Why did people love Alexander Nevsky so much? Why is Alexander Nevsky revered among the Russian people?

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. The exact date of 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 in honor of 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 ravaged 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 of the modern city of 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.

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 the folk tradition, princes received prefixes to their names only according to personal qualities (daring, brave, daring, cursed) 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. He entered the historical memory of 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 of modern Russia, but it is awarded only during a war with an external enemy

Vladimir Rogoza

After one of my articles on the history of the 13th century, dedicated to debunking the myth of Alexander Nevsky as a national hero of Russia, I received from one of the regular readers of my blog ein_arzt legitimate question: “Why, contrary to obvious facts, are they making Alexander a hero and a national shrine?”
By the way, I constantly hear this question from my students.
I promised to devote a separate post to this topic, and now I’m finally keeping my promise.

So, why is Alexander Nevsky a saint, moreover, highly revered on Russian soil, and why was his historical figure, quite controversial from the point of view of patriotism, so heroized?

One often hears the point of view according to which the recognition of Grand Duke Alexander Yaroslavich as a saint was due to Christian humility with which he accepted Horde power, following the apostolic: "He who resists authority resists God's ordinance" (Rom 13:2).

In general, any performance of power functions is hardly compatible with Christian humility; that’s why it’s government, that is, violence (it’s not for nothing that the word "right" cognate with ancient Indian prabhus - "outstanding in strength" and Anglo-Saxon fram - "strong"). For example, I know only two humble ancient Russian princes: Boris and Gleb Vladimirovich. But in order to demonstrate this quality and become saints thanks to it, they had to voluntarily renounce power and accept martyrdom. But Alexander Yaroslavich did not try to do either one or the other. And the veneration of him by such personalities as Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great and I.V. Stalin speaks volumes, but not about the humility allegedly inherent in this saint.

In addition, it should be noted that the holiness of Alexander Nevsky doesn't justify all his actions. It is one thing not to resist the plunder of the Horde, and quite another to be an active accomplice. Canonization is only redeems sins committed by the prince. In any case, I hope that the holiness of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vadamir does not interfere with condemning the corruption of minors, which, as is known, this prince sinned before accepting Christianity?

So "humility" There is clearly nothing to do with Alexander Nevsky as the reason for his canonization.

So why was Alexander Nevsky still canonized?

To answer this question, we will have to at least briefly consider what happened in the Christian world in those times that befell this ancient Russian prince.

In 1204, Constantinople fell to the attacks of the crusaders, which ultimately not only forced Emperor Michael VIII to seek help in the West, but also ultimately led to the complete religious capitulation of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to the Pope (Union of Lyons 1274).
It is not without reason that, concluding his sad story about the conquest of Constantinople by the “fryags” in 1204, the ancient Russian scribe, an eyewitness to this event, concludes: “And so the kingdom of God-protected Constantinegrad and the land of Grch perished in the wedding of the crown princes, which Fryazi possessed.” .

“Once upon a time, ambassadors from the Pope from great Rome came to him, crying: “Our Pope says this: I hear you are an honest and wondrous prince, and your land is great. For this reason, two khithresh - Agaldad and Gemont - have sent to you from the twelfth century, so that you may listen to their teachings about the law of God."
Prince Alexander, having thought with his wise men, wrote to him and said: “... we do not accept teachings from you.” They returned home."

It turns out that in the conditions of the terrible trials that befell the Orthodox lands in the 13th century, perceived by contemporaries as harbingers of the coming Apocalypse, the Great Prince of Vladimir Alexander Yaroslavich found himself almost the only one of the secular rulers who did not doubt their spiritual righteousness, did not waver in their faith and did not renounce their - Orthodox God. Having refused joint actions with Catholics against the Horde, he became the last powerful stronghold of Orthodoxy at that time, the last defender of the Orthodox world (and the Horde khans, following the behests of Genghis Khan, did not persecute Orthodoxy in Rus' and did not try to convert the people they conquered to their faith, first pagan, and from the second quarter of the 14th century Muslim. Moreover, the Horde were distinguished by significant religious tolerance and did not interfere with the spread of Christianity, in including Orthodoxy even on the territory of the Horde; so in the capital of the Horde, Sarai, there were several Orthodox churches that peacefully coexisted with mosques, headed by an Orthodox bishop).

