Sources brought to us very scarce information about the Battle of the Ice. This contributed to the fact that the battle was gradually overgrown with a large number of myths and conflicting facts.

Mongols again

The battle on Lake Peipsi is not entirely correct to call the victory of Russian squads over German chivalry, since the enemy, according to modern historians, was a coalition force that included, in addition to the Germans, Danish knights, Swedish mercenaries and a militia consisting of Estonians (chud).

It is quite possible that the troops led by Alexander Nevsky were not exclusively Russian. The Polish historian of German origin Reinhold Heidenstein (1556-1620) wrote that Alexander Nevsky was pushed to battle by the Mongol Khan Batu (Batu) and sent his detachment to help him.
This version has the right to life. The middle of the 13th century was marked by a confrontation between the Horde and Western European troops. So, in 1241, Batu's troops defeated the Teutonic knights in the Battle of Legnica, and in 1269, the Mongolian detachments helped the Novgorodians defend the walls of the city from the invasion of the Crusaders.

Who went under water?

In Russian historiography, one of the factors that contributed to the victory of the Russian troops over the Teutonic and Livonian knights was called the fragile spring ice and the bulky armor of the crusaders, which led to the massive flooding of the enemy. However, according to the historian Nikolai Karamzin, the winter that year was long and the spring ice preserved the fortress.

However, it is difficult to determine how much ice could withstand a large number of warriors dressed in armor. Researcher Nikolai Chebotarev notes: “It is impossible to say who was heavier or lighter armed at the Battle of the Ice, because there was no uniform as such.”
Heavy plate armor appeared only in the XIV-XV centuries, and in the XIII century the main type of armor was chain mail, over which a leather shirt with steel plates could be worn. Based on this fact, historians suggest that the weight of the equipment of the Russian and order warriors was approximately the same and reached 20 kilograms. If we assume that the ice could not support the weight of a warrior in full gear, then the sunken ones should have been on both sides.
It is interesting that in the Livonian rhymed chronicle and in the original version of the Novgorod chronicle there is no information that the knights fell through the ice - they were added only a century after the battle.
On Voronii Island, near which Cape Sigovets is located, due to the peculiarities of the current, there is rather weak ice. This gave rise to some researchers to suggest that the knights could fall through the ice exactly there when they crossed a dangerous area during the retreat.

Where was the massacre?

Researchers to this day cannot accurately establish the place where the Battle of the Ice took place. Novgorod sources, as well as historian Nikolai Kostomarov, say that the battle was near the Raven Stone. But the stone itself has never been found. According to some, it was a high sandstone, washed away over time, others argue that this stone is the Crow Island.
Some researchers are inclined to believe that the massacre is not at all connected with the lake, since the accumulation of a large number of heavily armed warriors and cavalry would make it impossible to conduct a battle on thin April ice.
In particular, these conclusions are based on the Livonian rhymed chronicle, which reports that "on both sides the dead fell on the grass." This fact is also supported by modern research using the latest equipment on the bottom of Lake Peipsi, during which neither weapons nor armor of the XIII century were found. The excavations also failed on the shore. However, this is not difficult to explain: armor and weapons were very valuable booty, and even damaged ones could be quickly carried away.
However, back in Soviet times, the expeditionary group of the Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Sciences, led by Georgy Karaev, established the alleged place of the battle. According to researchers, this was a section of the Warm Lake, located 400 meters west of Cape Sigovets.

Number of parties

Soviet historians, determining the number of forces clashed on Lake Peipsi, state that the troops of Alexander Nevsky numbered approximately 15-17 thousand people, and the number of German knights reached 10-12 thousand.
Modern researchers consider such figures to be clearly overestimated. In their opinion, the order could give no more than 150 knights, who were joined by about 1.5 thousand knights (soldiers) and 2 thousand militias. They were opposed by squads from Novgorod and Vladimir in the amount of 4-5 thousand soldiers.
It is rather difficult to determine the true balance of forces, since the number of German knights is not indicated in the annals. But they can be counted by the number of castles in the Baltic, which, according to historians, in the middle of the XIII century was no more than 90.
Each castle was owned by one knight, who could take from 20 to 100 people from mercenaries and servants on a campaign. In this case, the maximum number of soldiers, excluding the militia, could not exceed 9 thousand people. But, most likely, the real figures are much more modest, since some of the knights died in the Battle of Legnica the year before.
With confidence, modern historians can only say one thing: none of the opposing sides had significant superiority. Perhaps Lev Gumilyov was right, assuming that the Russians and the Teutons gathered 4 thousand soldiers each.

