The Novgorod Republic: Battle on the Ice Defense against the Teutonic Order

The Novgorod Republic: 

Battle on the Ice 

Battle on the Ice (1242) 

Background:  Hoping to exploit the weakness of the Novgorod after wars with the Mongols and Swedes, the Teutonic Order attacked. The Knights occupied the cities of Pskov, Izborsk, and Koporye in 1240 during the beginning of the war. When the Knights continued to push in deeper to the Novgorod Republic the citizens banished their leader Alexander Nevsky. During the campaign of 1241 however, Alexander pushed back the Knights and retook Pskov and Koporye. By the spring of 1242 the Knights won many skirmishes and a battle south of the fortress Dorpat that was lead by the Prince-Bishop Hermann of Dorpat. Instead of attacking this force lead by the Prince-Bishop, Prince Alexander decided to retreat to find a battlefield that he could choose.  

Purpose of the Battle: With the Novgorod pressing against the Teutonic borders, the crusaders needed to destroy them complete the crusade against Eastern Orthodoxy. If the Crusaders could defeat the Novgorod they would be able to take her territories and be the masters of the Baltic.  

The Battle: On April 5, 1242, the Teutonic Knights advanced against the Novgorod Republic on a frozen lake called Lake Peipus. The Crusader force was numbered 2,600 men with 100 Teutonic knights and local troops from Germany and Estonia. The Novgorod force numbered around 5,000 men and of those 5,000, 1,000 Durzhina (Elite Novgorod Infantry) were at the battle. A defensive position was set up by the Novgorod Republic daring the Teutons to charge against their superior force. The Teutons charged at the Novgorod army and reached the opposing army, but were met with a fierce defense from the front line of Novgorod militia. After over two hours of fighting, the Teutons in their heavy armor began to tire, Alexander seeing this then committed his Durzhina and Mongol Archers on each flanks. When the Teutons saw the fresh troops of the Novgorod Republic, the Teutons began to retreat in disarray. Much speculation occurs however near the end of the battle on the Teutonic last stand. Some scholars say that when they Teutons regrouped they broke the thin ice and drowned while others say they were mowed down by the Novgorod Calvary. Overall the battle ended with a major Novgorod victory.  
 Teutonic knights
Novgorod Durzhina


Aftermath: With the Novgorod Republic capturing victory, the Teuton advances and military crusade against the Republic ended. This then created an official border with the Teutons at lake Peipus and the Narva river. With this major victory Alexander was allowed back into Novgorod with open arms and became a Russian Orthadox Saint and one of the greatest Novgorod leaders of all time.

Commanders: Prince Alexander Nevsky-Novgorod Republic
                         Prince-Bishop Hermann of Dorpat-The Teutonic Order


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxlPxGf-xWY ------- This is a song made by Prokofiev dedicated to the Novgorod triumph.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uez8dJ-MGw ------ Here is a video made in 1938 by Sergei Eisenstien


http://www.theartofbattle.com/battle-of-the-ice-1242.htm
http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/battleswars12011400/p/Northern-Crusades-Battle-Of-The-Ice.htm
http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Battle+on+the+Ice+of+1242