Medieval and Manuscripts

Alexander Nevsky

Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (Russian: Александр Ярославич Невский; IPA: [ɐlʲɪˈksandr jɪrɐˈsɫavʲɪtɕ ˈnʲɛfskʲɪj] ; monastic name: Aleksiy; 13 May 1221 – 14 November 1263) was Prince of Novgorod (1236–1240; 1241–1256; 1258–1259) and Grand Prince of Vladimir (1252–1263). A grandson of Vsevolod the Big Nest, Nevsky rose to legendary status after victories over Swedish invaders in the Battle of the Neva (1240), which earned him the title "Nevsky" in the 15th century, and over German crusaders in the Battle on the Ice (1242). He agreed to pay tribute to the Golden Horde, which allowed him to preserve the Eastern Orthodox Church, while fighting against foreign powers to the west and the south. Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow canonized Alexander Nevsky as a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1547. He is considered "one of the great heroes of Russian history", being credited with having "saved the Russian people from Catholicism and being enslaved by the Germans". Although he was already an important figure during his lifetime, his image as the defender of Russia has survived in the centuries after his death. Nevsky's military successes led his image to be used by Peter the Great in the construction of Saint Petersburg. His image was also used to promote patriotism in the Soviet Union, especially during World War II. The 1938 film Alexander Nevsky cemented Nevsky's reputation as a Russian savior. Critics of his legacy argue that the size and importance of his military victories were exaggerated for political purposes, and that he helped ensure the Golden Horde's dominance over Russia.

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See also

• ▸Aftimios Ofiesh
• ▸Francisco Zúñiga
• ▸Enniscorthy

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Text from Wikipedia; plate via Wikimedia Commons. Text CC BY-SA 4.0; plate freely licensed (see Commons). Source record. Images and catalogue data are reproduced from open-access collections.