsky on Sokolikha

The monument to the squads of Alexander Nevsky was erected in 1993, on Mount Sokolikha in Pskov, almost 100 km away from the real battlefield. Initially, it was planned to create a monument on the island of Voronie, which geographically would be a more accurate solution.

Monument to Alexander Nevsky and Poklonny Cross

In 1992, on the territory of the village of Kobylye Gorodishche, Gdov District, in a place as close as possible to the alleged site of the Battle on the Ice, near the Church of the Archangel Michael, a bronze monument to Alexander Nevsky and a wooden bow cross were erected. The Church of the Archangel Michael was founded by the people of Pskov in 1462. In the annals, the last mention of the legendary "Raven Stone" is associated with this church (Pskov chronicle of 1463). The wooden cross gradually collapsed under the influence of adverse weather conditions. In July 2006, on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of the first mention of the village. Mare Gorodishche in the Pskov Chronicles, it was replaced by a bronze one.

The bronze worship cross was cast in St. Petersburg at the expense of patrons of the Baltic Steel Group (A. V. Ostapenko). The prototype was the Novgorod Alekseevsky cross. The author of the project is A. A. Seleznev. A bronze sign was cast under the direction of D. Gochiyaev by the foundry workers of ZAO NTTsKT, architects B. Kostygov and S. Kryukov. When implementing the project, fragments from the lost wooden cross by sculptor V. Reshchikov were used.

Cultural and sports educational raid expedition

Since 1997, an annual raid expedition has been conducted to the places of feats of arms of Alexander Nevsky's squads. During these trips, the participants of the race help to improve the territories related to the monuments of cultural and historical heritage. Thanks to them, in many places in the North-West, memorial signs were erected in memory of the exploits of Russian soldiers, and the village of Kobylye Gorodishche became known throughout the country.

Due to the variability of the hydrography of Lake Peipsi, historians for a long time could not accurately determine the place where the Battle of the Ice took place. Only thanks to long-term research carried out by the expedition of the Institute of Archeology of the USSR Academy of Sciences, the place of the battle was established. The battle site is submerged in summer and is located approximately 400 meters from the island of Sigovets.

April 18th the next Day of military glory of Russia is celebrated - the Day of the victory of Russian soldiers of Prince Alexander Nevsky over the German knights on Lake Peipsi (Battle on the Ice, 1242). The holiday was established by Federal Law No. 32-FZ of March 13, 1995 "On the days of military glory and memorable dates in Russia."

According to the definition of all modern historical reference books and encyclopedias,

Battle on the Ice(Schlacht auf dem Eise (German), Prœlium glaciale (Latin), also called ice battle or Battle on Lake Peipsi- the battle of Novgorodians and Vladimirians led by Alexander Nevsky against the knights of the Livonian Order on the ice of Lake Peipus - took place on April 5 (in terms of the Gregorian calendar - April 12) 1242.

In 1995, Russian parliamentarians, when adopting a federal law, did not particularly think about the dating of this event. They simply added 13 days to April 5 (as is traditionally done to recalculate the events of the 19th century from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar), completely forgetting that the Battle on the Ice did not happen at all in the 19th, but in the distant 13th century. Accordingly, the "correction" for the modern calendar is only 7 days.

Today, any person who studied at a secondary school is sure that the Battle on the Ice or the Battle of Lake Peipus is considered the general battle of the Teutonic Order's conquest campaign of 1240-1242. The Livonian Order, as you know, was the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order, and was formed from the remnants of the Order of the Sword in 1237. The order waged wars against Lithuania and Russia. The members of the order were "brothers-knights" (warriors), "brothers-priests" (clergy) and "serving-brothers" (squires-artisans). The Knights of the Order were given the rights of the Knights Templar (templars). The hallmark of its members was a white robe with a red cross and a sword on it. The battle between the Livonians and the Novgorod army on Lake Peipus decided the outcome of the campaign in favor of the Russians. It also marked the actual death of the Livonian Order itself. Every schoolboy will enthusiastically tell how, during the battle, the famous Prince Alexander Nevsky and his comrades killed and drowned almost all clumsy, ponderous knights in the lake and liberated Russian lands from German conquerors.

If we ignore the traditional version set forth in all school and some university textbooks, it turns out that almost nothing is known about the famous battle that went down in history under the name of the Battle on the Ice.

