The Republic of Novgorod has become a prime target for the Teutonic order who perceives them as weak and feeble after their constant battles with the nomadic horse archers of the East.
There is only one man who can unite the Republic of Novgorod together under the cities of Vladimir and Novgorod to fight against this most treacherous of armies in the liberation of Pskov.
Alexander Nevsky is the perceived Prince of Novgorod defender of the people, Victorious over the swedes and negotiater of the Mongols*¹ He must use Superior intellect and his natural home environment to defeat Teutonic order and ensure that they never stepped one foot on local soil.
During the battle Alexander decides to set up his men just in front of Peipsi Lake now frozen over with a thin layer of ice. His idea is that the Teutonic order with their overly heavy armor will break through the ice and Plumit to the bottom of the icy depth.*²
His strategy is successful and the Republic of Novgorod is Victorious over the Teutonic order and with it brings peace and tranquility.
The ice breaking after a mighty battle scene, of course.
Easily the most phenomenal thing about the film is the musical score created by the ridiculously talented Sergei Prokofiev who went on later to create an intire orchestral Opera out of the small soundtrack he had done for the film.
I often wonder if the Teutonic order losing the battle of the ice wasn't actually a Saving Grace in Disguise for them. If they had defeated the Republic of Novgrod and acquired all the territory for their own it would have put them in direct contact with the golden horde, and if the Teutonic order had a hard time fighting against the Russians they would have had an impossible time fighting the Mongols. Who knows how far it could have gone. Maybe the Mongols would have invaded in Teutonic territory and began a direct assault into Europe.
I know some people view that as a pipe dream but I also remind you that Attila the Hun made it all the way to the Atlantic, what would stop the Mongols from doing this.
A question to ponder for the ages; Who knows maybe the Republic of Novgorod was Europe's equivalent of the Qara Khitai.
*¹ The subject of Alexander's negotiations with the Mongols has been disputed thoew out the years, some people believing that he was actually quite charitable with the Mongols. Having no issues paying them tribute, one of the ideas being that he wasn't a particular fan of Christianity and knowing that the Mongols had no issue with keeping the old Slavic religions around, as opposed to the very Orthodox churches who's Powerbass were so intermixed with the Slavic lands. . That of course would change the history of old Alexander if it were true, as he's considered quite the Martyr in the Christian religion.
*² Perhaps the greatest Legacy of this film is a misnomer created about the Battle of the ice, it shows the Teutonic order plunging into the waters from the ice that cracked beneath them when in reality this is seen as nothing more than a fable. Almost no historical records ever speak of the ice cracking for any reason. this film also ignores some of the other groups that were present in the actual battle like the Estonian's that tried to help the German forces. Although that may make a little bit of sense as the Director of this particular movie Sergei Eisenstein and he is of Estonian blood. Might create a bit of a conflict if you show the Estonian's to be a bloodthirsty enemy.
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