Symbol of Russia, name of Russia, great commander Prince Alexander Nevsky was one of the most significant figures Ancient Rus' XIII century. He was famous both as a military leader and as a wise politician. His activities were of unsurpassed importance for the construction Russian state. He remained forever in people's memory. His contemporaries loved him, his descendants are proud of him. Immediately after his death, “The Tale of the Life of Alexander Nevsky” appeared, describing the life and victories of this great man. The death of the prince was a big blow for everyone. He is canonized and officially canonized in 1547.
What are the merits of Alexander Nevsky? This noble prince, like all people, was not ideal. He had his advantages and disadvantages. But throughout the centuries, information has remained about him as a wise ruler, a valiant military leader, a merciful and virtuous person.
The 13th century is a time in the history of our people when there was no centralized power, feudal princes ruled their estates and waged internecine wars. All this made the Russian land helpless in the face of the impending danger in the face of the Tatar-Mongols. During this difficult time for Rus', in 1231, Alexander became the Grand Duke of Novgorod. But his father, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, had real power, and Alexander took part in military campaigns with his father.
In 1236, when his father took the throne of Kiev, Alexander became the rightful ruler of Novgorod. He was 16 years old then. Already in 1237-1238, Batu’s hordes destroyed many Russian cities: Vladimir, Ryazan, Suzdal. It was not particularly difficult for the Tatar-Mongols to establish their power over the scattered Russian principalities. At the same time, Novgorod survived, and the main threat to it was represented by the Lithuanian and German knights attacking from the west, and the Swedes from the north. Already at the age of twenty, Alexander led the army in the battle with the Swedes on the Neva, which took place on July 15, 1240.
Before the battle, the prince prayed for a long time in the Church of St. Sophia, then received a blessing and said the following words to the soldiers: “God is not in power, but in truth. Some with weapons, others on horses, but we will call on the Name of the Lord our God!” So the young prince went into battle for truth, for Rus', for God and won a victory, which became the first in a long series of victories for the great commander. From that time on, Prince Alexander began to be called Nevsky. As a commander, he was rightfully considered great, since he did not lose a single battle.
But it was not only for his military services that he was loved by the people. His courage and military genius were combined with nobility: Alexander never once raised a sword against his Russian brothers and did not participate in princely showdowns. Perhaps this provided him with popular veneration and glory throughout the centuries. He knew how to say such a fiery word to his people, which united, instilled faith and lifted the spirit.
This prayer warrior proved himself to be a far-sighted and wise statesman. He defended the interests not only of the Novgorod principality, but also of all northeastern lands. Through his efforts, Rus' and its originality have been preserved to this day. After all, it was Alexander who built his inner and foreign policy to protect Russian lands from destruction. To this end, he more than once acted as an ambassador to Batu Khan on behalf of all the Russian princes. He concluded corresponding peace treaties with both the Tatar-Mongols and the Norwegians. His clear mind, accurate calculations, and desire to create turned out to be extremely important for the future unification of Russian lands around the Moscow Principality.
The prince's campaigns in the Finnish land and trips to Sarai were useful not only for strengthening the external authority of Rus'. The bright word of the Gospel was brought to Pomerania itself, and in the capital of the Golden Horde the Russian diocese was established Orthodox Church. Thus, the prince was also a preacher who contributed to the spread of the Word of God on earth. The Christianization of the pagans of the East is now considered the historical mission of Rus'.
Prince Alexander never returned from his last trip. His death was compared to the sunset for the entire Russian land. He died on November 14, 1263, and was buried on November 23 in the Vladimir Nativity Monastery. Considering the prince’s services to the fatherland, Tsar Peter I in 1724 ordered his relics to be transferred to St. Petersburg, where they are kept in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery.
After the death of Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, he was canonized. But the glory of him, his military exploits and good deeds remained among the people forever.
Encyclopedia "About everything in the world"
Why is Prince Alexander named Nevsky?
Yaroslav, who reigned in Veliky Novgorod, had two sons - Alexander and Fedor. Prince Yaroslav did not always get along with the free and independent Novgorodians, and several times he had to flee from them along with his sons.