Could the Orthodox Church not recognize such a ruler as a saint? And obviously, precisely for the above reasons, Alexander Nevsky was not canonized as "righteous" (there was not a penny of righteousness in his policy, as Russian chronicles clearly indicate), but how "blessed" prince.

I hope I was able to answer the question: why is Alexander Nevsky revered as a saint .
Now I propose to move on to considering the reasons for the glorification of this prince as military intercessor for the Russian land.

Until the end of the 17th century, the image of Alexander Nevsky corresponded to the original one - "holy noble prince" .
This image begins to transform at the very beginning of the 18th century, when Peter I began a war with Sweden for access for Russia to the coast of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, which is so necessary for the development of foreign economic relations with Western Europe. To substantiate claims to lands that belonged to Sweden at that time, Tsar Peter Alekseevich needed to find evidence that they were ancestral territory of the Russian state . Moreover, the further in history such evidence is found, the more justified these claims will be.
The Livonian War of Ivan the Terrible was not very suitable here, if only because it was not so long ago, from the point of view of the beginning of the 18th century, and besides, it was ultimately lost. Another was needed - a more ancient and victorious example.
This is where the image of the “blessed” Prince Alexander Nevsky surfaced, who, firstly, defeated no one, namely Peter’s enemies, the Swedes, in the Battle of Neva, and secondly, was already a saint.

Peter I takes a lot of actions, which we would now call propaganda, to glorify Alexander Nevsky.

In 1724, by order of the first Russian emperor and with his direct participation, the remains of the holy prince were solemnly transferred from Vladimir-on-Klyazma to the new capital of Russia - St. Petersburg.
Peter I establishes a day to celebrate the memory of Alexander (by the way, August 30, i.e., the day the Treaty of Nystadt was concluded with Sweden).

Subsequently, the image of Alexander as a defender of the Russian land was consolidated in the mass consciousness by a number of official events.

So, in 1725 Catherine I established the highest military order named after him .

At the same time, an annual religious procession was established from the St. Petersburg Kazan Cathedral to Alexander Nevsky Lavra (one of the four largest monasteries in Russia). By the way, this religious procession took place along Nevsky Prospekt, which is not called that along the Neva River, as many still think.

On the eve of the war, in 1938 S. M. Eisenstein withdrew his apologetic film "Alexander Nevsky" . The script of this film received a sharply negative assessment from historians. The film was banned from showing, but the reason for this was not discrepancies with historical truth, but foreign policy considerations, in particular the reluctance to spoil relations with Germany, with which it was planned to conclude a military-political alliance.

The film by S. M. Eisenstein was released in 1941 , since the foreign policy situation has completely changed, and the image of the “great commander” Alexander Nevsky, burning the German invaders on the ice of Lake Peipus to the cheerful music, has again become more than relevant.

July 29 1942 was established Soviet military order of Alexander Nevsky , which depicts none other than actor Nikolai Cherkasov, who played the role of the prince in S. Eisenstein’s film:

However, the installation of monuments to this prince continues in modern times:

It is in this guise that Alexander Nevsky remains today as a cult figure in the mass consciousness.

If you ask again: "Why?" , then the answer will be simple: from the point of view of modern official Russian ideology (does anyone else believe that, according to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, no ideology can be mandatory?) the image of Alexander Nevsky as a national hero is a “spiritual bond” (to be honest, this clumsy neologism just pisses me off). But it is not me who selects the “spiritual bonds,” and it is not me who writes history textbooks for schools and universities, in which, as before, the traitor to Russian national interests is extolled as “the defender of the Russian Land.”

