Vasili Aleksandrovich of Novgorod (c1240-1271)

Vasily Alexandrovich is a Novgorod prince, the eldest son of Aleksandr Yaroslavich Nevsky. He died in 1271.

Biography
He is mentioned for the first time in the annals of 1245, when his father Aleksandr Nevsky (1220-1263)Aleksandr repulsed the Lithuanians Toropets, then destroyed their remains at Lake Zhiztsa, then drove his son to Vitebsk and during the return to Novgorod broke another Lithuanian detachment.

In 1253 the Lithuanians raided the Novgorod land. Prince Vasili with the Novgorodians overtook them near Toropets, broke and took away from them full.

At that tine, in the Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal there was a struggle between the Yaroslavich brothers. At the same time in Novgorod itself "big" (representatives of the Novgorod oligarchy) spoke on the side of the Grand Duke Alexander Yaroslavich, but the "smaller ones" obviously got the upper hand, since the Novgorodians, after expelling Vasili, invited to his reign the uncle, Yaroslav Yaroslavich Tver. Vasili moved to Torzhok, which at that time was part of the Novgorod land.

Being informfed about the incident, Vasili's father, Aleksandr Yaroslavich, arrived in Novgorod and forced the Novgorodians to replace the chosen posadnik Ananiya with Mikhalko Stepanich, and ato reinstate Vasili as prince.

In 1256, Swedes, Finns and others advanced along the Narva River and began to strengthen the fortress of Narva, which had been established in 1223. The Novgorodians asked for help from Aleksandr Yaroslavich, who went with the lower ranks ( from the Suzdal principality ) and the Novgorod regiments, to the Germans, fought the Baltic Pomerania and did a lot of harm to the enemy country. Returning from the campaign, he installed Vasili as Prince in Novgorod, and he went to Vladimir.

In 1257, the news came to Novgorod that the Horde wanted to take Tamgas and tithes from Novgorod. Ordyntsev was led by his father Aleksandr Nevsky. Vasily, avoiding a collision with his father, fled to Pskov before the arrival of the Horde.

The Novgorodians got off with gifts, and the Horde left. Angered by Aleksandr Nevsky drove his son from Pskov and sent him "to the bottom" in the Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal, and the same, " who took Vasilyev evil " executed: "ovomu urezasha nose, eyes and other vyimasha". The Novgorodians for this killed Alexandrov's protege posadnik Mikhalko Stepanich.

Information about Vasili's family and children has not been preserved. It is known that, approximately in 1251, Aleksandr Nevsky concluded an agreement with the Norwegian King Hakon IV Old to settle border disputes and delineations in collecting tribute from the vast territory where the Karelians and Saami lived, an agreement was also reached on Vasili's betrothal with Hakon's daughter Christina (1234-1262), but this marriage did not take place. In February 1258 Christina married Philip of Castile (1231-1274), brother of King Alfonso the X.