Part One:A Star is Born
· July 15, 1240AD: The Battle of Neva unfolds at the Neva and Izhora Rivers between Swedish forces under Birger Jarl and a Novgorodian army under Velikiy Knyaz Alexandr Yaroslavitch (of Vladimir). The battle results in a crushing victory for Prince Alexander, and Swedish forces fail tragically to retreat across the Izhora River, and the army (including Birger Jarl) is slaughtered. Prince Alexander is honored with the title of ‘Nevski’ (Of Neva) for his victory.
· October 2, 1240: Prince Alexander faces an uprising against him by some of the Boyars of Novgorod, who believe that he is becoming too powerful a force in the city. Alexander, however, is much beloved by both the people (and many of the warrior Boyars and wealthy traders) of Novgorod and the Orthodox clergy there. By the end of the day, the rebels (who wrongly believed that they had more support than they actually did) are routed and captured. Alexander uses this opportunity to consolidate power as Kniaz, and forces the Boyars to swear loyalty or be executed. Many Boyars are executed, but most join his cause.
· October 3, 1240- May 14, 1241: Alexander becomes increasingly involved in Novgorodian politics, and fails to notice a massive effort by the Roman Curia to incite war between the Rus and Golden Horde. This culminates in a letter sent by the Catholics to the Mongols warning of an impending rebellion in Muscovy. The Horde begins to distrust the Rus in general, retaining faith solely in Prince Alexander, who works arduously to strengthen the ties between himself and Sarai (the capital of the Khans). Despite this, Alexander manages to introduce many new reforms to the Novgorodian system of government. The Boyars are forced to contribute troops to a standing army of nobles, whilst Traders and Guilds are required to fund and equip militia in order for their profits to be recognized as legitimate. In April, Alexander hears that army of the Livonian Order is marching on Novgorodian territory (particularly the city of Pskov. In preparation, The Prince rapidly raises a large army to confront them.
· May 15, 1241-April 5, 1242: The war between Novgorod and the Livonian knights rages, with forces from Vladimir and the rest of Russia contributing to the conflict. On the fifth of April, the Russian army under Prince Alexandr crushes the Livonians at the Battle of the Ice by driving them into the frozen Lake Peipus. The battle utterly demolishes the Livonian Order, and results in a dramatic power shift in the region, and combines with shock over the defeat of the Swedes a year earlier to incite much concern among the Catholic powers.
· April 26, 1242: Representatives of various Catholic polities, concerned over the growing power of the Rus, seeks to find a way to divide the Rus and maneuver them against the powerful Golden Horde. The factions agree upon assassinating the Grand Prince of Vladimir, Yaroslav II. It is hoped that his death will polarize the Principality of Moscow and Realm of Novgorod against each other. In order to ensure a situation, the factions meet with Prince Mikhail of Moscow, and promise to support him as ruler of Vladimir.
· June 10, 1242: Vladimir II, Grand Prince of Novgorod dies mysteriously in his sleep. His grieving family waits for the Golden Horde to determine who will become the next Grand Prince. The most obvious choices are Alexandr Nevski and Mikhail Korobrit, the Princes of Novgorod and Moscow, respectively.
· August 3, 1242: An emissary of Batu Khan arrives in Vladimir to proclaim the next Grand Prince of Vladimir. The emissary informs the Princes that Alexandr will be the Grand Prince of Vladimir, and has the support of the Golden Horde. Prince Mikhail, being the elder, is outraged by this decision, and refuses to accept it. He orders his army to invade Vladimir, as does Alexandr.
· August 12, 1242-February 8, 1245: A great war ensues between the Princes of Novgorod and Moscow, with the Golden Horde and Catholic States supporting them respectively. The war is preliminarily quite evenly matched, but the Kipchacks soon deploy a large force against Moscow in order to end the war. At a pitched battle near the Don river, Muscovite forces are utterly vanquished by Mongol and Novgorodian forces. During the battle, Prince Mikhail is captured and executed, and Alexandr is declared the Grand Prince of Novgorod, Moscow, and Vladimir. Alexandr consolidates power and appeases the Horde by slaughtering all of his subjects who refuse to swear loyalty to Novgorod.
· February 9, 1245-June 7, 1245: Alexandr sends Novgorodian Boyars to all of the cities in his domain, but allows the leaders of the areas who swore loyalty to him to retain their status. Alexandr, however, only allows these Princes to maintain a militia, and requires all of the Russian Boyars to contribute soldiers to his army.
· June 8, 1245: Alexandr Nevski is crowned Velikiy Knyaz of Novgorod, Moscow, and Vladimir by the Archbishops of the respective cities. In doing this, Alexandr becomes the first ruler of a (mostly united) Russia. He calls his domain the Sovereign Realm of Novgorod and of Moscovy and of Vladimir, but most know the state simply as Novgorod or Russia.
· June 9, 1245-November 16, 1249: With their opponents in Russia proper neutralized, Knyaz Alexandr and his Mongol allies move against the Teutonic Order, Poland, Galicia-Volhynia, Moldova, Kiev, Turov-Pinsk, Lithuania, and Hanseatic League who all had supported the Prince of Muscovy. After four years of slaughter, the eastern parts of the Baltic, Scandinavia (Finland and Sweden), and Poland lie in Novgorodian hands, along with Lithuania , Moldova, and the minor Russian states. The remaining states of the Teutonic Knights and Poland find themselves severely weakened, but the Horde and Novgorod are exhausted by war. In the end, a fragile peace is made, and the Mongol-Russian alliance is renewed with a slightly increased tribute amount. Once again, the defeated rulers are disarmed and allowed minor power whilst Russian Boyars ensure their loyalty. All of the defeated states contribute troops to Novgorod.