Historians to this day break spears in disputes about what were the reasons for the battle? Where exactly did the battle take place? Who took part in it? And was she at all?

Further, I would like to present two not entirely traditional versions, one of which is based on an analysis of well-known chronicle sources about the Battle of the Ice and concerns the assessment of its role and significance by contemporaries. Another was born as a result of the search by amateur enthusiasts for the immediate place of the battle, about which neither archaeologists nor specialist historians still have an unambiguous opinion.

"Battle on the Ice" is reflected in the mass of sources. First of all, this is a complex of the Novgorod-Pskov chronicles and the "Life" of Alexander Nevsky, which exists in more than twenty editions; then - the most complete and ancient Laurentian chronicle, which included a number of chronicles of the XIII century, as well as Western sources - numerous Livonian chronicles.

However, analyzing domestic and foreign sources for many centuries, historians have not been able to come to a consensus: do they tell about a specific battle that took place in 1242 on Lake Peipsi, or are they about different ones?

In most domestic sources, it is recorded that on April 5, 1242, some kind of battle took place on Lake Peipus (or in its area). But to establish reliably its causes, the number of troops, their formation, composition - on the basis of annals and chronicles is not possible. How did the battle develop, who distinguished themselves in the battle, how many Livonians and Russians died? There is no data. How, finally, did Alexander Nevsky prove himself in battle, who is still called the “savior of the fatherland” today? Alas! There are still no answers to any of these questions.

The obvious contradictions that are contained in the Novgorod-Pskov and Suzdal chronicles telling about the Battle of the Ice can be explained by the constant rivalry between Novgorod and the Vladimir-Suzdal lands, as well as the difficult relationship between the Yaroslavich brothers - Alexander and Andrei.

The Grand Duke of Vladimir Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, as you know, saw his youngest son, Andrei, as his successor. In Russian historiography, there is a version that the father wanted to get rid of the elder Alexander, and therefore sent him to reign in Novgorod. The Novgorod "table" at that time was considered almost a block for the Vladimir princes. The political life of the city was ruled by the boyar "veche", and the prince was only a governor, who, in case of external danger, should lead the squad and the militia.

According to the official version of the Novgorod First Chronicle (NPL), for some reason the Novgorodians expelled Alexander from Novgorod after the victorious Battle of the Neva (1240). And when the knights of the Livonian Order captured Pskov and Koporye, they again asked the Vladimir prince to send Alexander to them.

Yaroslav, on the contrary, intended to send Andrei, whom he trusted more, to resolve the difficult situation, but the Novgorodians insisted on the candidacy of Nevsky. There is also a version that the story of the "expulsion" of Alexander from Novgorod is fictional and later. Perhaps it was invented by the "biographers" of Nevsky to justify the surrender of Izborsk, Pskov and Koporye to the Germans. Yaroslav was afraid that Alexander would open the Novgorod gates in the same way to the enemy, but in 1241 he managed to recapture the Koporye fortress from the Livonians, and then take Pskov. However, some sources attribute the date of the liberation of Pskov to the beginning of 1242, when the Vladimir-Suzdal army, led by his brother Andrei Yaroslavich, had already arrived to help Nevsky, and some - to 1244.

According to modern researchers, based on the Livonian chronicles and other foreign sources, the Koporye fortress surrendered to Alexander Nevsky without a fight, and the Pskov garrison consisted of only two Livonian knights with their squires, armed servants and some militiamen from local peoples who joined them (Chud, water, etc.). The composition of the entire Livonian Order in the 40s of the XIII century could not exceed 85-90 knights. That is how many castles at that moment existed on the territory of the Order. One castle, as a rule, put up one knight with squires.

The earliest domestic source that has come down to us mentioning the Battle on the Ice is the Laurentian Chronicle, written by a Suzdal chronicler. It does not mention the participation of the Novgorodians in the battle at all, and Prince Andrei acts as the main character:

“Grand Duke Yaroslav sent his son Andrei to Novgorod to help Alexander against the Germans. Having won over Pskov on the lake and taking many prisoners, Andrei returned with honor to his father.

The authors of numerous editions of the "Life" of Alexander Nevsky, on the contrary, argue that it was after "Battle on the Ice" the name of Alexander became famous "in all countries from the Varangian Sea and to the Pontic Sea, and to the Egyptian Sea, and to the country of Tiberias, and to the mountains of Ararat, even to Rome the Great ...".

