Battle of the Ice 1

Battle of the Ice

Battle on the IcePart of Northern Crusades

Depiction in the illuminated manuscript Life of Alexander Nevsky

Date April 5, 1242

Location Lake Peipsi-Pihkva, between Estonia and Russia

Result Decisive Novgorod victoryTeutonic order dropped all territorial claims over Russian lands

Belligerents

NovgorodRepublic

Grand Duchy ofVladimir

Pskov Republic

Livonian Order Teutonic Order Kingdom of Denmark Bishopric of Dorpat

Commanders and leadersPrince AlexanderNevskyGrand Duke AndreyYaroslavich

Prince-Bishop Hermann of Dorpat

Strength4,000–5,000 4,000

Casualties and lossesNo exact figures Around 400 Germans killed, 20 of them were members of the Order. 50 were captured, 6 of them were

members of the Order. In addition to that many more Danes and Estonians killed and captured.

The Battle on the Ice (Russian: Ледовое побоище, Ledovoye poboish'ye; German: Schlacht auf dem Eise; Estonian:Jäälahing; Latvian: Ledus kauja), also known as the Battle of Lake Peipus (German: Schlacht auf dem Peipussee;Russian: битва на Чудском озере, bitva na Chudskom ozere), was a battle between the Republic of Novgorod andthe Livonian branch of the Teutonic Knights (whose army consisted mostly of Estonians) on April 5, 1242, at LakePeipus. The battle is notable for having been fought largely on the frozen lake.The battle was a significant defeat sustained by Roman Catholic crusaders during the Northern Crusades, which weredirected against pagans and Eastern Orthodox Christians rather than Muslims in the Holy Land. The crusaders' defeatin the battle marked the end of their campaigns against the Orthodox Novgorod Republic and other Russianterritories for the next century.

Battle of the Ice 2

BackgroundHoping to exploit the Russians' weakness in the wake of the Mongol and Swedish invasions, the Teutonic Knightsattacked the neighboring Novgorod Republic and occupied Pskov, Izborsk, and Koporye in the autumn of 1240.When they approached Novgorod itself, the local citizens recalled to the city 20-year-old Prince Alexander Nevsky,whom they had banished to Pereslavl earlier that year. During the campaign of 1241, Alexander managed to retakePskov and Koporye from the crusaders.

Details of the battle

Medieval Livonia

In the spring of 1242, the Teutonic Knightsdefeated a detachment of Novgorodians about20 km south of the fortress of Dorpat (Tartu).Led by Prince-Bishop Hermann of Dorpat, theknights and their auxiliary troops of localUgaunian Estonians then met with Alexander'sforces by the narrow strait that connects thenorthern and southern parts of Lake Peipus(Lake Peipus proper with Lake Pskovskoe) onApril 5, 1242. Alexander, intending to fight in aplace of his own choosing, retreated in anattempt to draw the often over-confidentCrusaders onto the frozen lake.

The crusader forces likely numbered around2,000. Most of them were probably Estonians(Chudes). The Russians fielded around 5,000men: Alexander and his brother Andrei'sbodyguards (druzhina), totalling around 1,000,plus the militia of Novgorod.

According to contemporary Russian chronicles,after hours of hand-to-hand fighting, Alexander ordered the left and right wings of his archers to enter the battle. Theknights by that time were exhausted from the constant struggle on the slippery surface of the frozen lake. TheCrusaders started to retreat in disarray deeper onto the ice, and the appearance of the fresh Russian cavalry madethem run for their lives. When the knights attempted to rally at the far side of the lake, the thin ice began to give wayunder the weight of their heavy armour, and many knights drowned.

In 1983, a revisionist view proposed by historian John I. L. Fennell argues that the battle was not as important, nor aslarge, as has sometimes been portrayed. Fennell claimed that most of the Teutonic Knights were by that timeengaged elsewhere in the Baltic. He also states that the apparently low casualties suffered by the knights according totheir own sources is indicative of the small magnitude of the encounter.[1]

Russian historian Alexander Uzhankov, who cited a number of authors and primary sources, suggested that Fennell distorted the picture by ignoring many historical facts and documents. In order to stress the importance of the battle, he cites two papal bulls of Gregory IX, promulgated in 1233 and 1237, which called for a crusade to protect Christianity in Finland against her neighbours. The first bull explicitly mentions Russia. The kingdoms of Sweden, Denmark and the Teutonic Order built up an alliance in June 1238, under the auspices of Danish king Valdemar II. They assembled the larger western cavalry force of their time. Another point mentioned by Uzhankov is the 1243 treaty between Novgorod and the Teutonic Order, where the knights abandoned all claims to Russian lands. Uzhankov also emphasizes, with respect to the scale of battle, that for each knight deployed on the field there were

Battle of the Ice 3

eight to 30 combatants, counting squires, archers and servants.[2]

