Northern Crusades: Victory on the Ice

Fought April 5, 1242, the Battle of the Ice saw Russian forces turn back the Crusaders. Attacking the Russian state of Novgorod in 1240 Crusader forces were defeated in the north by Prince Alexander Nevsky at the Battle of the Neva. Despite this setback, Crusader forces to the south had success and occupied a number of key towns. Campaigning in 1241 and early 1242, Alexander succeeded in liberating much of this territory and then raided further west. Completing his raid, he withdrew east with Crusader forces led by Hermann, Bishop of Dorpat in pursuit. Crossing the frozen surface of Lake Peipus, he turned and invited attack. Charging across the lake, the smaller Crusader force slammed into Alexander's lines. As hand-to-hand fighting raged, the Russian cavalry attacked the Crusader flanks forcing them to retreat back across the lake. Though a minor engagement, the Battle of the Ice ended Crusader efforts to subjugate Novgorod and inspired centuries of anti-Western Russian propaganda.