Victims

The number of those killed in the Battle of the Ice is as difficult to calculate as the number of participants. The Novgorod Chronicle reports on the victims of the enemy: “and the fall of Chud was beschisla, and Nemets 400, and 50 with the hands of a yash and brought to Novgorod.” But the Livonian rhymed chronicle speaks of only 20 dead and 6 captured knights, though not mentioning the victims among the soldiers and the militia. The Chronicle of Grandmasters, written later, reports the death of 70 order knights.
But none of the chronicles contain information about the losses of Russian troops. There is no consensus on this matter among historians, although according to some reports, the losses of Alexander Nevsky's troops were no less than those of the enemy.

One of the most significant events in medieval Russian history was the Battle of the Ice in 1242, which took place on April 5 on the ice of Lake Peipus. The battle summed up the war that lasted almost two years between the Livonian Order and the northern Russian lands - the Novgorod and Pskov republics. This battle went down in history as a vivid example of the heroism of Russian soldiers who defended the freedom and independence of the country from foreign invaders.

Historical context and the beginning of the war

The end of the first half of the 13th century was very difficult and tragic for Russia. In 1237-1238, it swept through the northeastern principalities. Dozens of cities were destroyed and burned, people were killed or taken into captivity. The territory of the country was in severe desolation. In 1240, the western campaign of the Mongols began, during which the blow fell on the southern principalities. This situation was decided to take advantage of the western and northern neighbors of Russia - the Livonian Order, Sweden and Denmark.

Back in 1237, Pope Gregory IX announced another crusade against the "pagans" who inhabited Finland. The fighting of the Order of the Sword against the local population in the Baltic States continued throughout the first half of the 13th century. Repeatedly German knights undertook campaigns against Pskov and Novgorod. In 1236, the swordsmen became part of the more powerful Teutonic Order. The new formation was called the Livonian Order.

In July 1240, the Swedes attacked Russia. Prince Alexander Yaroslavich of Novgorod quickly set out with a retinue and defeated the invaders at the mouth of the Neva. It was for this feat of arms that the commander received the honorary nickname Nevsky. In August of the same year, the Livonian knights began hostilities. First, they captured the fortress of Izborsk, and after the siege - and Pskov. In Pskov they left their deputies. The following year, the Germans began to devastate Novgorod lands, rob merchants, and drive the population into captivity. Under these conditions, the Novgorodians asked Prince Yaroslav of Vladimir to send his son Alexander, who reigned in Pereyaslavl.

Actions of Alexander Yaroslavich

Arriving in Novgorod, Alexander first decided to avert the immediate threat. To this end, a campaign was undertaken against the Livonian fortress Koporye, built not far from the Gulf of Finland, on the territory of the Vod tribe. The fortress was taken and destroyed, and the remnants of the German garrison were taken prisoner.

Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich Nevsky. Years of life 1221 - 1263

In the spring of 1242, Alexander set out on a campaign against Pskov. In addition to his squad, he was accompanied by the Vladimir-Suzdal squad of Andrei's younger brother and the regiment of the Novgorod militia. Having liberated Pskov from the Livonians, Alexander reinforced his army with the Pskovs who joined and continued the campaign. Having crossed into the territory of the Order, intelligence was sent forward. The main forces were deployed "in prosperity", that is, in local villages and villages.

The course of the battle

The advance detachment met the German knights and entered into battle with them. In front of superior forces, the Russian soldiers had to retreat. After the reconnaissance returned, Alexander deployed his troops, "backward" back to the shore of Lake Peipsi. A convenient place for the battle was chosen here. Russian troops stood on the eastern shore of Uzmen (a small lake or strait between Lake Peipsi and Pskov), not far from the Raven Stone.