But in 1236 he left for Kyiv, and left his eldest son Alexander as prince in Veliky Novgorod. The young man was only 16 years old at the time. The young prince was tall, handsome, and his voice, as his contemporaries put it, “blown before the people like a trumpet.”
He was a brave and determined man, and he had a difficult task ahead of him.
Rus' was surrounded by enemies on all sides
The Mongols with countless hordes of conquered Tatar tribes were advancing from the east, and the Germans and Swedes were threatening Russian soil from the north-west. It was necessary to strengthen Rus' and achieve such a position for it that its neighbors would respect it or at least be afraid of going to war.
In 1240, the Germans captured Pskov, and in the same year the Swedes marched on Novgorod.
In Sweden, his son-in-law Birger ruled instead of the sick king. He commanded the army that opposed the Russians. Birger sent a declaration of war to Prince Alexander in Novgorod, which sounded arrogant and menacing:
“If you can, resist, but know that I am already here and will take your land into captivity.”
Prince Alexander prayed at St. Sophia and marched with the Novgorod army to the mouth of the Volkhov. Along the way, other detachments and individual warriors joined him.
The Swedes at this time entered the Neva and dropped anchor at Izhora. They wanted to rest here, then swim across the lake and walk along Ladoga to Volkhov, and from there it’s not far to Veliky Novgorod. But Prince Alexander did not wait for them. He and his army went forward and entered the Neva when the Swedes were not expecting him here at all.
This happened on Sunday July 15, 1240. At about 11 am, the Novgorodians suddenly appeared in front of the Swedish camp, rushed at the enemies and began to chop them down with axes and swords before they could take up arms.
Many Russian heroes showed their prowess here. Novgorodian Savva rushed to Birger’s tent, which sparkled in the middle of the camp with its golden top, and cut it down. The tent fell, and this gave even more courage to the Novgorodians. Caiv (Prince Alexander caught up with Birger and hit him in the face with a sharp spear. “He put a seal on his face,” says the chronicler.
The Swedes hastily buried the dead, quickly boarded their ships, and into the night, without waiting for dawn, sailed down the Neva to their home.
other interesting facts:
The strongest known acid is an 80% solution of antimony pentafluoride in hydrofluoric acid. A weaker, 50% solution of this acid is 1018 times stronger than concentrated sulfuric acid.
The oldest mother cat. Kitty. In May 1987, a 30-year-old cat named Kitty, owned by George Johnston of Croxton, c. Staffordshire, UK, gave birth to 2 kittens.
Most high speed, registered on railways ah, - 515.3 km/h - the high-speed Atlantic train of the National Society of French Railways developed on the stretch between the cities of Courtenen and Tours on May 18, 1990. Currently, the Atlantic and Nord express trains run at speeds of up to 300 km/h. The Eurostar train, which runs from France to London through the Channel Tunnel, has the same speed.
| $7.19 Buy It Now for only: $7.19 | |
| $8.09 End Date: Tuesday Apr-2-2019 22:21:28 PDT Buy It Now for only: $8.09 | |
| $6.25 End Date: Wednesday Mar-6-2019 0:32:52 PST Buy It Now for only: $6.25 | |
| $8.99 End Date: Tuesday Apr-2-2019 22:21:28 PDT Buy It Now for only: $8.99 | |
 $8.09 End Date: Tuesday Apr-2-2019 22:21:28 PDT Buy It Now for only: $8.09 | |
 $8.09 End Date: Tuesday Apr-2-2019 22:21:28 PDT Buy It Now for only: $8.09 |
Alexander Nevsky is a famous person in history. Descendants know about him volitional decisions, brilliantly won battles, a bright mind and the ability to take thoughtful actions. However, many of his actions and decisions still do not have an unambiguous assessment. Historians different years they argue about the reasons for certain actions of the prince, each time finding new clues that allow them to be interpreted from a side convenient for scientists. One of these controversial issues the alliance with the Horde remains.
Why Alexander Nevsky became a friend Tatar Khan? What prompted him to make such a decision? And what is the true reason for his seemingly unconventional act for that time?