According to the Laurentian Chronicle, it turns out that even his closest relatives did not suspect Alexander's worldwide fame.

The most detailed account of the battle is contained in the First Chronicle of Novgorod (NPL). It is believed that in the earliest list of this chronicle (Synodal), the record of the "Battle on the Ice" was made already in the 30s of the XIV century. The Novgorod chronicler does not mention in a word about the participation in the battle of Prince Andrei and the Vladimir-Suzdal squad:

“Alexander and the Novgorodians built regiments on Lake Peipus on Uzmen near the Raven Stone. And the Germans and Chud ran into the regiment, and made their way like a pig through the regiment. And there was a great slaughter of the Germans and Chudi. God helped Prince Alexander. The enemy was driven and beaten seven versts to the Subolichi coast. And countless Chudi fell, and 400 Germans(later scribes rounded this figure to 500, and in this form it entered the history books). Fifty prisoners were brought to Novgorod. The battle took place on the fifth of April on Saturday.

In later versions of the "Life" of Alexander Nevsky (late 16th century), discrepancies with the annalistic news are deliberately eliminated, details borrowed from the NPL are added: the place of the battle, its course and data on losses. The number of killed enemies increases from edition to edition up to 900 (!). In some editions of the "Life" (and there are more than twenty of them in total), there are reports of participation in the battle of the master of the Order and his capture, as well as an absurd fiction that the knights drowned in the water because they were too heavy.

Many historians, who have analyzed in detail the texts of the "Life" of Alexander Nevsky, noted that the description of the massacre in the "Life" gives the impression of a clear literary borrowing. V. I. Mansikka (“The Life of Alexander Nevsky”, St. Petersburg, 1913) believed that the description of the battle between Yaroslav the Wise and Svyatopolk the Accursed was used in the story about the Battle on the Ice. Georgy Fedorov notes that the "Life" of Alexander "is a military heroic story inspired by Roman-Byzantine historical literature (Paleia, Josephus Flavius)", and the description of the "Battle on the Ice" is a copy of the victory of Titus over the Jews at the Lake of Gennesaret from the third book of the "History of the Jewish War" by Josephus Flavius.

I. Grekov and F. Shakhmagonov believe that "the appearance of the battle in all its positions is very similar to the famous battle of Cannes" ("The World of History", p. 78). In general, the story about the "Battle on the Ice" from the early edition of Alexander Nevsky's "Life" is just a general place that can be successfully applied to the description of any battle.

In the 13th century, there were many battles that could become a source of “literary borrowing” for the authors of the story about the “Battle on the Ice”. For example, about ten years before the expected date of writing the "Life" (80s of the XIII century), February 16, 1270, there was a major battle between the Livonian knights and the Lithuanians at Karusen. It also took place on ice, but not on the lake, but on the Gulf of Riga. And his description in the Livonian rhymed chronicle, like two drops of water, is similar to the description of the "Battle on the Ice" in the NPL.

In the Battle of Karusen, as in the Battle of the Ice, the knightly cavalry attacks the center, where the cavalry "gets stuck" in the carts, and bypassing the flanks the enemy completes their defeat. At the same time, in neither case, the winners do not try to somehow take advantage of the result of the defeat of the enemy army, but calmly go home with booty.

The Livonian rhymed chronicle (LRH), telling about a certain battle with the Novgorod-Suzdal army, tends to present not the knights of the order as aggressors, but their opponents - Prince Alexander and his brother Andrei. The authors of the chronicle constantly emphasize the superior forces of the Russians and the small number of knightly troops. According to LRH, the loss of the Order in the Battle of the Ice amounted to twenty knights. Six were taken prisoner. This chronicle does not say anything about the date or place of the battle, but the minstrel's words that the dead fell on the grass (ground) allow us to conclude that the battle was fought not on the ice of the lake, but on land. If the author of the Chronicle understands “grass” (gras) not figuratively (the German idiomatic expression is “fall on the battlefield”), but literally, then it turns out that the battle took place when the ice on the lakes had already melted, or the opponents fought not on ice, but in coastal thickets of reeds:

“In Derpt they learned that Prince Alexander had come with an army to the land of knight brothers, fixing robberies and fires. The bishop ordered the men of the bishopric to hasten to the army of the brother-knights to fight against the Russians. They brought too few people, the army of knight brothers was also too small. However, they agreed to attack the Russians. The Russians had many shooters who courageously accepted the first onslaught. It was evident how a detachment of knight brothers defeated the shooters; there was the sound of swords, and helmets could be seen splitting. On both sides, the dead fell on the grass. Those who were in the army of knight brothers were surrounded. The Russians had such an army that perhaps sixty people attacked each German. The knight brothers stubbornly resisted, but they were defeated there. Some of the Derptians escaped by leaving the battlefield. Twenty knight brothers were killed there, and six were taken prisoner. That was the course of the battle."

The author of LRH does not express the slightest admiration for Alexander's military talents. The Russians managed to encircle part of the Livonian army, not thanks to the talent of Alexander, but because there were much more Russians than Livonians. Even with an overwhelming numerical superiority over the enemy, according to LRH, the troops of Novgorod could not surround the entire Livonian army: part of the Derptians escaped by retreating from the battlefield. Only a small part of the "Germans" - 26 brothers-knights, who preferred death to a shameful flight, got into the environment.

A later source, The Chronicle of Hermann Wartberg, was written one hundred and fifty years after the events of 1240-1242. It contains, rather, an assessment by the descendants of the defeated knights of the significance that the war with the Novgorodians had on the fate of the Order. The author of the chronicle tells about the capture and subsequent loss of Izborsk and Pskov by the Order as major events of this war. However, the Chronicle does not mention any battle on the ice of Lake Peipsi.

Ryussov's Livonian Chronicle, published in 1848 on the basis of earlier editions, says that during the time of Master Konrad (Grand Master of the Teutonic Order in 1239-1241, he died from wounds received in the battle with the Prussians on April 9, 1241) in Novgorod was king Alexander. He (Alexander) learned that under Master Herman von Salt (Master of the Teutonic Order in 1210-1239), the Teutons captured Pskov. With a large army, Alexander takes Pskov. The Germans fight hard, but are defeated. Seventy knights died with many Germans. Six brother knights are captured and tortured to death.

Some domestic historians interpret the messages of Ryussov's Chronicle in the sense that seventy knights, whose death he mentions, fell during the capture of Pskov. But it's not right. In the Ryussov Chronicle, all the events of 1240-1242 are combined into one whole. This Chronicle does not mention such events as the capture of Izborsk, the defeat of the Pskov army near Izborsk, the construction of a fortress in Koporye and its capture by the Novgorodians, the Russian invasion of Livonia. Thus, “seventy knights and many Germans” are the total losses of the Order (more precisely, Livonians and Danes) throughout the war.

Another difference between the Livonian Chronicles and the NPL is the number and fate of the captured knights. Ryussov's chronicle reports six prisoners, and the Novgorod chronicle reports fifty. The captured knights, whom Alexander proposes to exchange for soap in Eisenstein's film, were "tortured to death" according to LRH. The NPL writes that the Germans offered peace to the Novgorodians, one of the conditions of which was the exchange of prisoners: “what if we captured your husbands, we will exchange them: we will let yours in, and you will let us in.” But did the captured knights live to see the exchange? There is no information about their fate in Western sources.

Judging by the Livonian chronicles, the clash with the Russians in Livonia was a secondary event for the knights of the Teutonic Order. It is reported only in passing, and the death of the Livonian Laidmastership of the Teutons (Livonian Order) in the battle on Lake Peipsi does not find any confirmation at all. The order continued to exist successfully until the 16th century (it was destroyed during the Livonian War in 1561).

Place of battle

Until the end of the 20th century, the places of burial of soldiers who died during the Battle of the Ice remained unknown, as well as the place of the battle itself. Landmarks of the place where the battle took place are indicated in the Novgorod First Chronicle (NPL): "On Lake Peipsi, near the tract Uzmen, near the Raven Stone." Local legends specify that the battle was just outside the village of Samolva. In the ancient chronicles, there is no mention of the Voronii Island (or any other island) near the place of the battle. They talk about the battle on the ground, on the grass. Ice is mentioned only in later editions of Alexander Nevsky's Life.