Battle map

The place was chosen in such a way that right behind the backs of the soldiers there was a wooded snow-covered shore, on which the movement of the cavalry was difficult. At the same time, the Russian troops were in shallow water, which froze to the very bottom and could easily withstand many armed people. But on the territory of the lake itself there were areas with loose ice - sigovitsy.

The battle began with a heavy Livonian cavalry ramming directly into the center of the Russian formation. It is believed that here Alexander placed the weaker Novgorod militia, and put professional squads on the flanks. Such a construction gave a serious advantage. The knights were stuck in the center after the blow, breaking through the ranks of the defenders could not turn around on the shore, having no room for maneuver. At this time, the Russian cavalry struck at the flanks, surrounding the enemy.

The Chud warriors, allied with the Livonians, walked behind the knights and were the first to scatter. The chronicle notes that a total of 400 Germans were killed, 50 were taken prisoner, and Chudi died "without number." The Sofia Chronicle says that part of the Livonians died in the lake. Having defeated the enemy, the Russian army returned to Novgorod, taking prisoners.

The meaning of the battle

The first brief information about the battle is contained in the Novgorod Chronicle. Subsequent chronicles and lives of Nevsky provide additional information. Today there is a lot of popular literature devoted to the description of the battle. Here, the emphasis is often placed on colorful pictures rather than on correspondence with real events. The brief content of books for children rarely allows you to fully describe the entire historical outline of the battle.

Historians assess the strength of the parties in different ways. Traditionally, the number of troops is called approximately 12-15 thousand people on each side. At that time, these were very serious armies. True, German sources claim that only a few dozen "brothers" died in the battle. However, here we are talking only about the members of the Order, of which there have never been many. In fact, these were officers, under whose command were ordinary knights and auxiliary warriors - knechts. In addition, along with the Germans, allies from the Chud took part in the war, which the Livonian sources did not even take into account.

The defeat of the German knights in 1242 was of great importance for the situation in the north-west of Russia. Under the conditions, it was very important to stop the advance of the Order on the Russian lands for a long time. The next serious war with the Livonians will take place only in more than 20 years.

Prince Alexander Nevsky, who commanded the combined forces, was later canonized. In the history of Russia, the order named after the famous commander was established twice - for the first time, the second time - during the Great Patriotic War.

Of course, it is worth saying that the roots of this event go back to the era of the Crusades. And it is not possible to analyze them in more detail within the framework of the text. However, in our training courses there is a 1.5 hour video lesson that, in the form of a presentation, analyzes all the nuances of this difficult topic. Become a member of our training courses

Before my first year of university, I was sure that I knew the history of the Battle on the Ice. The legend that Russian soldiers by cunning defeated the knights of the Livonian order. And here at the university they are asked to find and analyze a problematic historical article. And then I was surprised to find out that everything I knew about the Battle of the Ice is a lie.

What year was the Battle of the Ice

Perhaps the only truth from my knowledge was that The battle on the ice took place in 1242. Presumably in the beginning of April. It's a long time ago, so, you know, the exact date cannot be determined. However, historians, based on the annals, say,that the battle was exactly on the 5th. What other facts are known for certain about the battle:

• the Danish king and the master of the Order decided to divide Estonia and, with the help of the Swedes, defeat the power of Russia. The Swedes, as you know, lost on the Neva, and Order followed them.
• Russia was defended by Novgorodians and representatives of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality in the amount of 15-17 thousand people.
• The Livonian Order and Denmark were represented by 10-12 thousand people.

The battle led by Alexander Nevsky is also called the Battle of Lake Peipus.. It is this very lake that haunts the Russian people and creates one of the main myths of Russian history.

The myth of the Battle of the Ice

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you remember the Battle of the Ice? I am sure that many will answer that the battle on Lake Peipsi was won because the knights put on too heavy armor. The ice cracked. And the warriors bravely sank. And the Russians, dressed in lighter chain mail, of course, avoided this fatal trouble. For some reason, it even seems to me that we were told about this at school. But - All lies. The knights didn't drown. And that's why:

• in historical sources (chronicles) there is no mention of this generally;
• weight of equipment of the Livonian warrior and Russian about same;
• the exact geographical location of the battle has never been found, the battle was most likely on a dry shore.

