List of wars involving the Novgorod Republic

This is a list of wars involving the Novgorod Republic (1136–1478), also known as Republic of Novgorod, centred around the city of Veliky Novgorod.

  Victory of the Novgorod Republic (and allies)

  Defeat of the Novgorod Republic (and allies)

  Another result*

*e.g. result unknown or indecisive/inconclusive, result of internal conflict inside the Novgorod Republic, status quo ante bellum, or a treaty or peace without a clear result.

Date	Conflict	Combatant 1	Combatant 2	Result
1042–1228	Finnish–Novgorodian wars	Novgorod Republic[a]	Yem people	Novgorodian victory^[citation needed]
1139–1142	1139–1142 Kievan succession crisis[1] Casus belli: death of Yaropolk II[2]	Viacheslav I of Kiev Yurievichi: Yuri Dolgorukiy of Rostov-Suzdal Rostislav Yuryevich (r. Novgorod 1138–40, 41–42) Novgorod Republic (repeatedly switched sides)	Olgovichi of Chernigov[2] Mstislavichi: Iziaslav Mstislavich of Volhynia[3] Sviatopolk Mstislavich of Pskov[1] Novgorod Republic (repeatedly switched sides)	Mixed results Viacheslav lost Kiev and Pereyaslavl Yurievichi of Suzdalia lost Novgorod Olgovichi of Chernigov gained Kiev Iziaslav Mstislavich of Volhynia gained Pereyaslavl Sviatopolk Mstislavich of Pskov gained Novgorod
12th–14th century	Vladimirian-Novgorodian wars [uk] Battle of Mount Zhdanaya [ru] (1135)	Novgorod Republic	Vladimir-Suzdal	Mixed results
1146–1159	1146–1159 Kievan succession crisis 1148 Novgorodian–Mstislavichi punitive expedition against the Suzdalian town of Yaroslavl[4] 1149 Novgorodian–Suzdalian clash over control of the Novgorodian northern regions[5]	Novgorod Republic (Mstislavichi)	Vladimir-Suzdal (Yurievichi)	Status quo ante bellum Yurievichi prince elected (1155) Mstislavichi prince elected (1157)
1169	Siege of Novgorod (1170)[6] (part of the 1167–1169 Kievan succession crisis[7])	Iziaslavichi of Volhynia:[8] Principality of Volhynia[8] Novgorod Republic[6]	Coalition:[6] Yurievichi of Suzdalia[6] Rostislavichi of Smolensk[6]	Iziaslavichi–Novgorodian military victory[6]
1171–1173	1171–1173 Kievan succession crisis[9] Casus belli: death of prince Gleb of Kiev[9] Siege of Vyshgorod (1173)	Kiev and allies Rostislavichi of Smolensk Iziaslavichi of Volhynia Principality of Galicia? Olgovichi of Chernigov (joined Kiev near end[10])	Andrey's second coalition Yurievichi of Suzdalia Novgorod Republic various other princes Olgovichi of Chernigov (defected to Kiev near end[10])	Kiev & Rostislavichi of Smolensk victory[9] Andrey's coalition defeated Yurievichi lost power Andrey murdered by own boyars (1174)
1212–1216	Vladimir-Suzdal war of succession Battle of Lipitsa (1216)	Principality of Rostov (Konstantin) Novgorod Republic (Mstislav)	Principality of Vladimir (Yuri) Pereslavl-Zalessky (Yaroslav)	Rostovian–Novgorodian victory[11]
c. 13th century	Some battles of the Livonian Crusade Novgorodian or Pskovian participation: Battle of Otepää (1217) (only Pskovians) Siege of Reval (late 1223) [et] Siege of Tartu (1224) Battle of Saule (1236) (only Pskovians)	Novgorod Republic Pskov Land various allies	various enemies	Mixed results
1228–1240	Internecine war in Rus' 1228–1240 [uk; ru]	Novgorod Republic		Unclear
July 1240	Battle of the Neva	Novgorod Republic	"Swedes"	Novgorodian victory Historicity contested; only found in late, legendary Rus' sources
Sept. 1240	1240 Izborsk and Pskov campaign	Pro-Suzdalian Novgorodians and Pskovians City of Pskov	Teutonic Order Livonian Order Bishopric of Dorpat Yaroslav Vladimirovich	Livonian–Dorpat–Vladimirovich victory Yaroslav Vladimirovich became prince of Pskov, sharing power with the City of Pskov, the Bishop of Dorpat and the Livonian Order
1240–1241	1240–1241 Votia campaign	civilians in Votia[12] civilians in Tesovo and Luga[12] Novgorod Republic	Teutonic Order Livonian Order Bishopric of Ösel–Wiek Local Votian leaders[12]	Novgorodian victory Livonians occupied Votia, built castle in Koporye, imposed tribute[13] Bishopric of Ösel–Wiek and Teutonic Order divided Votia into fiefs[13] Novgorodians defeated Livonians[13] Livonians left Votia (1242)[13]
April 1242	Battle on the Ice (Battle of Lake Peipus)	Novgorod Republic Vladimir-Suzdal	Livonian Order Bishopric of Dorpat Denmark	Novgorodian–Suzdalian victory
1268	Battle of Wesenberg (1268)	Novgorod Republic Pskov Republic Vladimir-Suzdal	Duchy of Estonia Bishopric of Dorpat Livonian Order	Disputed;[b] Novgorodian-Pskovian retreat after battle[14] Livonians attacked Pskov soon after (1269)[14]
12th–14th century	Swedish–Novgorodian Wars Battle of the Voronezhka [uk] (1164) Third Swedish Crusade (1293–1295) Swedish Crusade against Novgorod [uk] (1348–1351)	Novgorod Republic	Sweden	Mixed results
1445	Novgorodian-Norwegian war^[citation needed]	Novgorod Republic	Norway	Norwegian victory^[citation needed]
1456, 1471, and 1477–1478	Muscovite-Novgorodian Wars [uk]. Battle of Staraya Russa [uk] (1456) Battle of Shelon (1471)	Novgorod Republic	Principality of Moscow	Muscovite victory Moscow annexed the Novgorod Republic