I think that I have now answered all the questions about the personality of Alexander Nevsky. If you, my dear readers, have any other questions, I will try to answer them to the best of my ability.

Sergey Vorobyov.
Thank you for attention.

NOTES

1. Danilevsky I. N. Russian lands through the eyes of contemporaries and descendants (XII - XIV centuries): A course of lectures. M., 2001. P. 221.
2. Osipova K. A. The restored Byzantine Empire: Internal and foreign policy of the first Palaiologos // History of Byzantium: In 3 volumes. M., 1967. Vol. 3. P. 83.
3. Novgorod first chronicle of the older and younger editions. // PSRL. M., 2000. T. 3. P. 49.
4. Stories about the life and courage of the blessed and Grand Duke Alexander // Monuments of literature of Ancient Rus': XIII century. M., 1981. P. 436.
5. See, for example: Tikhomirov M. N. Mockery of history // Marxist historian. 1938. No. 3. P. 92.

Kruglova Polina

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Competition of essays dedicated to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra

An essay about:

“Why Alexander Nevsky is revered among the Russian people”

Performed:

Student of 10th grade, GBOU school No. 489

Kruglova Polina

Supervisor:

history and social studies teacher

GBOU school No. 489

Moskovsky district of St. Petersburg

Boykova Victoria Yurievna

Poster for Sergei Eisenstein's film "Alexander Nevsky". 1938

Alexander Nevsky is a glorious hero, defender of the Russian land, noble prince, patron saint of St. Petersburg. No matter how many years pass, no matter how much water flows away, Alexander Nevsky is a hero for centuries, his memory is imperishable. Why does the Russian people love and honor him so much? For bravery? For love of the Fatherland? Maybe because of how selflessly he defended the Orthodox faith? Let's try to figure it out.

Let's fast forward to May 1221 in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, where the future national hero, Alexander Nevsky, had just been born. For his father, in those years the Pereyaslavl-Zalessky prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, and his mother Rostislava (Feodosia), he became the second son and second child. In 1225, Alexander, three years old, underwent the rite of initiation into warriors, performed in the Transfiguration Cathedral by the Bishop of Suzdal, Saint Simon. Perhaps this event symbolically predetermined the heroic future of the Orthodox Prince Alexander Nevsky.

Alexander grew up and matured, and in the meantime the year 1236 was passing in Rus'. It was then that Yaroslav Vsevolodovich established himself and began to reign in Kyiv, and his son, Alexander Yaroslavovich, a fifteen-year-old youth, became the prince of Novgorod. It probably wasn’t easy for young Alexander to reign in Novgorod, to keep his line under constant control and pressure from the obstinate and power-hungry boyars. Meanwhile, in these complex relationships, Alexander’s character was formed and tempered like a steel sword. He was kind, cordial, and attentive towards the common people. Reliable and demanding in relation to combatants. Irreconcilable, incorruptible, uncompromising with those willful and capricious boyars who, with crafty speeches and treacherous deeds, tried to make the young prince a slave puppet.

From a young age, Alexander showed diplomacy, extraordinary intelligence, management talent, foresight and fairness. These qualities were then necessary for the Russian prince. Specific fragmentation. The expansion of the Germans and Danes begins in the Baltic lands neighboring the Novgorod Boyar Republic. A terrible invasion is coming from the east and, starting in 1237, the Mongol-Tatar horde “devours” more and more Russian lands. Ryazan, Vladimir, Suzdal and other large cities were burned and destroyed, Russian squads and some princes were killed, the Mongol-Tatars destroyed women, children, and the elderly. The path to Novgorod is open - the Mongols have passed through Tver and Torzhok, and suddenly the darkness of the Mongol warriors turns back. Why? There are different versions in history. One of them recognizes in this event the significance of Alexander Nevsky’s diplomatic negotiations with the Mongols. The Mongols were paid a huge ransom: the Novgorod land is rich, but the Mongols cannot be allowed near it, since in the north-west, in the Livonian lands, the situation was not stable, and the Swedes, opponents of freedom of Novgorod trade, have long been watching the ruined, fragmented Russian land like vultures . Already here we see Alexander’s foresight, the strategic nature of his plan.

