A Lodya of the type used by Novgorod.
bobsville adventure magazine
volume one, issue two.
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It was foreordained that the people of Novgorod should become the innovators of sailing and shipbuilding. Owing to the diplomacy and judicious policies of its princes, Novgorod was never plundered by the Golden Horde. With each successive year, craftsmanship developed; the merchants of Novgorod flourished as trade increased. In contrast to the people of southern Russia the Novgorodians designed larger boats for transporting cargoes on the Baltic Sea and for waging maritime battles. In fact, the citizens of the Free City of Novgorod became known for their maritime exploits. Novgorod's bigger lodyas were built with decks and posed a far greater menace to its neighbors. In order to protect and strengthen commerce, Novgorod waged land and sea battles against the Swedes. Novgorod used its fleet to attack the Swedish capitol at Sigtuna. Novgorod pillaged that Swedish City and carried off the booty won in the battle. The most prized treasure was Sigtuna's massive red copper gate, called the "Sigtunskiye Vrata," which to the present day adorns Novgorod's St. Sophia Cathedral. In the early fourteenth century the princes of Novgorod again waged war against the Swedes-this time for the right to sail freely on the Baltic Sea.
| A Lodya of the type used by Novgorod. |
| The Novgorodians' assault Upon the Swedish castle Landskrona which was razed to the ground on May 18th, 1301. This illustrates an early use of rockets (introduced by the Mongols) to set the castle on fire. |
To hold back the Swedish army, Novgorod built castles in the area near present-day Finland: at the mouth of the Vuoksa River, the castle at Karela (1310)
at the source of the River Neva, the castle Oreshek (1323); at the confluence of the Rivers Okhta and Neva, the castle Kanzi (1349).
