In what year was the Battle of the Ice?

One of the bright pages of Russian history, which for many centuries excites the imagination of boys and interests historians is the Battle of Ice or the battle on Lake Peipsi. In this battle, Russian troops from two cities, Novgorod and Vladimir, led by the young prince Alexander Yaroslavovich, who at that time bore the nickname of Nevsky, defeated the troops of the Livonian Order.

In what year was the massacre? The battle on Lake Peipsi occurred on April 5, 1242. This was a decisive battle in the war with the forces of the Order, who, under the pretext of spreading their faith, procured new lands for themselves. By the way, this war is often referred to as a war with the Germans, however, this is not entirely true. The Livonian Order was located in the Baltic States. The army consisted of the knights of the order with their retinue, their Danish vassals and militiamen from the Chud, the ancestors of modern Estonians. And the word "German" in those days called those who do not speak Russian.

The war that ended on the ice of the Peipsi Lake began in 1240, and at first the superiority was in the direction of Livontsi: they took cities such as Pskov and Izhorsk. After this, the invaders began to seize the Novgorod lands. Up to Novgorod they did not reach any 30 km. I must say that by that time Alexander Yaroslavovich was in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, where he was forced to leave Novgorod. At the end of the year 40 the city dwellers called the prince back, and he, ignoring the old grievances, led the Novgorod army.

Already in 1241 he defeated most of the Novgorod lands from Livonians, as well as Pskov. In the spring of 1242, a reconnaissance detachment left the stronghold of the Livonian Order, the city of Derpt. At 18 versts from the starting point they met with a detachment of Rusich. It was a small detachment, marching in front of the main forces of Prince Alexander Nevsky. Due to an easy victory, the Knights of the Order were inclined to believe that the main forces would be able to win simply as well. That's why they decided to give a decisive battle.

Towards Nevsky all the troops of the order led by the master himself left. With the forces of Novgorod they met at Lake Peipsi. In the chronicles it is mentioned that the Battle of the Ice took place near the Crow Stone, but historians do not exactly determine where this happened. There is a version that the battle took place near the island, which to this day is called Raven. Others believe that Crow was called a small rock, which now under the influence of wind and water turned into sandstone. And some historians on the basis of the Prussian chronicles, in which it is said that the dead knights fell into the grass, draw conclusions that the battle actually occurred near the shore, so to speak, in the reeds.

The knights, as usual, lined up with a pig. Such a name bore the battle formation, in which all weak troops were put in the middle, and cavalry covered them from the front and flanks. Nevsky also met his opponents, having built his weakest troops, namely the infantry, into a battle formation, called the heels. Wars were built like the Roman letter V, a notch forward. Enemy wars entered this cavity and immediately appeared between two lines of opponents.

Thus, Alexander Yaroslavovich imposed on the knights a long battle, instead of the usual victorious march through the enemy detachments. Frozen in the battle with the infantry invaders, from the flanks attacked the heavily armed troops of the left and right hands. Such a turn of events for them was completely unexpected, and in confusion, they began to retreat, and after a while it's just shamefully to run. At this point, the cavalry regiment entered the battle.

The Russians drove their adversary through the Lake Peipsi. It is believed that it was at this point that part of the enemy troops went under the ice. It is widely believed that this was due to the heavier arming of the Knights of the Order. For the sake of justice it is necessary to say that this is not so. Heavy armor of knights was invented only a few centuries later. And in the XIII century their weapons were no different from the armaments of the prince's Russian warrior: helmet, chain mail, breastplate, shoulder pads, leggings and bracers. And this equipment was not at all. Failed for the ice knights completely for another reason. Presumably Nevsky drove them to that part of the lake, where, due to various characteristics, the ice was not as strong as in other places.

There are other versions. Some facts, namely the fact that the record of the drowned knights appears only in the chronicles since the XIV century, and in those that were composed hot on it there is not a word, and the fact that at the bottom of the lake has not yet been found any Traces of the knights of the Livonian Order, suggest that this is only a beautiful legend that has nothing to do with reality.

Whatever it was, the Battle of the Ice ended with the complete rout of the Order. Saved only those who closed the system, that is, the master himself and some of his associates. Subsequently, peace was concluded on conditions that were extremely advantageous for Russia. The invaders refused all claims to the conquered cities and ceased military operations. The boundaries established in those days were relevant for several centuries.

Thus, it is clear that the Battle of the Ice of 1242 proved the superiority of the Russian troops, as well as Russian combat techniques, tactics and strategy over the European ones.