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The envoys of the Roman Pope attend Alexander Nevsky by Henryk Siemiradzki (1870) (Public Domain)

Alexander Nevsky – Medieval King Turned Russian Propaganda Tool

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Nestled deep within an obscure crevice of Russian history, the tale of Prince Alexander Nevsky and his battle against Western crusaders at first appears as a highly interesting if half-forgotten turn of events, tracing the resilience and mettle of a lesser-known Slavic kingdom located on the fringes of Europe and Asia. Yet this story, at least the official version, is known to millions of Russians today, and has over the last few centuries embedded itself deeply within the narrative of the Russian State as a powerful metaphor, representing their eternal struggle against the West.

13th-century Novgorod as represented in Sergei Eisenstein's Alexander Nevsky (1938). (Public Domain)

13th-century Novgorod as represented in Sergei Eisenstein's Alexander Nevsky (1938). (Public Domain)

Even today, Alexander Nevsky, a commander of valor and honor who repelled the Mongolians, Swedes, and Germans from the lands of Novgorod, is invoked by Russians fighting in Ukraine who believe their aggression is actually a form of defense against the further incursions of the Western world. Yet a closer examination of his story, and the thrilling sagas of the Battle of the Neva and the Battle on the Ice, reveals a man more concerned with bravely resisting the advances of foreign forces than warmongering.

The Tavastian Crusade

During the late 1220s and early 1230s, crusades against the pagans of Baltic Europe were put on hold because of a power dispute between the King of Denmark, Valdemar II, and the Sword Brothers, a motley order of crusading knights from Germany, over the territories of modern-day Latvia and Estonia.

A Teutonic Knight on the left and a Sword Brother on the right. (Public Domain)

A Teutonic Knight on the left and a Sword Brother on the right. (Public Domain)

The Sword Brothers had stubbornly resisted demands by the Papacy to handover Estonia to the Danes, whose armies had been chosen by the Pope to represent and expand Christian influence in an area that was still teeming with pagan heretics. The Sword Brothers had not helped their position by slaughtering papal representatives based at the Bishopric of Leal in 1233, as well as destroying a Cistercian Monastery with the help of local indigenous tribes and Russian apostates.

In response, a Papal bull was issued in 1236 demanding that the Sword Brothers relinquish control. It was only in 1238, after the Sword Brothers had been wiped out after a disastrous foray into heathen Lithuania, that the Papacy was able to finally reestablish order with the signing of the Treaty of Stensby, granting all Estonian lands to the Danish Crown.

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Jake Leigh-Howarth holds a masters degree in Modern History from the University of Leeds, where he specialized in the travelogues of Western visitors to Soviet Central Asia. His favorite historical periods include the Tamerlane Empire, the Mongolian Empire, and the Eleusinian Mysteries of Ancient Greece.

Top Image: The envoys of the Roman Pope attend Alexander Nevsky by Henryk Siemiradzki (1870) (Public Domain)

By: Jake Leigh-Howarth

 

Comments

What is the point of this article? Devalue the historical significance of a person who lived several hundred years ago, considered a national hero? The article is very short, and this may indicate that the author has removed a huge historical context from the story.

To begin with, I want to note that Alexander Nevsky lived in the early Middle Ages not in a separate small state, as the author writes, but in Novgorod, the CITY of Ancient Russia. Even the very name of the place of government - Novgorod, etymologically carries the word "city"; "Novgorod", if literally translated this word, means "New City". And Alexander Nevsky, a representative of the kind of rulers of Ancient Russia - the Ruriks, ruled this city during the period of feudal fragmentation. It is necessary to understand the specifics of the rule of that time in Ancient Russia: although there was feudal fragmentation in the country, representatives of one dynasty ruled in these feuds. Therefore, the author's attempt to represent the personality of Alexander Nevsky as a representative of a single state that has an indirect relationship to both Ancient Russia and Russia is incorrect. Nevsky is not a surname, but a nickname received in honor of the battle near the Neva River, and Novgorod itself is now a city in Russia, it still exists.

As for the context given in the article, it generally has little to do with the events of the Battle of the Ice. Alexander Nevsky is revered in Russia for his victory in this battle over the Livonian Order. The author did not indicate that the Pope of Rome declared a crusade not only against the pagan Balts, but also against Russia, and this is very important, because Russia professed another branch of Christianity - Orthodoxy, and the Pope of Rome repeatedly tried to return "the lost to the bosom of the church." In this context, Alexander Nevsky acts as a defender of the faith, which is why he has the status of a saint.

IronicLyricist's picture

Well the western diplomats told the soviets that nato would not seek to encroach further eastward.. n yet calls for the ukraine to be added are still loud, the real possibility that the bioweapons centers(FACT) the money laundering (hunters laptop) and the adrenochrome processing centers(not yet proven) exist and are being used by those evil bastards... Its no wonder this guy is held in the same esteem as Lincoln or the founding fathers here in the united states.. its propaganda either way

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Jake Leigh-Howarth's picture

Jake

Jake Leigh-Howarth is a journalist and researcher from the UK with 8 years experience in music, travel, news, and historical journalism. He grew up in rural North Yorkshire where he developed a lifelong fascination for nature, mythology, folklore and history. ... Read More

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