The Ijoras greatly feared Swedish supremacy; this fear gave them strength in the encounter, and the Swedes, though they outnumbered Alexander’s men, were defeated decisively. Alexander himself did not leave the battle-field all that day of July 15, 1240. He was in the most dangerous places, guiding every movement of the army, and left the mark of his own weapon on Birger’s face. Night saved a remnant of the Swedes, who sailed away in the darkness. So the fame of Alexander sprang up in that dreary time of Mongol captivity, in that day of general suffering and helplessness, and his countrymen of the South and East, crushed in spirit and on the verge of despair, found some consolation in the fact that their brethren of the North had been led to victory by their prince, who alone had success in that time of trial. After this battle the people surnamed him Nevski (of the Neva) in reward for his bravery and this great victory, the anniversary of which was for three centuries celebrated throughout Russia with solemn memorial services. But if the Swedes were forced to give peace for a time, the Germans of Riga had no wish to respect the boundaries of Novgorod. The Livonian Knights acted as pleased them along the Pskoff borders, and roused subject tribes against Novgorod whenever they found it possible. Soon after the battle with the Swedes, Nevski, as now we may call him, could not agree longer with Novgorod, hence he retired to Pereyaslavl with his wife, his mother, and attendants. The complaints made by Novgorod were those made against all Vladimir princes, namely: “They wish to connect Novgorod lands with their own, and that is impossible. What has gone to the Vladimir prince is his, and what is of Novgorod belongs to Novgorod. In Volok and Torjok, for example, the princes were to maintain one half the tax-collectors; one half were to be appointed by them, and one half by Novgorod, but they manage all the work with their own half. The princes entice Novgorod men in numbers to go to Vladimir, and in Novgorod places they settle Vladimir men. Besides, they acquire villages by purchase and by gifts, and in exchange they take in their own names, and in the names of their princesses, villages belonging to Novgorod. They permit their followers from Vladimir, and their other favorites to act in the same way. Places in Novgorod which have been assigned to the princes are managed by Vladimir men, and not men of Novgorod. Such things must not be!” Another part of those complaints was regarding meadows given up for the personal use of the princes, their hunting and fishing grounds, and bee places. It was also asserted that the prince built his own towns on Novgorod land; that he governed, judged and managed Novgorod without considering the posadnik; that he took places from Novgorod men and gave them to outsiders without consulting the posadnik. In view of all these accusations and quarrels, Nevski refused to govern, and left the city.