Alexander Nevskoi, a Russian hero and saint, son of the grand duke Yaroslav II. of Novgorod and Vladimir, born in 1219, died in 1263. In his youth he fought against the Tartars, who, however, in 1208 succeeded in making Russia tributary. He was more successful in defending the northern boundaries against the encroachments of the Danes, the Swedes, and the knights sword-bearers. He won a great battle against the Swedes in 1240, on the banks of the Neva, near the modern St. Petersburg; hence his surname of Nevskoi. In 1243 he deleated the knights on the ice of Lake Peipus. On the death of his father in 1247 he became grand duke of Novgorod, and on that of his brother Andrew grand duke of Vladimir, and lord paramount of all the other sovereign Russian dukes. To an embassy from Pope Innocent IV., sent to unite the western and eastern churches, he answered: "We know the true teaching of the church; we will neither accept yours nor hear anything about it." The Russian church canonized him, and his name is preserved in the national songs.

Peter the Great erected to his memory a great monastery on the spot where the battle on the Neva was won, and created the order of Alexander Nevskoi.