Casualties

Battle of the Ice anniv. 750 years. Miniature sheetof Russia, 1992

According to the Novgorod First Chronicle,Prince Alexander and all the men of Novgorod drew uptheir forces by the lake, at Uzmen, by the Raven's Rock;and the Germans and the Estonians rode at them, drivingthemselves like a wedge through their army. And therewas a great slaughter of Germans and Estonians... theyfought with them during the pursuit on the ice seven verstsshort of the Subol [north-western] shore. And there fell acountless number of Estonians, and 400 of the Germans,and they took fifty with their hands and they took them toNovgorod.[3]

According to the Livonian Order's Livonian Rhymed Chronicle, written in the late 1340s,The [Russians] had many archers, and the battle began with their bold assault on the king's men [Danes].The brothers' banners were soon flying in the midst of the archers, and swords were heard cuttinghelmets apart. Many from both sides fell dead on the grass. Then the Brothers' army was completelysurrounded, for the Russians had so many troops that there were easily sixty men for every one Germanknight. The Brothers fought well enough, but they were nonetheless cut down. Some of those fromDorpat escaped from the battle, and it was their salvation that they fled. Twenty brothers lay dead andsix were captured.[4]

Legacy

Summer view of Lake Peipsi from the Estonianshore

The legacy of the battle, and its decisiveness, lies in the fact that ithalted the eastward expansion of the Teutonic Order[5] and establisheda permanent border line through the Narva River and Lake Peipusdividing Eastern Orthodoxy from Western Catholicism.[6] The knights'defeat at the hands of Alexander's forces prevented the crusaders fromretaking Pskov, the linchpin of their eastern crusade. TheNovgorodians succeeded in defending Russian territory, and theGerman crusaders never mounted another serious challenge eastward.Alexander was canonised as a saint in the Russian Orthodox Church in1574.

Popular cultureThe event was glorified in Sergei Eisenstein's nationalistic historical drama film Alexander Nevsky, released in 1938.The movie, bearing propagandist allegories of the Teutonic Knights as Nazi Germans, with the Teutonic infantrywearing modified World War I German Stahlhelm helmets, has created a popular image of the battle often mistakenfor the real events. Sergei Prokofiev turned his score for the film into a concert cantata of the same title, the longestmovement of which is "The Battle on the Ice".

Battle of the Ice 4

During World War II, the image of Alexander Nevsky became a national Russian symbol of the struggle againstGerman occupation. Today, Russia has an Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, a medal given for outstanding braveryand excellent service to the country.Heavy metal band Aria composed a song, "Ballad of an Ancient Russian Warrior", for their Hero of Asphalt albumin 1987. The song describes the battle from a participant's point of view.In a 2009 Russian-Canadian-Japanese WWII-related anime, First Squad, the Battle on the Ice plays a vital part in theplot."Katabasis", the fourth volume of the Mongoliad Cycle of novels, by Joseph Brassey, Cooper Moo, et al, climaxeswith the Battle of the Ice.

References[1] John Fennell, The Crisis of Medieval Russia 1200-1304, (London: Longman, 1983), 106.[2] Александр Ужанков. Меж двух зол. Исторический выбор Александра Невского (http:/ / www. pravoslavie. ru/ archiv/ mezhdvukhzol.

htm) (Alexander Uzhankov. Between two evils. The historical choice of Alexander Nevsky)[3] Christiansen, Eric. The Northern Crusades. Penguin Books. London, 1997. ISBN 0-14-026653-4[4] Urban, William. The Teutonic Knights: A Military History. Greenhill Books. London, 2003. ISBN 1-85367-535-0[5] Riley-Smith Jonathan Simon Christopher.The Crusades: a History, USA, 1987,ISBN 0-300-10128-7, p.198.[6] Hosking, Geoffrey A..Russia and the Russians: a history, USA, 2001, ISBN 0-674-00473-6, p.65.

Further reading• Military Heritage did a feature on the Battle of Lake Peipus and the holy Knights Templar and the monastic

knighthood Hospitallers (Terry Gore, Military Heritage, August 2005, Volume 7, No. 1, pp. 28 to 33)), ISSN1524-8666.