The young prince's fears were justified. In 1240, the Germans approached Pskov, and the Swedes moved to Novgorod. This became a serious, difficult test for the land of Novgorod and for Alexander himself, who was aware of his share of responsibility as a military leader. Defend the land from the Swedes at all costs. On the night of July 15, Alexander suddenly attacked the Swedes when they stopped at a rest camp on the Neva, at the mouth of the Izhora, inflicted a complete crushing defeat on them and received his proud nickname “Nevsky”.

In 1241, Alexander Nevsky returned to Novgorod and was enthusiastically greeted by the residents as a valiant and glorious defender of the Russian Land, a talented commander and a wise prince. But the Novgorod nobility did not like this. A strong and powerful prince, beloved by the people, created a threat to the established priority position of the boyars in the Novgorod land, as well as their mercantile interests. Alexander Yaroslavovich was expelled from the city.

“The fight between Alexander Nevsky and Jarl Birger” N.K. Roerich

It is surprising that such a strong military man, whom thousands of residents of the Novgorod land would most likely follow, returns to Pereyaslavl. Probably, humility took hold in Alexander’s heart, but along with it there was a terrible, aching pain for the Russian Land. He, brave and decisive, understanding the military-political situation, could save cities and people, but is forced to remain inactive. Meanwhile, the Germans take Izborsk, then Pskov. The danger of popular indignation forced the rulers of Novgorod to again call on Alexander Yaroslavovich. How would someone else behave in this situation? We see in the history of Rus' during the period of fragmentation many examples when princes, because of their ambitions, selfishness, pride and grievances, did not fulfill their duty towards the Motherland. But Alexander forgives the offenders in the name of love for God, the Motherland and his neighbors - his compatriots. He conquers Russian cities. Inspired by his successes, Nevsky advances on Estonia, but is defeated and retreats to Lake Peipsi for a decisive battle. On April 5, 1942, a battle called the “Battle of the Ice” took place, where the main forces of the Teutonic Order were defeated. In the same year, the Germans made peace with Novgorod, renounced all occupied lands, not only in Rus', but also in Letgolia, and an exchange of prisoners was carried out. Only in ten years will the Teutons risk attacking Pskov!

The history of the two greatest battles in the Novgorod land is where every person begins their acquaintance with Alexander Nevsky. In these historical events, one can see not only the greatness of the commander’s talent, but also the high moral qualities of the person, the prince.

The 1938 feature film “Alexander Nevsky,” directed by Sergei Eisenstein, is dedicated to the events of 1242. Despite the fact that the film was shot in the Soviet anti-religious totalitarian state, Alexander is shown not only as a defender of the Russian land, a true patriot, but as a spiritual, deep, morally pure person.

“Battle on the Ice” V. A. Serov

Alexander's exploits cannot be forgotten, and they are not limited to the Battle of the Neva and the Battle of the Ice. In 1245, Alexander Nevsky liberated Torzhok and Bezhetsk, instilling fear and respect in the Lithuanians who attacked these cities.

There is information that ambassadors from the Pope from Rome came to Prince Alexander so that the prince could listen to their sermons. He, having thought, wrote the following answer: “From Adam to the flood, from the flood to the division of nations, from the confusion of nations to the beginning of Abraham, from Abraham to the passage of the Israelites through the sea, from the exodus of the children of Israel to the death of King David, from the beginning of the reign of Solomon until Augustus and before the birth of Christ, from the birth of Christ until his crucifixion and resurrection, from his resurrection and ascension into heaven and until the reign of Constantine, from the beginning of the reign of Constantine until the first council and the seventh - we know all this well, and from you the teachings We won't accept." The ambassadors had to return with nothing. This is explained by the fact that the prince was an Orthodox man, a deep and firm believer, he revered the priesthood and built his life according to the commandments of God.