Most popular versions
Researchers carefully studied the events preceding the conclusion of this union. Foreign policy situation, personal motives, economic relations, the situation in neighboring lands - many factors formed the basis historical research. But at the same time, each of the historians made his own conclusion, summarizing all the data that could be found.
Three versions are most widespread. The first of them belongs to the historian Lev Gumilev. He believed that Alexander Nevsky had thought through all the options well and entered into an alliance with the Horde, because he believed that the patronage of the Tatar-Mongols would be a good support for Rus'. That is why the prince took a vow of mutual friendship and loyalty to the son of Khan Batu.
According to the second version, which a number of historians are inclined to believe, the prince simply had no choice; he chose the lesser of two evils. On the one hand, there was real threat invasion from the west, on the other - the Tatars were advancing. The prince decided that making concessions to the Horde would be more advantageous.
The third version is very exotic, put forward by historian Valentin Yanin. According to her, Alexander was driven by selfishness and a desire to strengthen his power. He forced Novgorod to submit to Horde influence and extended Tatar power there. According to the historian, the prince was so despotic and cruel that he gouged out the eyes of those who did not agree to live under the yoke.
Livonian, Teutonic and Tatar onslaughts
The year 1237 was marked by widespread attacks by the army of Batu Khan. Destroyed cities, people fleeing to the forests, lands conquered one by one by the Tatars. In those difficult conditions, many princes of the southern lands fled to Austria, Bohemia, and Hungary, seeking protection from Western rulers. Even noble residents of northern Rus' sought protection from the Roman catholic church. They all sincerely believed that, on the orders of the Pope, the Western army would rise to defend Russian lands.
In Veliky Novgorod, Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich was well aware that the Horde would reach his territory. The option of becoming a Catholic and, with the help of a large-scale crusade, driving away the pagan Tatars from the Russian principalities did not appeal to him either. But the young ruler turned out to be more far-sighted than his ancestors.
Alexander understood that the scale of the Horde’s capture was terrifying. It should be noted that Tatar power did not penetrate into all spheres of life. They imposed tribute and severely punished disobedience. But at the same time, they did not strive to change the way of life, and most importantly, they did not force them to change their faith. They even had unique benefits for members of the clergy - they were exempt from paying taxes. And the Tatars themselves were tolerant of people of different religions.
But such an attractive, at first glance, rapprochement with Catholics would ultimately entail a change in religion, family structure and way of life. Setting themselves the task of liberating the lands from the Horde, the Livonian and Teutonic orders simultaneously sought to seize Russian lands, establishing their own laws and rules of life on them.
The young ruler Alexander needed to decide who to choose as his allies. The task was not easy, so he played for time without giving an answer to Western representatives.
Friendship with the Horde for the good of Rus'
After the death of the great Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, the father of Prince Alexander, a new distribution of roles in the princely hierarchy was to take place. Khan Batu gathered all the rulers of the conquered principalities. The khan also invited Alexander Nevsky.Arriving at the appointed meeting, after analyzing the situation, Alexander realized that it would not be possible to defeat the Horde even together with the Roman army. The behavior of the crusaders in neighboring lands caused horror and alarm. Then the decision was made - in order to confront the armies from the west, it was necessary to make the Horde an ally. Therefore, Nevsky became the named son of the khan himself.
The Pope's proposal to convert to Catholicism was sharply rejected by the prince. This act was assessed ambiguously even then. Few people understood the true reasons, so there were many who considered this step treacherous. The sources preserve materials about how Nevsky drank kumiss while visiting Batu. In this act, people saw submission, denial of their interests and full recognition of Horde power.
But not everyone understood that by making such concessions, in return the prince easily received the relaxations of laws necessary for Rus', promoted his demands, and preserved the security, well-established life and right to his faith that were so necessary for the Russian people.
Tatars as defenders from attacks from the west
There was another meaning in the alliance with the Horde. The far-sighted prince, having become part of the large team of Khan Batu, received a huge strong army allies ready to help in the fight against enemies. Considering the lands that annexed them to be their possessions, the Tatars fought for them not with their lives, but to their death. Moreover, despite the constant battles and human losses, the Horde army did not become smaller. According to historians, it was constantly replenished with men from the newly conquered countries.
