PREHISTORY OF ST. PETERSBURG

The west outpost of Russia. The battle on the Neva (1240) of the Prince Alexander Nevsky. The Republic of Novgorod under rule of Moscow tsars. The beginning of the North War (1700-1721)
               
Territories along the Neva river adjacent to the Gulf of Finland, belonged to the territory of the Ancient Russian state - the oldest Russian state of the legendary Prince Ruric. Here, on the south bank of the Ladoga Lake was established a huge trade center united Slavs, Scandinavians and Finns - The Old Ladoga. Later, since X century Novgorod became the capital of Russian North lands and the largest center of international transit trade between East countries (Arab Caliphate) and North-West Europe. Finally staging trade posts The Old Ladoga and Novgorod became large handicraft centers. The goods of  Novgorod arms masters and jewelers were on great demand and Novgorod merchants became well-known to the Europe.    

In 1240 when South and Central Russian lands fight against Mongolian armies occupied East Europe, the Pope Gregory VII called the European knights to make a Crusade against Russian lands. Swedish prince Birger landed on the Neva river and was defeated by young prince of Novgorod named after this battle - Alexander Nevski. The Russian Orthodox Church then declared him a Saint for his efforts to protect Russia and its Christian faith.  (Later, in the 18th century, he was proclaimed the patron saint of St. Petersburg - Peter the Great's "paradise" on the Neva).

Up to XVI century the lands along the Neva River were included in Novgorod Trade republic. By that time the unification of Russian lands around Moscow had been finished and the Moscovite State was established. Its expansion was directed to join lands of the Great Novgorod. At the beginning of the 17th century serious unrest started in Russia, after the last tsar of the Ryurik dynasty, Feodor Ioannovich (the son of Ivan the Terrible), had died leaving no heirs to the throne. The new ruler, Vasily Shuisky, invited the Swedes to fight on his side. The Swedes realized how weak Russia was, and decided to occupy a significant portion of North-Western Russia instead. Even after the new Romanov dynasty had been established in 1613, Russia had to admit some territorial losses. A new border between Russia and Sweden was set by the Stolbovo Treaty of 1617. For the remainder of the century the Neva River area became a part of Sweden, and the Swedes effectively cut off Russia from the Baltic trade.

When Peter I the ascended to the Russian throne and became the sovereign ruler and monarch of Russia, his European education, studying in Amsterdam, his predilections led to the tendency to renew relations with Europe via the shortest way: along the Neva to the Baltic Sea. To achieve these goals he had started the Northern War with Sweden (1700-1721). In 1703 the Russians gained control over the Neva river and on May 16, 1703 (May 27 by the modern calendar) St.Petersburg was founded.