It is known that Prince Alexander entered into diplomatic negotiations with the Mongols, wanting to improve the lot of the Russian people, tortured by tribute and the orders established by the Golden Horde. Why didn’t the prince oppose the Horde? Objectively, he would not have had enough strength for this. Negotiations were the only way. From the north-west there is one threat, from the east - another. I had to choose the lesser of two evils. The Mongols were smaller, because they did not set a goal to destroy the main spiritual core of the Earth, the Russian Orthodox faith. It is also known that the Horde feared and at the same time respected Alexander Nevsky, recognizing him as a great tactician and strategist.
. Time is inexorable, it goes by and takes its toll with every step. So Alexander’s time was running out. In 1262, Alexander went to the Horde to dissuade the khan from demanding a military levy from the Russian people. There Alexander is overtaken by illness, he leaves for Rus'. Just before his death, Alexander Nevsky accepted the schema and a new name in monastic vows - Alexy - and died on November 14, 1263.

Many years have passed since then, but we all remember and honor the son of the Russian Land, a glorious hero who gave his strength to serve the Fatherland.

It’s impossible to count how much good Alexander Yaroslavovich did for Rus': how many cities he rebuilt, how many churches he erected, how many unrest he settled!

It is no coincidence that in our time, when asked: “Who is your national hero?” - the majority have this answer: Alexander Nevsky: brave and smart, cruel to the enemy, but merciful to the unjustly offended - this is how his image has survived to this day. And how many more directors will immortalize him in their films? How many artists will depict him in paintings, how many books will be written?

Why do the Russian people revere Alexander Nevsky? In my opinion, the image of this national hero is multifaceted and each facet is a true virtue, recognized by Russian society for centuries. This is loyalty to the people and the fatherland, strength, courage, bravery - here we honor Alexander as the protector, thanks to whom we live in our native land. This includes statesmanship, diplomacy, and political foresight. Also, Alexander Nevsky defended not only the territory, but also the Orthodox faith, was a true believer and became a moral example for posterity. The blessed Prince Alexander is canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church and to this day is an intercessor and prayer book for us before God.

