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Top 10 Interesting Facts about Alexander Nevsky

Alexander nevsky was born on May 13, 1221 in Peveslavl-Zalessky, Vladimir- Suzdal to Feodosia Igorevna of Ryazan and prince Yaroslavl Vsevolodovich.

He served as Prince of Vladimir during some of the most challenging times in Kievan Rus history. He preserved Russian statehood and Russian orthodoxy by agreeing to pay tribute to the powerful Golden Horden.

Alexander is commonly regarded as a key Medival Rus figure and canonized as a Russian Orthodox church saint in 1347.

In 1239, alexander married Paraskeviya, the daughter of the prince of Polotsk, and Toger had five children. Later he married a second wife shortly before his death, and they bore a son.

He died on 14th November 1268 while returning home from a campaign in the town of Gorodets on the Volga on his way back from Sarai, the capital of the Golden Horde. Get to learn more about Alexandra Nevsky in these top 10 interesting facts.

1. Alexander took monastic vows, the Great Schema

Mosaic of Nevsky on_ he Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Photo outsourced from

Great schema is vows taken by monks who feel to have reached a high level of spiritual excellence.

When Nevsky foresaw his impending death, he took the most strict orthodox Christian monastic vows, a great schema.

As per the orthodox tradition, a person is given a name after becoming a monk. Nevsky took the name Alexis.

When Alexander died, he was buried in Nativity Monastery in Vladimir. He was canonized as a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church by Metropolitan Macarius in 1347.

In 1724 peter the excellent ordered the transfer of his relic to a monster especially built for this alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg.

2. He is regarded key figure of medival Ru鈥�

Alexander Nevsky in the_battle with the Swedes. Photo from

Nevsky was the grandson of Vsevolod the Big Nest. Alexander rose to legendary status because of his military victories over German and Swedish invaders while agreeing to pay tribute to the powerful Golden Horde.

In 1240 swedes were advancing on Novgorod and other Russian territories. Alexander led an army that routed the Swedish and completely blocked the invaders from north Rus.

During 1241 German started invading Novgorod. Alexander was also summoned to defend the region again, and in 1242 he defeated the invaders.

Russia was ravaged by the Golden Horde on one side, effectively under the control of the Horde. Alexander allied with the Horde, and by essentially serving as their vasal, he could defend Russia鈥檚 territorial and cultural integrity.

3. He was a hostage at Golden Horde

When he was eight years old, he was given as a hostage to the Golden Horde as part of an agreement between his older brother and the Horde.

During his stay with the Horde, alexander became close to the ruling dynasty and created lasting ties with it.

While at Golden Horde, he was tasked with overlooking the Vladimir principality by the Horde. Later, when Novgorod faced the threat of an invasion, it sought the help of alexander against the invaders.

4. Alexander Nevsky, grand prince of Vladimir

During the fight against Germany and swedes, alexander was already enjoying significant power and influence in Russia.

He kept Russia uninvolved from overture by the catholic church, which he felt presented a more tangible threat to Russian identity.

Alexander kept Russia away from catholicism, and he was considered vital in maintaining Russia鈥檚 east-oriented culture.

He maintained a close relationship with Golden Horde throughout his life, and defending Horde was impossible.

Unable to defeat Golden Horde, he allied with them and helped him save Russia. He was finally elevated to the rank of grand prince of Vladimir, which was the position of ruler of Russia under the Horde.

5. A chronicle was complied called 鈥淟ife of Alexander Nevsky鈥�

The chronicle was a Russian literary work of the late thirteen and fourteen centuries. It describes the life and achievement of alexander Nevsky.

The work is filled with patriotic spirit and achieves a high degree of artistic expressiveness as it describes his heroic deeds.

The chronicle depicts alexander as an ideal prince soldier and defender of Russia who defended Russian from swedes and German.

6. Alexander relics

Alexander was buried in the church of the Nutivity of the virgin Monastery in Vladimir, and his relics were placed in a shrine in the church.

A wooden reliquary was made in Moscow in 1695, and the relics were placed in it in 1697. By order of Peter the Great, the relics were transported to Shlisselburg and kept there until 1724.

In 1724 the relics were brought to St. Petersburg and installed in the annunciation church of the alexander Nevsky lavra on 30th August.

In 1753 a large silver shrine for the relics was made with 90 pounds of silver donated by empress Elizabeth of Russia.

When the holy trinity cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky was completed in 1790. The shrine and relics were transferred there at its consecration on 30 august, one of the saint鈥檚 feast days,

7. Alexander Nevsky fame

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His fame spread beyond the borders of Russia, and several churches were dedicated to him, such as the cathedral church in Tallin, Estonia, the Patriarchal Cathedral of Sofia, Bulgaria, and a church in Belgrade, Serbia, and a church in Tbilisi, Georgia.

On 24 September 2008, alexander was declared the main hero of Russia鈥檚 history in the name of Russia rating voting, Kommersaint newspaper reported.

Alexander became famous in Russia because of his outstanding military accomplishments and when he protected Russia鈥檚 western frontier against invasion by swedes and German.

8. He was a thoughtful politician

Alexander dismissed the Roman Carias’s effort to cause a tiff between the Russians and the Golden Horde.

He understood the uselessness of such war with the Tatars at a time when they were still a powerful force. This left historians unsure of alexander’s behavior and stood when it came to Mongols.

9. He has canonized a saint

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Alexander tried to reduce the suffering of the general public by negotiating for them with the great khan.

He received support from the church that thrived under Mongol protection. For these reasons, he was given the status of saint.

He was beatified by Russian cleric Metropolitan Macarius in 1547, and Macarius was canonized by the Russian Orthodox church in 1988.

Alexander is always remembered on 23rd May with other saints such as Roster and Yaroslavl.

10. A film about him was made

In 1938 Sergei Eisenstein made one of the most popular and adored movie Alexander Nevsky based on the victory over Teutonic Knights.