An analysis of historical sources shows that the Horde always came to the aid of its allies. When the Tatar troops entered the battle, the confident onslaught of the crusaders quickly stopped. This allowed the Russian lands to survive. It turns out that for the concessions that Nevsky made to Batu, Rus' was able to receive a reliable, large army, which helped save Pskov and Novgorod, and years later Smolensk, from destruction.
Union for salvation
To this day, historians do not agree on a single assessment of the events of those days. Some foreign historians consider the behavior of Prince Alexander to be a betrayal of the European anti-Mongol cause. But at the same time, it cannot be denied that Rus' would not have been able to survive the scale of destruction that many lands suffered from the invasion of the Tatars, much less adequately repel the blow at that time. Feudal fragmentation, the lack of a combat-ready population would not have made it possible to assemble a worthy all-Russian army. And the Western allies demanded too much payment for their support.Proof of this is the fate of the lands that did not agree to an alliance with the Horde - they were captured by Poland, Lithuania, and the situation there was very sad. In the format of the Western European ethnos, the conquered were considered second-class people.
Those Russian lands that accepted an alliance with the Horde were able to maintain their way of life, partial independence, and the right to live according to their own order. Rus' in the Mongol ulus became not a province, but an ally of the Great Khan, and, in fact, paid a tax to maintain the army, which it itself needed.
An analysis of all the events of that time, as well as their significance, which influenced the entire subsequent development of Rus', allows us to conclude that the conclusion of an alliance with the Horde was a forced step and Alexander Nevsky took it for the sake of saving Orthodox Rus'.
Why did Prince Alexander Yaroslavich become “Nevsky” and not “Chudsky”?Among those who defended the Russian land from enemies in the 13th century, Prince Alexander Yaroslavich, nicknamed “Nevsky,” won the greatest fame among his descendants. Exact date his birth is unknown, but it is believed that he was born on May 30, 1220. Alexander became the second son in the family of the appanage Pereslavl-Zalessky prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich and Rostislava, daughter of Prince Mstislav Mstislavovich Udal.
According to the custom of that time, the baby was named after the saint, whose memory, according to the church calendar-month, was celebrated on one of the days close to his birthday. His “heavenly patron” was the holy martyr Alexander, whose exploits the church remembered on June 9.
Maternal kinship was highly revered in Ancient Rus'. Alexander's grandfather Mstislav Udaloy left a bright mark on the military history of his time. Alexander's great-grandfather Mstislav the Brave was also a famous warrior. Undoubtedly, the images of these brave ancestors served as an example for young Alexander to follow.
We know almost nothing about Alexander’s childhood. Obviously, as a child, Alexander rarely saw his father: Yaroslav was constantly on military campaigns. But already at the age of 8, Alexander accompanied his father when he tried to organize a campaign of the Novgorodians and Pskovians against Riga in 1228. Having received no support, the prince left Novgorod, leaving there his eldest sons, 10-year-old Fyodor and Alexander, as a sign of his “presence.” Naturally, reliable boyars and two or three hundred warriors remained with the princes. Some historians believe that Princess Rostislava lived with the children for some time and, thanks to her ancestors, enjoyed special honor among the Novgorodians.
Leaving his young sons in Novgorod, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich wanted them to gradually get used to the complex role of the invited princes and learn to worthily defend the interests of their father, since he hoped to receive the great reign of Vladimir.
Yaroslav became the Grand Duke of Vladimir in 1236, when hordes of the Golden Horde attacked Rus'. He had to rule over a devastated and devastated land. Alexander at this time reigned in Novgorod, which the conquerors did not reach.
Soon Rus' entered the Golden Horde as an ulus, and Russian princes began to go to the khan’s headquarters to receive a label for reign. From now on, the princes had to answer to the khan for everything that happened in their domains. In relation to their subjects and neighboring lands, the princes acted as the khan's proxies, his governors in the “Russian ulus”.