See also

• Armies of the Rus' principalities
• List of wars involving Kievan Rus'
• List of wars and battles involving Galicia–Volhynia
• List of wars involving the Principality of Moscow
• List of wars involving the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
• List of wars involving the Principality of Tver
• List of wars and battles involving the Principality of Smolensk
• Military of Kievan Rus'

Notes

1. 1136 is generally recognised as the date when Veliky Novgorod became a republic, and the Prince of Novgorod became an elective office. Before then, Novgorod was a hereditary principality.
2. • Livonian victory[14]: 78–79 
   • Novgorodian victory[15]

References

1. Martin 2007, pp. 119–121.
2. Martin 2007, p. 119.
3. Martin 2007, p. 121.
4. Martin 2007, pp. 121–122.
5. Martin 2007, p. 122.
6. Martin 2007, p. 127.
7. Martin 2007, p. 124.
8. Martin 2007, pp. 124–127.
9. Martin 2007, p. 128.
10. Pelenski 1988, p. 777.
11. Martin 2007, p. 135.
12. Selart 2015, pp. 154–155.
13. Selart 2015, p. 154.
14. Smith, Jerry Christopher; Urban, William L. (2001). The Livonian rhymed chronicle (2nd ed.). Chicago, IL: Lithuanian Research and Studies Center. ISBN 0929700341. OCLC 48921064.
15. Gumilev, Lev (2023) [1996]. От Руси к России [For Rus' to Russia]. Эксклюзивная классика (revised ed.). Moscow: AST. p. 215. ISBN 978-5-17-153845-3.

Bibliography

• Martin, Janet (2007). Medieval Russia: 980–1584. Second Edition. E-book. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-511-36800-4.
• Pelenski, Jaroslaw (1988). "The Contest for the "Kievan Succession" (1155–1175): The Religious-Ecclesiastical Dimension". Harvard Ukrainian Studies. 12/13: 761–780. JSTOR 41036344.
• Selart, Anti (2015). "Chapter 3: Livonia and Rus' in the 1230s and 1240s". Livonia, Rus' and the Baltic Crusades in the Thirteenth Century. Leiden/Boston: BRILL. pp. 127–170. doi:10.1163/9789004284753_005. ISBN 978-90-04-28475-3.