So where did the beautiful tale come from that the knights sank under the weight of their armor? This legend has no ancient roots. Everything is much more prosaic. In 1938 Eisenstein and Vasiliev made the film "Alexander Nevsky", which included for entertainment a scene with the sinking of enemies. This is the story of the battle that took place in 1242 and overgrown with a beautiful legend already in the 20th century.

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Last year we rested on the shores of Lake Peipsi. Before the trip, I decided to refresh my memory of the history of our country, and the further I plunged into the study of the famous Battle on the Ice, the more I realized that my understanding of many significant facts of the battle was very different from how it actually happened.

When was the Battle of the Ice

Perhaps the only thing historians agree on about this battle is its year. The battle on the ice took place in April 1242 on Lake Peipus between the knights of the Livonian Order and Novgorod troops led by Alexander Nevsky.

It is worth noting that a number of scientists believe that there was no battle at all. In their theory, they rely on the fact that its exact place has not yet been determined, no knightly armor and other traces of the ongoing battle have been found in the vicinity of the lake. Others argue that the significance of this historical event is greatly exaggerated, but in fact it was an ordinary inter-feudal skirmish. But these theories are refuted by the data of Russian and German chronicles.

Truth and myths about the Battle of the Ice

The main myth sounds like this: Novgorod Prince Alexander Nevsky meets hordes of German knights on the ice of the lake, where heavily armed knights suffer a crushing defeat, and, retreating, fall through the ice.

The real facts look a little different:

• No more than 90 knights could participate in the battle. In the Baltic States, the Order had just such a number of castles by 1290. The rest of the army was a retinue, which could reach up to 100 people for each noble warrior.
• Nevsky made an alliance with Batu Khan, who helped Novgorod defeat the foreign invaders.
• The prince did not plan to deliberately lure the knights onto thin ice so that they would drown under the weight of their armor. Russian combatants were equipped no worse than the Germans, and such a strategy would have been suicidal.
• The victorious strategy consisted in the fact that Nevsky built the weakest part of his army in the central part of his army - the infantry, and the main forces struck at the flanks of the advancing "pig" enemy.

The victory in the Battle of the Ice helped stop the expansion of the Livonian Order in Russia. This was the first example of the defeat of a knightly army by infantry.

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I live in the Pskov region, so I was lucky enough to walk around the places of the great battle more than once. On excursions, I always experienced twofold sensations: on the one hand, pride in the glorious warriors, on the other, sadness. After all, war is war - these are human sacrifices, first of all.

How was the Battle of the Ice

The battle on the ice is a famous battle that took place on the ice of Lake Peipus, the piggy bank of knowledge about it is replenished every year with new facts. Sometimes invented.

But, nevertheless, it is known for sure that in 1238 landmeister Hermann Balk and the Danish king Valdemar decided to divide Estonia among themselves and capture Russia. It was during this period that the defensive forces of Russia were weaker than ever. They were exhausted by constant Mongol invasions.

The following military forces fought:

• Swedes and Livonian knights;
• squad of Yaroslav Vladimirovich;
• Estonian army;
• Derptian army.

The year in which the Battle of the Ice took place

They began their offensive in 1240. In the same year, the Swedish troops were completely overthrown on the Neva.

The land battle continued for another 2 years, until in 1242 the main Russian detachments entered the ice of Lake Peipus in order to conduct 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 of the Livonian Order - from the enemy.

Results

But, on whose side the victory turned out, there are still disputes. Some claim that she was behind Nevsky, others that she was not in a draw at all. Because in the same year Herman Balk and the Teutonic Order:

• abandoned all previously captured Russian territories;
• concluded a peace agreement with Novgorod;
• returned the prisoners to their homeland.

True, 10 years later they again attacked Pskov, but that's a completely different story ...

In memory of the Battle of the Ice

It was quite an important event in the life of Russia, so 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.