During this period, Rus' was constantly subject to raids from the north-west, carried out with the blessing of the Vatican. In the summer of 1240, during the next campaign, Swedish ships entered the Neva. Perhaps the Swedes hoped to capture the Ladoga fortress, located near the mouth of the Volkhov, with an unexpected blow. Having learned about the approach of the enemy, Alexander with a small cavalry detachment set out to meet the Swedes. It is likely that at the same time a detachment of the Novgorod militia set off by water (along the Volkhov and further through Ladoga to the Neva).
The Swedes, unaware of Alexander’s rapid approach, camped near the mouth of the Izhora River - not far from the eastern outskirts modern city St. Petersburg. Here the young prince and his retinue attacked them.
The description of the battle given in The Life of Alexander Nevsky is clearly largely fictitious. It was written many years after the battle with the Swedes and was intended to glorify Prince Alexander, and not to reflect the real course of events. “And he gathered a great force, and filled many ships with his regiments, moved with a huge army, puffing up the military spirit,” - this is how the “life” describes the beginning of the Swedes’ campaign. Probably, in terms of scale and consequences, everything was much more modest. An ordinary border skirmish, the kind that took place almost every year. By the way, in the chronicles of that time only a few general lines are given to her, and Russian losses are listed at 20 people. It is not mentioned at all in the Scandinavian chronicles, although according to the “life” a large number of noble Swedes died in it, and their leader was wounded in the face by Alexander’s spear. By the way, Alexander later had a good relationship with Earl Birger, whom he allegedly wounded in the face.
It is believed that it was after this event that Alexander was named “Nevsky”. This is extremely doubtful, since the common people knew practically nothing about the battle that took place on the outskirts of Russian lands, because only a small princely squad took part in it. But the results of that battle from a military point of view were insignificant (there is not even any mention of prisoners) and did not in any way affect the life of the northwestern region of Rus'. In the chronicles of that period, Prince Alexander is not called “Nevsky”. For the first time this honorary prefix to the name of the prince appears in the “life” written after the canonization of Alexander.
Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky. Icon
It would seem more logical to name Prince Alexander “Chudsky” in honor of the victory, which played an immeasurably greater role in history than the little-known battle on the banks of the Neva. The Battle of Peipus was well known in Rus'; not only the squad of Prince Alexander took part in it, but also regiments that came from Suzdal, as well as militias recruited in Veliky Novgorod and Pskov. And its results could be visibly seen - noble knights were captured and numerous trophies were captured. And after the battle, an agreement was signed with the Order, which determined Rus'’s relationship with it for many years. Perhaps the reason why the church did not use the prefix “Chudsky” was precisely because this battle and its participants were well known in Rus'.
In the “life” there is a phrase containing a possible clue: “Alexander’s father, Yaroslav, sent his younger brother Andrei with a large retinue to help him.” It is curious that the text of the “Elder Livonian Rhymed Chronicle” details the actions of Prince Alexander (he is simply called the “Prince of Novgorod” without specifying his name) before the legendary battle, which practically coincide with information from Russian sources. But the main force that ensured the enemy’s victory in the Battle of Peipus, which was unsuccessful for the Order, the “chronicle” calls the army led by Alexander, who reigned in Suzdal (the chronicler clearly mixed up the names, the army was brought by Andrey). “They had countless bows, a lot of beautiful armor. Their banners were rich, their helmets radiated light." And further: “The brother knights resisted quite stubbornly, but they were defeated there.” And they prevailed thanks to the Suzdal army in armor, and not the Novgorod army, the majority of which were militia. The “Chronicle” testifies that the knights were able to overcome the foot army, but they could no longer cope with the horse squad in forged armor. This does not at all detract from the merits of Alexander, who led the united Russian army, but Andrei’s warriors still played a decisive role in the battle.