• Basil Dmytryshyn, Medieval Russia 900–1700. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1973.• John France, Western Warfare in the Age of the Crusades 1000–1300. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press,

1999.• David Nicolle, Lake Peipus 1242. London: Osprey Publishing, 1996.• Donald Ostrowski, "Alexander Nevskii’s ‘Battle on the Ice’: The Creation of a Legend,” Russian History/Histoire

Russe, 33 (2006): 289-312.• Terrence Wise, The Knights of Christ. London: Osprey Publishing, 1984.• Dittmar Dahlmann: Der russische Sieg über die „teutonischen Ritter“ auf dem Peipussee 1242. In: Gerd

Krumeich, Susanne Brandt (ed.): Schlachtenmythen. Ereignis–Erzählung–Erinnerung. Böhlau, Köln/Wien 2003,ISBN 3-41208-703-3, pp. 63–75. (German)

• Livländische Reimchronik. Mit Anmerkungen, Namenverzeichnis und Glossar. Ed. Leo Meyer. Paderborn 1876(Reprint: Hildesheim 1963). (German)

• Anti Selart. Livland und die Rus' im 13. Jahrhundert. Böhlau, Köln/Wien 2012, ISBN 978-3-41216-006-7.(German)

• Kaldalu, Meelis; Toots, Timo, Looking for the Border Island. Tartu: Damtan Publishing, 2005. Contemporaryjournalistic narrative about an Estonian youth attempting to uncover the secret of the Ice Battle. Accessible athttp:/ / www. isamaa. ee/ zona (password: ma_armastan_sind)

•• Joseph Brassey, Cooper Moo, Mark Teppo, Angus Trim, "Katabasis (The Mongoliad Cycle Book 4)" 47 North,2013 ISBN 1477848215

Battle of the Ice 5

External links• Battle of the Ice animated battle map (http:/ / www. theartofbattle. com/ battle-of-the-ice-1242. htm) by Jonathan

WebbCoordinates: 58°41′N 27°29′E (http:/ / tools. wmflabs. org/ geohack/ geohack. php?pagename=Battle_of_the_Ice&params=58_41_N_27_29_E_)

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Article Sources and ContributorsBattle of the Ice  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=601425959  Contributors: .:Ajvol:., 3 Löwi, AKA MBG, Adam Bishop, Akradecki, Alexander Iwaschkin, Altenmann,Amalthea, Andrew c, Anglicanus, AnnaFrance, Ansh666, Autumnalmonk, Battle Icer, Bilsonius, Brownie210, Chenopodiaceous, CommonsDelinker, DJ Sturm, DabMachine, DagosNavy,DanaStreet, Darwinek, Deliogul, Dimadick, Don Ostrowski, Doncsecz, Doomi92y, Dpv, DraKyry, Drilnoth, East718, Edward, Ekrenor, Esn, Finalyzer, Fransvannes, GCarty, Garret Beaumain,Ghirlandajo, Gingerbreadman4290, Goethicus, Goudzovski, Greyhood, H2ppyme, Hellerick, HennessyC, Hmains, Hugo999, Igny, Ijon, Imkatkrazy, Jaraalbe, JohnMac777, KNewman, KirillLokshin, Ko Soi IX, Kuralyov, LibertyHiller, Lightmouse, LoveMonkey, Lucky Grin, Luisldq, Magioladitis, MarshallPoe, Mathiasrex, Matthead, Mcpaul1998, Meisterkoch, Mild Bill Hiccup,Modest Genius, Mr. IP, Nberger, Nicolas Perrault III, Nimetapoeg, Norum, Nug, Olessi, P. S. Burton, Pavel from Russia, Pearle, PeepP, Peter Ellis, Pi zero, Piledhigheranddeeper, Pirags,PoccilScript, Pudist, Qogir, Retired username, Rich Farmbrough, RonaldDonald33, Sander Säde, Schekinov Alexey Victorovich, Seryo93, Shakko, Shir-El too, Skier Dude, Steveholtje,SwinSvinoza, Tabletop, Termer, Tim!, Tttom, Veledan, Victor V V, Wandalstouring, Warbola, Wiglaf, Wikinist, Wilson44691, WolfmanSF, 124 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsImage:Alexander nevskiy ice battle3.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Alexander_nevskiy_ice_battle3.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Berillium, FSII,Lvova, Shakko, The Deceiver, Zhuyifei1999, ХомелкаFile:Nowogród.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Nowogród.svg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors: J a1File:Coat of Arms of Vladimir (1781).png  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Vladimir_(1781).png  License: Public Domain  Contributors:vector-images.comFile:Coat of Arms of Pskov.png  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Pskov.png  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Kobac, Panther, Дар ВетерFile:Baltic coat of arms.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Baltic_coat_of_arms.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Sebastian WalderichFile:Den tyske ordens skjold.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Den_tyske_ordens_skjold.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: ErinaFile:State Banner of Denmark (14th Century).svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:State_Banner_of_Denmark_(14th_Century).svg  License: Public Domain Contributors: SodacanFile:Tartu coat of arms.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Tartu_coat_of_arms.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Government of Estonia, QuibikImage:Medieval Livonia 1260.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Medieval_Livonia_1260.svg  License: GNU Free Documentation License  Contributors:User:MapMasterFile:StampRussia1992CPA5.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:StampRussia1992CPA5.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Processed by A. SdobnikovFile:LakePeipus02.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:LakePeipus02.JPG  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Original uploader was Wilson44691 at en.wikipedia

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