2013 Essay “Why Alexander Nevsky is revered among the Russian people” Author: Shchukin Maxim Nikolaevich Supervisors: Odintsova Natalia Anatolyevna GBOU Lyceum No. 265 Alexander Nevsky is rightfully considered by the people as an outstanding commander, Grand Duke, patriot and defender of Rus'. Alexander Nevsky is canonized as a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church. All this speaks of the people’s love for him. What did Alexander Yaroslavovich remember about his contemporaries, why is the memory of him alive to this day? Why is his name especially dear and sacred to us, St. Petersburg residents? Let's look into history. At the end of the 30s of the 13th century, most of the Russian lands were devastated by Batu’s campaigns, and the Tatar-Mongol yoke was established. The Novgorod lands escaped the Tatar invasion, but they became a tasty morsel for Rus''s western neighbors. The Swedes began to appear on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, who had long been preparing to attack Novgorod. The time when Rus' suffered from the invasion of the Tatars seemed to them the most favorable. When princely intelligence warned of a threat, Alexander Yaroslavovich, who was reigning in Novgorod at that time, showed himself to be a devout defender of the Russian Land: he strengthened the border of the Novgorod land, posted guard detachments along the banks of the Gulf of Finland and the Neva River. In the summer of 1240, the Swedish king Eric Burr ordered his commander Birger with a fleet to go to Rus'. The Swedes walked along the Neva until the Izhora River flows into it, but here Alexander Yaroslavovich unexpectedly attacked them. The situation was advantageous - half of the enemy troops still remained in the boats. Unable to withstand the onslaught of the Russians, the Swedes fled and took their fleet home. Alexander himself wounded Birger in the battle. The losses of our troops were small. After this battle, Alexander began to be called Nevsky. It is sad that the Novgorodians did not appreciate the merits; they soon quarreled with their savior, and Alexander went to his father in Pereslavl-Zalessky. Besides the Swedes, Novgorod had other enemies. From the beginning of the 13th century, German crusading knights came close to the western borders of Rus' and actively explored the Eastern Baltic states. On its territory in 1237 the Livonian Order was formed, which had its own plans for the Novgorod lands. Having received the papal blessing, the Livonians began to carry out the “Onslaught on the East”: in 1240 they captured Izborsk, and soon the Germans entered Pskov. The vanguard of the invaders scoured the outskirts of Novgorod. Frightened Novgorodians turned to Alexander asking for help. The prince, not remembering the insult (the interests of the state were higher than his personal interests), immediately returned to Novgorod to gather troops. Alexander managed to drive the Livonians out of Pskov, then advancing to Lake Peipsi. On April 5, 1242, the famous Battle of the Ice took place - the decisive battle between Russian troops and German knights. The knights, after striking the center of the Russian troops, found themselves caught in the grip of powerful flanks. Not far from the battle site, a river flowed into the lake, where the ice broke easily. Alexander drove the German horsemen there. Heavy knights clad in armor were drowning in Lake Peipsi. The defeat of the crusaders was deafening. The fame of the great commander Alexander Nevsky thundered throughout Europe. The Germans failed to convert the northern lands of Rus' to Catholicism. The seizure of these lands would lead to a split in the state and the loss of national culture - in this case, the German Catholic orders were more terrible than the Horde. Alexander Nevsky saved Orthodoxy and thereby the Russians. After the victory over the Livonians, Alexander Nevsky reigned in Novgorod. In 1247 and 1252 he traveled to Mongolia, the first time to the Supreme Khan Guyuk, and the second time to Batu. Batu warmly received him and gave him a label for the great reign, and Alexander himself fraternized with Batu’s son Sartak. Some historians did not understand such an act and blamed Alexander for currying favor with the Horde. However, Alexander will need the khan’s favor precisely in order to protect the Russian lands from repeated ruin. Although Pope Innocent IV offered the prince help in exchange for accepting Catholicism, Nevsky, having accepted Alexander, refused the conditions that would separate the Catholic from the pope, her. he is the country to the west and the east that remains under the yoke. The prince decided to improve relations with the Mongols, seeking to ease the oppression. Batu died in 1255. He was replaced by Khan Berke, who decided to count the population of Rus' and take tribute according to the lists. This caused a wave of uprisings. In order to avoid a punitive invasion, Alexander himself dealt with the rebels, Novgorod agreed to pay tribute to the Horde. This time, Berke managed to prove that Alexander could handle it on his own and there was no need to send troops over trifles. But soon life in Rus' became even more difficult. Merchants and moneylenders suggested that Berke pay the entire amount of tribute in advance, and then collect it themselves in Rus'. The moneylenders squeezed the last out of the people: huge fines were imposed on those who failed to pay on time, and non-payers were turned into slaves. In 1262, uprisings broke out against them, but this time the cunning Alexander secretly incited the rebels. He understood that Berke would not spare foreign moneylenders, and mass discontent would tell him about the mistake he had made. Berke summoned Alexander to his Horde. The prince showed himself to be a most skillful politician - he hinted to the khan that the moneylenders were fleecing Berke, and that it would be more profitable to leave the collection of tribute in the hands of the Russian princes. With reasonable arguments, Alexander convinced Berke not to demand “tribute in people” from Rus' (before this, the princes were obliged to send troops to the khan to participate in the campaigns of the Horde). Alexander Nevsky succeeded in both the first and second; as a result, the severity of the yoke was reduced. In 1263, returning from the Horde, Alexander suddenly fell ill. Anticipating an imminent end, he became a monk and died as a monk Alexy. His spiritual feat was bright and lofty. “The sun of the Russian land has set!” - the Metropolitan said in tears to those gathered to say goodbye to Kirill to the people, their beloved prince. Alexander was buried in the Vladimir monastery, and in 1713 his ashes were reburied in St. Petersburg in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, where it is now located. The Orthodox Church, remembering his services to the Fatherland and the fight against the introduction of Catholicism in Rus', canonized Alexander Nevsky. Hundreds of people come every day to bow to the Grand Duke, paying tribute to him and praying for protection in righteous deeds. Thus, the Russian people honor Alexander Nevsky for saving Rus' from the Swedes and Germans, for liberation from Horde rule, for protecting the city of St. Peter, for faithful service to the Orthodox faith. The bells of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra ring solemnly, glorifying the name of Alexander Nevsky. Thus, the Russian people revere Alexander Nevsky for saving Rus' from the Swedes and Germans, for defending the Orthodox faith and rejection of Catholicism, and for mitigating the Tatar-Mongol yoke, which subsequently made it possible to begin the struggle for the liberation of Rus' from Horde rule.