 |
| V. Nazaruk. Battle on the Ice |
It is important that Alexander subsequently took the side of the Golden Horde and even fraternized with Batu’s son. While Alexander was in the Horde, from where he later returned “with great honor, having given him seniority among all his brothers,” Andrei, who refused to go to Batu, fought with Nevryu, who was devastating Rus', and then was forced to flee to the Swedes. The “Life” was created by monks close to Metropolitan Kirill, the founder of the Orthodox diocese in Sarai, the capital of the Horde. Naturally, they did not give the holy prince an honorary prefix for a battle in which it was clearly not his warriors who made the main contribution to the victory. The little-known Battle of the Neva was quite suitable for this, so Alexander became “Nevsky”. Apparently, when preparing the canonization of the prince, the church wanted to give Rus' a heavenly intercessor precisely in the northwestern direction (he became an all-Russian saint only in 1547), and for this the prefix “Nevsky” was well suited. But, perhaps, the prefix “Nevsky” appeared even a little later, since in the versions of the first editions of the “life” (“The Tale of the Life and Courage of the Blessed and Grand Duke Alexander”, “The Tale of the Grand Duke Alexander Yaroslavich”) it is not mentioned.
By the way, in folk tradition princes received prefixes to their names only according to personal qualities (daring, brave, daring, accursed) or according to the place of reign, even temporary for the invited prince (Dovmont of Pskov). The only widely known precedent is Dmitry Donskoy, but this prince did not receive his honorary prefix from the people and after his death. The fact that princes received honorary prefixes to their names after death is by no means uncommon. Thus, Prince Yaroslav became “Wise” only at the turn of the 18th-19th centuries thanks to Karamzin, although we now do not mention him without this prefix.
Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich was the greatest politician and military leader of his time. IN historical memory He entered our people as Alexander Nevsky, and his name has long become a symbol of military valor. Wide veneration of Alexander Nevsky was revived by Peter I, who fought with Sweden for more than 20 years. He dedicated the main monastery in the new capital of Russia to Alexander Nevsky, and in 1724 he transferred his holy relics there. In the 19th century, three Russian emperors bore the name Alexander and considered Nevsky their heavenly patron.
In 1725, the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, conceived by Peter I, was established. It became one of the highest orders in Russia, which was awarded to many famous military leaders and statesmen. This order existed until 1917. During the Great Patriotic War The Order of Alexander Nevsky was established to reward officers and generals of the Red Army for personal bravery and courage. This order is preserved in the award system modern Russia, but they are awarded only during a war with an external enemy
Vladimir Rogoza
In the winter of 1237/38, the multi-tribal hordes of Batu Khan, usually called by the collective name “Mongol-Tatars,” devastated the Ryazan and Vladimir-Suzdal lands. In 1239-1240 they devastated the southern Russian lands (which is in present-day Ukraine). The strategy of the “Mongol-Tatars,” if you believe the chronicle news of their invasion, was to first terrify the enemy land, passing through it with fire and sword, and then demand from its rulers obedience and regular payment of tribute. The Horde themselves did not establish colonies in the Russian lands, but for some time after the invasion their officials (Baskaks) lived there to census the population and collect tribute from them.
In establishing the vassal dependence of the Russian lands on the “Mongol-Tatars” he played a major role Grand Duke Vladimir Alexander Yaroslavich, nicknamed Nevsky. The chronicle tradition, and after it Russian historiographers, habitually justify Alexander by the fact that the power of the Golden Horde left him no choice. He was forced to submit to the power of the khans in order to save Rus' from new devastating devastation. However, a careful study of the sources shows that these excuses are far-fetched. Alexander Nevsky was an active figure in establishing the Golden Horde yoke in Rus', hoping with the help of the khans to assert his power over other Russian princes. His reign was marked not by the weakening of the Golden Horde oppression, but by its strengthening and spread to those regions of Rus' that were not affected by Batu’s invasion. Punitive campaigns of khans against Rus' became the norm since the time of Alexander Nevsky.
In 1243, Batu called Nevsky’s father, Yaroslav Vsevolodich, to his headquarters in order to confirm him for the great reign. From that moment on, only that Russian prince was considered legitimate to whom the Horde khan gave the label to reign. In 1246, Yaroslav died, and, as usual, a struggle for the throne broke out between the brothers. But now the applicants had an arbiter - the khan, and two senior Yaroslavichs - Alexander and Andrey - went to him. Batu appointed Alexander, the eldest of the two brothers, as the Grand Duke of Kyiv and all Southern Rus', and Andrei as the Grand Duke of Vladimir and Novgorod. With these labels, the princes returned to Rus' in 1249. Alexander was dissatisfied, since the Kiev throne had long lost its actual significance, and was waiting for an opportunity to take away the reign of Vladimir from his brother.
