Alexander Nevsky (1220?-1263) was a Russian prince and military leader. He became a national hero for his victories against Russia’s invaders. He is also a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church.
At the time of Alexander’s birth, Russia consisted of a number of principalities (regions ruled by a prince). Alexander’s father, Yaroslav, was an important Russian prince who became ruler of the grand principality of Vladimir in 1236. In that same year, Alexander was elected prince of the principality of Novgorod, which included the city Velikiy Novgorod.
In 1237, Mongol forces began to conquer Russia. By the end of 1240, they had made Russia a part of the Mongol Empire. The Mongols were chiefly interested in maintaining their power and collecting taxes. Alexander cooperated with the Mongols, and they interfered little in Novgorod.
In 1240, Alexander defeated invading Swedish forces in a battle at the Neva River. After this victory, he came to be called Alexander Nevsky, meaning Alexander of the Neva. In 1242, Alexander defeated the Teutonic Knights, an organization of German crusaders, in a famous battle on frozen Lake Peipus. A goal of the Knights was to convert the Orthodox Russians to Roman Catholicism (see Teutonic Knights ). For Alexander’s role in defending the Russian faith against these invaders and in preserving it under Mongol rule, he was named a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1547.
In 1252, Alexander became grand prince of Vladimir, and he also continued to rule Novgorod. In the late 1250’s and early 1260’s, the people of Novgorod rebelled several times against having to pay the taxes demanded by the Mongols and having to send men to fight in the Mongol armies. Alexander ended the uprisings and traveled to the Mongol headquarters to persuade the Mongols not to punish Novgorod and other rebellious Russian areas. He was successful in his mission but died on Nov. 14, 1263, during the return journey.
Alexander’s career became the subject of the film Alexander Nevsky (1938), made by Russian motion-picture director Sergei Eisenstein. Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev wrote music for the film that he later reworked into the cantata Alexander Nevsky (1939). See Eisenstein, Sergei Mikhailovich ; Prokofiev, Sergei Sergeyevich .
