The Livonian Knights had seized Pskoff, where that most disorderly son of a disorderly father, Yaroslav, son of Vladimir and nephew of Mystislav the Gallant, was active. He had been taken prisoner once and sent captive to Pereyaslavl, but was freed somewhat later. With him were associated certain Novgorod traitors, who were in Pskoff, and these men now, for the second time, went over to the Germans of Riga. By the help of such traitors, the Livonian Knights not only got possession of Izborsk and Yurieff, but of Pskoff also, and those deserters were rewarded by being made posadniks and managers. Now the Germans demanded children as hostages from the loyal Russians of Pskoff, from fathers of families, and those children were taken to Riga. When they were, as they thought, firmly settled in Pskoff, the knights roused those Chud tribes which they controlled and broke into Novgorod regions. Already they had conquered the two tribes connected with Novgorod, and had erected a fortress, Koporia, at Lake Ladoga. Novgorod men turned, with a prayer for assistance, to Yaroslav of Vladimir, asking him to send his son Alexander to them. But Nevski refused with decision, so Yaroslav sent Andrei, a younger son. To others enemies were now added Lithuanians, who ravaged in various directions south of Novgorod, while the Germans with their Chud subjects came within thirty versts of the city. They seized all the cattle and horses, so that earth-tillers had no animals to work with. The Novgorod men sent to Yaroslav a second time, saying: “Give thy son Alexander, we pray thee.” Their prayer was heard. Nevski arrived, and all was changed quickly. A good army was assembled at once. Men of Ladoga, Karelia, and Ijora went under his banners with gladness. Alexander razed the fortress of Koporia to its lowest foundation, and defeated the Germans; some he sent as prisoners to Novgorod, others he set at liberty. Strict and stern judgment reached only those Chuds who had gone over to the enemy. Spies and men who had given information to the Germans he hanged as a lesson to the others. Many persons came then from Pskoff with accounts of the terrible disorder reigning there. They begged Nevski to free them, not only from Germans, but also from traitorous Russians. The Germans dissembled no longer. What they had taken, they said, was now sacredly theirs, and they would never give up what belonged to them.