The past centuries have weathered from the history and memory of people information about the location of mass graves, the Raven Stone, the Uzmen tract and the degree of population of these places. For many centuries, the Raven Stone and other buildings have been wiped off the face of the earth in these places. Elevations and monuments of mass graves were leveled with the surface of the earth. The attention of historians was attracted by the name of the Voronii Island, where they hoped to find the Voronii Stone. The hypothesis that the massacre took place near the island of Voronii was taken as the main version, although it contradicted chronicle sources and common sense. The question remained unclear which way Nevsky went to Livonia (after the liberation of Pskov), and from there to the site of the upcoming battle at the Raven Stone, near the Uzmen tract, behind the village of Samolva (it must be understood that from the opposite side of Pskov).

Reading the existing interpretation of the Battle on the Ice, the question involuntarily arises: why did the troops of Nevsky, as well as the heavy cavalry of the knights, have to go through Lake Peipsi on spring ice to Voronii Island, where even in severe frosts the water does not freeze in many places? It should be taken into account that the beginning of April for these places is a warm period of time. Testing the hypothesis about the location of the battle near Voronii Island dragged on for many decades. This time was enough for it to take a firm place in all history textbooks, including military ones. Our future historians, military men, commanders gain knowledge from these textbooks... Given the low validity of this version, in 1958 a comprehensive expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences was created to determine the true location of the battle on April 5, 1242. The expedition worked from 1958 to 1966. Large-scale studies were carried out, a number of interesting discoveries were made that expanded knowledge about this region, about the presence of an extensive network of ancient waterways between the Chudskoye and Ilmen lakes. However, it was not possible to find the burial places of the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Ice, as well as the Raven Stone, the Uzmen tract and traces of the battle (including the Voronii Island). This is clearly stated in the report of the complex expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The secret remained unsolved.

After that, allegations appeared that in ancient times the dead were taken with them for burial in their homeland, therefore, they say, burials cannot be found. But did they take all the dead with them? How did they deal with the dead enemy soldiers, with the dead horses? A clear answer was not given to the question why Prince Alexander went from Livonia not under the protection of the walls of Pskov, but to the region of Lake Peipsi - to the place of the upcoming battle. At the same time, for some reason, historians paved the way for Alexander Nevsky and the knights through Lake Peipsi, ignoring the presence of an ancient crossing near the village of Bridges in the south of Lake Warm. The history of the Battle on the Ice is of interest to many local historians and lovers of national history.

For many years, a group of Moscow enthusiasts-lovers of the ancient history of Russia with the direct participation of I.E. Koltsov. The task before this group was, it would seem, almost insoluble. It was necessary to find burial places hidden in the ground related to this battle, the remains of the Raven Stone, the Uzmen tract, etc., hidden in the ground on a large territory of the Gdovsky district of the Pskov region. It was necessary to "look" inside the earth and choose what was directly related to the Battle of the Ice. Using methods and instruments widely used in geology and archeology (including dowsing, etc.), the group members plotted on the terrain plan the alleged sites of the mass graves of the soldiers of both sides who fell in this battle. These burials are located in two zones to the east of the village of Samolva. One of the zones is located half a kilometer north of the village of Tabory and one and a half kilometers from Samolva. The second zone with the largest number of burials is 1.5-2 km north of the village of Tabory and about 2 km east of Samolva.

It can be assumed that the knights were wedged into the ranks of Russian soldiers in the area of ​​the first burial (the first zone), while the main battle and encirclement of the knights took place in the area of ​​the second zone. The encirclement and defeat of the knights was facilitated by additional troops from the Suzdal archers, who arrived here the day before from Novgorod, led by A. Nevsky's brother, Andrei Yaroslavich, but who were in ambush before the battle. Studies have shown that in those distant times in the area south of the village of Kozlovo (more precisely, between Kozlov and Tabory) there was some kind of fortified outpost of the Novgorodians. It is possible that there was an old "gorodets" (before the transfer, or the construction of a new gorodets on the site where Kobylye Gorodishe is now located). This outpost (gorodets) was located 1.5-2 km from the village of Tabory. He was hidden behind the trees. Here, behind the earthen ramparts of the fortification that no longer exists, was the detachment of Andrei Yaroslavich, hidden in an ambush before the battle. It was here, and only here, that Prince Alexander Nevsky sought to unite with him. At a critical moment in the battle, an ambush regiment could go behind the knights, surround them and ensure victory. This was repeated later during the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380.