The opportunity was not slow to present itself. Andrei intensively communicated with the Galician prince Daniil Romanovich on the subject of a general uprising against the Horde. Alexander undoubtedly knew about this conspiracy, but not only did not join it, but, on the contrary, decided to go to the Golden Horde with a denunciation of his brother in order to obtain his volost from the khan. The huge “Mongol-Tatar” empire could not be controlled from one center, and the Golden Horde with its capital in Sarai (in the lower reaches of the Volga) became almost an independent state. It was then ruled by Khan Sartak.
An unknown chronicle used by historian V.N. Tatishchev, reports the following on this matter: “The prince is coming great Alexander Yaroslavich went to the Horde to Khan Sartak, Batu’s son, and the khan received him with honor. And Alexander complained about his brother Grand Duke Andrei, as if he had seduced the khan [Batu - Ya.B.], taking the great reign under him [Alexander - Ya.B.], as if he were the eldest, and took his father’s burghs, and did not pay tamgi to the khan in full The Khan became angry with Andrei and ordered Nevrui Saltan to go to Andrei and bring him before him.” The Horde army under the command of Nevryuy with a sudden invasion upset all Andrei's plans. He was forced to oppose the Horde with his few forces, was defeated and was forced to flee to the lands of the Livonian Order in the Baltic states. The Horde devastated the entire Vladimir-Suzdal land, burned, captured, and killed. After which Alexander, having with him the khan's label, sat on the throne in Vladimir. This was in 1252.
Majority Russian historians, starting with Karamzin, without any reason, declared many passages in Tatishchev’s “Russian History” to be the author’s fiction. In their opinion, Alexander headed to the Horde after Andrei was the first to speak out against the khan, and Alexander did not want to join him, allegedly fearing the inevitable consequences of this action. However, they did not provide any rational arguments against the reliability of this news, except for the desire to whitewash Alexander. The news looks quite probable, especially taking into account the preceding and subsequent events. Major pre-revolutionary historian D.I. Ilovaisky considered Tatishchev’s version to be the most reliable.
In 1256, Batu died, and Berke became the supreme khan. Sartak was killed in the struggle for power, and Ulagchi became the governor of the Golden Horde. In 1257, Nevsky went to Sarai to see Ulagchi, and the latter demanded that all lands subject to Alexander, including Novgorod, be rewritten and pay tribute. Following the Khan's instructions, Alexander personally came to Novgorod (in 1259) with the Horde Baskaks. Nevsky's son, Vasily, the governor in Novgorod, did not want to obey his father and fled.
Nevsky frightened the Novgorodians with brutal repressions. Even N.M., who favored him. Karamzin wrote that Alexander “executed the boyars, the mentors of the Vasilievs, without mercy. Some were blinded, others had their noses cut off." Despite this, unrest did not subside in the city. Alexander and Horde officials were forced to flee Novgorod. But they promised to return with the Horde army and punish the population. This threat gradually led the citizens to submission. “The Mughals traveled from street to street, registering houses; silence and sorrow reigned in the city,” describes Karamzin.
There is no indication in any source that Alexander Nevsky bowed under the Horde yoke and brought the hitherto unconquered Russian lands under it because he hoped that in the future Rus' would be able to gather its strength and overthrow foreign rule. Not a single statement of Nevsky, transmitted to us by his contemporaries, preserved even a shadow of a hint of such motivation. All justifications for his actions with the hope of overthrowing the yoke in the future were invented in retrospect, not earlier than the 19th century. Without inventing unnecessary entities, we are forced to assume, as the most probable, that Alexander Nevsky saw in strengthening the Horde yoke over Russia a means to strengthen his own power, and did not disdain to sacrifice the property and independence of the Russian land for this purpose.