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Some consider the Battle of the Ice to be one of the main events of our ancient history, others attribute it to local battles that did not differ in scale or historical significance. For me, this is a good reason to get to know this corner of Russia better, where once knightly armor rattled and Novgorodians and Suzdalians, led by Alexander Nevsky, harrowed their native Russia.

When did the Battle of the Ice happen?

It is this date that is indicated in the Novgorod First Chronicle, which describes the massacre in more detail. Even the day of the week when it happened is Saturday. But in the Livonian rhymed chronicle (Russian troops fought with the knights of the Livonian Order, which was an offshoot of the Teutonic Order), where the battle is mentioned, it is noted that the dead fell into the grass. It turns out that the battle was later, since in these parts at the beginning of April there is still no grass

Historical places

About the affairs of bygone years in the Pskov region remind:

the Battle on the Ice monument, which was opened in 1993 near Pskov, on Mount Sokolikha;

Kobyle Settlement - an ancient village near the battlefield;

a museum in the village of Samolva, which contains materials from a scientific expedition that studied the events of 1242.

There are not even two dozen inhabitants in the Kobylye Settlement now. But this place has been inhabited since time immemorial and is mentioned in ancient chronicles. The Church of the Archangel Michael, built in 1462, testifies to the past prosperity. The Battle on the Ice is reminiscent of the Poklonny Cross and the monument to Alexander Nevsky.

A new chance for the development of these places was the Alexander Nevsky Silver Ring rally, which was invented and implemented by St. Petersburg residents. Every summer, starting from 1997, they start from the northern capital and make their way through the preserved fortresses and monasteries of the Leningrad, Novgorod, Pskov regions to Kobylye Gorodishche. The rally participants have already landscaped this historical place and installed a new chapel.

Losses

Monument to the squads of A. Nevsky on Mount Sokolikh

The question of the losses of the parties in the battle is controversial. About Russian losses, it is said vaguely: "many brave warriors fell." Apparently, the losses of the Novgorodians were really heavy. The losses of the knights are indicated by specific numbers, which cause controversy. Russian chronicles, and after them domestic historians, say that about five hundred people were killed by the knights, and the Chudi were “pade beschisla”, as if fifty “brothers”, “deliberate governors” were taken prisoner. Four hundred or five hundred killed knights is a completely unrealistic figure, since there were not such a number in the entire 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 Rhymed Chronicle specifically says that twenty knights died and six were taken prisoner. Most likely, the "Chronicle" refers only to the "brothers" - knights, not taking into account their squads and the Chud recruited into the army. The Novgorod First Chronicle says that 400 "Germans" fell in the battle, 50 were taken prisoner, and the "chud" is also discounted: "beschisla". Apparently, they suffered really serious losses.

So, it is possible that 400 German cavalry soldiers really fell on the ice of Lake Peipsi (twenty of them were real "brothers" - knights), and 50 Germans (of which 6 were "brothers") were captured by the Russians. The Life of Alexander Nevsky claims that the prisoners then walked near their horses during the joyful entry of Prince Alexander into Pskov.

According to the conclusions of the expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences led by Karaev, the immediate place of the battle can be considered a section 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. It should be noted that the battle on a flat ice surface 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, holding back the pressure of three serious enemies from the west - at the very time when the rest of Russia was suffering heavy losses from princely strife and the consequences of the Tatar conquest. In Novgorod, the Battle of the Germans on the Ice was remembered for a long time: together with the Neva victory over the Swedes, it was remembered in litanies in all Novgorod churches as early as 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 near Siauliai (city), in which the master of the order and 48 knights were killed by the Lithuanians (20 knights died on Lake Peipsi), and the battle near 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

Music

The Eisenstein film score, composed by Sergei Prokofiev, is a symphonic suite commemorating the events of the battle.

Monument to Alexander Nevsky and Poklonny Cross

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. During the implementation of 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.

Notes

Literature

Links

• On the issue of writing the concept of the Museum-Reserve "Battle on the Ice", Gdov, November 19-20, 2007
• The place of the victory of Russian troops over the German knights in 1242 // Monuments of history and culture of Pskov and the Pskov region, which are under state protection

by Notes of the Wild Mistress

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 Voroniy 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 burial places 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, which 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.