A great commander, a true patriot, a fearless warrior. The famous prince ran like a “golden thread” through Russian history. In 2008, Russians voted in the annual project for the “Name of Russia” - Alexander Nevsky became it. Why did a 13th century prince so far from modernity become a symbol of the country?

The victory he won on the banks of the Neva, at the mouth of Izhora on July 15, 1240 over the Swedes, brought universal glory to the young prince. According to legend, the Swedes sailed too close to Novgorod and sent a message to Nevsky: “If you can, resist, but know that I am already here and will capture your land.” Alexander did not wait for the Swedes, but stepped out to meet them. His troops approached the mouth of the Izhora River and, while the enemies were resting, suddenly attacked them and began to hack them with axes and swords. Alexander himself took part in the battle and even wounded the Swedish governor in the face. Thus, his troops repelled the attack of the Swedes and intimidated other enemies.

Of course, Nevsky is famous not only for this victory. He defeated many opponents. In many battles, he used various tactics: the effect of surprise, ambush, looked for a weak link in the enemy’s ranks and directed the main force of the attack there, took advantage of weather and geographical conditions, and also pursued a defeated enemy, which for a long time discouraged the enemy from wanting to attack Russian lands. During the century of his principality, many trials befell the Russian lands, but the great Alexander Nevsky resisted the Western conquerors, gaining fame as a great Russian commander. Read the most truthful facts about Alexander Nevsky in the twelfth volume, “The Man of Mystery.”

What did you do for Russia?

1. He retained the northwestern lands.

2. Saved the Russian lands from several punitive invasions of the Mongols, which would certainly have happened if not for Alexander’s policies within the Russian lands and not for his rich offerings to the Mongol khans.

3. He preserved the Orthodox faith for Russia and did not allow a religious war to break out in a difficult time for Rus'.

4. Preserved the national culture (if he had accepted the offer of Pope Innocent IV, it would have been extremely difficult to do this).

Interesting Facts

The Order of Alexander Nevsky is awarded to army commanders who have shown courage and bravery. However, the image on the order is not Alexander Nevsky at all. Since not a single lifetime portrait of the Grand Duke has survived, the actor who played him, Nikolai Cherkasov, was depicted on the order.

The expression “Whoever comes to us with a sword will die by the sword” does not belong to Alexander Nevsky. Its author is the screenwriter of the film of the same name, Pavlenko, who adapted the phrase from the Gospel “Those who take the sword will die by the sword.”

Alexander Nevsky was canonized as a noble prince. This rank of saints includes lay people who have become famous for their sincere deep faith and good deeds, as well as Orthodox rulers who managed to remain faithful to Christ in their public service and in various political conflicts. Like any Orthodox saint, the noble prince is not at all an ideal sinless person, however, he is, first of all, a ruler, guided in his life primarily by the highest Christian virtues, including mercy and philanthropy, and not by the thirst for power and not by self-interest.