Battle of the Neva facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of the Neva
Part of the Swedish–Novgorodian Wars
Depiction of the battle in the late 16th century illuminated manuscript of Ivan the Terrible
Date 15 July 1240 Location Neva River, Russia Result Novgorodian victory
Belligerents
Novgorod Republic People of Ladoga	Kingdom of Sweden Finns Tavastians Norwegians
Commanders and leaders
Alexander Yaroslavich	Ulf Fase (arguably) Spiridon  †
Casualties and losses
Novgorod First Chronicle: 20 killed	Novgorod First Chronicle: "great number"

The Battle of the Neva (Russian: Невская битва, romanized: Nevskaya bitva) was a fight between the Novgorod Republic (an old Russian state) and the Kingdom of Sweden. This battle happened on the Neva River in Russia on July 15, 1240. People from Karelia, Norway, Finland, and Tavastia also took part.

This battle is mostly known from old Russian writings. It's not fully clear if it was a huge invasion or a smaller attack. However, in Russian history, it's seen as a very important event.

Why the Battle Happened

Crusades and Conflicts

Around this time, the Pope (the leader of the Catholic Church) was encouraging special religious wars called "crusades." These crusades were often aimed at non-Christian groups in the Baltic Sea region.

In 1237, the Pope gave Sweden permission to start a crusade. By 1240, new military actions began in the eastern Baltic area. Sweden's goal was to expand its influence eastward into Finland. This led to problems with Novgorod.

Novgorod's Interests

The Karelians, who lived in the area Sweden wanted to expand into, had been allies of Novgorod for a long time. They also paid taxes to Novgorod. Novgorod wanted to protect its trade. They especially wanted to keep control over the valuable fur trade from Karelia.

So, when the Swedes moved further east, they met a Novgorodian army. This army was led by a young prince named Alexander Yaroslavich.

What Russian Sources Say

The Novgorod First Chronicle

The main story of the Battle of the Neva comes from an old Russian book called the Novgorod First Chronicle. This book was written in the 1300s.

According to the chronicle, Prince Alexander Yaroslavich was only 20 years old. He heard that Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, and Tavastian ships were coming. They wanted to take over Ladoga and then Novgorod itself.

Alexander Nevsky Fighting the Swedes, by Boris Chorikov

Prince Alexander acted quickly. He gathered his small army and local fighters. They went to meet the enemy before they could reach Lake Ladoga.

The Battle Described

The chronicle says that the Swedes came with a large army and many ships. They were led by their prince and bishops. They stopped at the mouth of the Izhora River on the Neva.

The battle happened on July 15, 1240. Prince Alexander and his forces attacked. They defeated the Swedes and their allies. The chronicle mentions that a Swedish leader named Spiridon was killed. Some even said a bishop died. Many Swedes fell in battle.

The Swedes loaded two ships with the bodies of their important men and sent them out to sea. The bodies of many others were put into a large pit and buried. Many more were wounded. The Swedes then fled that same night, full of shame.

The chronicle says that only about 20 Novgorodians and people from Ladoga were killed. Prince Alexander and his men returned home safely.

Alexander "Nevsky"

After this important victory, Prince Alexander Yaroslavich was given the nickname "Nevsky." This means "of the Neva."

Two years later, Alexander also stopped another invasion. This time, it was the Livonian Knights in the Battle on the Ice. Even with these wins, Novgorod did not expand further west into Finland or Estonia.

What Swedish Sources Say

No Mention of the Battle

It's interesting that there are no mentions of the Battle of the Neva in any Swedish historical writings from that time. This makes some historians wonder about the battle's size and importance.

Sweden's Situation

After King John died in 1222, Sweden faced a kind of civil war. This lasted until 1248. During this time, different groups fought for power. One group, called the folkung party, wanted to keep old ways. The king, supported by the church, wanted to centralize power.

This period was very unstable for Sweden. It seems unlikely that Sweden could have organized a large military trip against Novgorod during this time. Also, Sweden was having problems with Norway. Norway was even helping the folkung party. Peace between Sweden and Norway only came in 1249.

Different Ideas About the Battle

Because of the lack of Swedish sources, historians have come up with different ideas:

• A Crusade Against Tavastia? Some think the Swedish trip might have been linked to the Pope's letter in 1237. This letter called for a crusade against the Tavastians in Finland. The king might not have been able to act, but the folkungs might have used this chance. They might have gathered their own army, with help from Norway and the Bishop of Finland. Instead of Tavastia, this group might have gone to the Neva River for trade reasons and met Alexander there.
• A Small Border Fight? Other researchers believe the Battle of the Neva was just a small border fight. They think it was made to seem much bigger later for political reasons. This would explain why Swedish and other Western sources don't mention it.
• Birger Jarl's Role? Some historians have suggested that the Swedish army was led by Birger Jarl. He later became a very powerful leader in Sweden. However, this would have been eight years before he officially became a "jarl" (a high-ranking noble).
• Later Additions? It's also possible that details about Norwegians, Finns, and Tavastians being involved were added later. This might have happened in the 1300s when the Novgorod Chronicle was written. At that time, Sweden controlled Norway, Finland, and Tavastia.

What Happened Next

The first known Swedish military trip against Novgorod after the Neva battle happened in 1256. This was after the folkungs were defeated, and Sweden made peace with Norway.

If the Battle of the Neva had any long-term effects, it might have made Sweden decide to take over Finland first. Only after securing Finland would they try to expand further east.

See also

• Battle of Lihula
• Bishop Thomas
• Second Swedish Crusade

Images for kids

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  The Battle of the Neva helped Alexander become a saint.