The discovery of the burial area of ​​the dead soldiers made it possible to draw a confident conclusion that the battle took place here, between the villages of Tabory, Kozlovo and Samolva. The place is relatively flat. The troops of Nevsky from the north-western side (on the right hand) were protected by the weak spring ice of Lake Peipsi, and on the eastern side (on the left hand) - by the wooded part, where fresh forces of Novgorodians and Suzdalians were in ambush, settled in a fortified town. The knights advanced from the south side (from the village of Tabory). Not knowing about the Novgorod reinforcements and feeling their military superiority in strength, they, without hesitation, rushed into battle, falling into the "nets" placed. From here it can be seen that the battle itself was on land, not far from the shore of Lake Peipsi. By the end of the battle, the knightly army was driven back to the spring ice of the Zhelchinskaya Bay of Lake Peipus, where many of them died. Their remains and weapons are now located half a kilometer northwest of the Church of Kobylye Gorodische at the bottom of this bay.

Our research also determined the location of the former Raven Stone on the northern outskirts of the village of Tabory - one of the main landmarks of the Battle of the Ice. Centuries have destroyed the stone, but its underground part still rests under the layers of cultural layers of the earth. This stone is represented on the miniature of the Chronicle of the Battle on the Ice in the form of a stylized statue of a raven. In ancient times, it had a cult purpose, symbolizing wisdom and longevity, like the legendary Blue Stone, which is located in the city of Pereslavl-Zalessky on the shores of Lake Pleshcheyevo.

In the area where the remains of the Raven Stone were located, there was an ancient temple with underground passages that also went to the Uzmen tract, where there were fortifications. Traces of former ancient underground structures testify to the fact that there were once also ground-based religious and other structures made of stone and brick.

Now, knowing the burial places of the soldiers of the Battle of the Ice (the place of the battle) and again referring to the chronicle materials, it can be argued that Alexander Nevsky with his troops went to the area of ​​the upcoming battle (to the Samolva area) from the south side, on the heels of which the knights followed. In the "Novgorod First Chronicle of the Senior and Junior Editions" it is said that, having freed Pskov from the knights, Nevsky himself went to the possessions of the Livonian Order (pursuing the knights to the west of Lake Pskov), where he let his soldiers live. The Livonian Rhymed Chronicle testifies that the invasion was accompanied by fires and the removal of people and livestock. Upon learning of this, the Livonian bishop sent troops of knights to meet them. The stopping point of Nevsky was somewhere halfway between Pskov and Derpt, not far from the border of the confluence of the Pskov and Warm lakes. There was a traditional crossing near the village of Bridges. A. Nevsky, in turn, having found out about the performance of the knights, did not return to Pskov, but, having crossed to the eastern shore of the Warm Lake, hurried northward to the Uzmen tract, leaving a detachment of Domash and Kerbet in the rear guard. This detachment entered into battle with the knights and was defeated. The burial place of warriors from the detachment of Domash and Kerbet is located at the southeastern outskirts of Chudskiye Zahody.

Academician Tikhomirov M.N. believed that the first skirmish between the detachment of Domash and Kerbet and the knights took place on the eastern shore of the Warm Lake near the village of Chudskaya Rudnitsa (see "Battle on the Ice", ed. of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, series "History and Philosophy", M., 1951, No. 1 , vol. VII, pp. 89-91). This area is much south of vil. Samolva. The knights also crossed over at the Bridges, pursuing A. Nevsky to the village of Tabory, where the battle began.

The place of the Battle of the Ice in our time is located away from busy roads. You can get here on the overhead, and then on foot. This is probably why many authors of numerous articles and scientific papers about this battle have never been to Lake Peipus, preferring the silence of an office and a fantasy far from life. It is curious that this area near Lake Peipus is interesting in historical, archaeological and other terms. In these places there are ancient burial mounds, mysterious dungeons, etc. There are also periodic appearances of UFOs and the mysterious Bigfoot (north of the Zhelcha River). So, an important stage of work has been carried out to determine the location of the mass graves (burials) of the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Ice, the remains of the Raven Stone, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe old and new settlements and a number of other objects associated with the battle. More detailed studies of the battle area are now needed. It's up to the archaeologists.