Rus' has not yet had time to heal the wounds that Khan Batu inflicted on it. Many of those who stood shoulder to shoulder against the Teutons on Lake Peipus, and of those who fought in the Battle of the Neva, are still alive. These victories saved Novgorod. Alexander Nevsky personified that very Rus', which, although it submitted to the Mongol horsemen, retained both faith and glory. By pursuing a wise policy, he was able to give Rus' time to recover, but with his death this time may end. Will the heirs of Alexander Nevsky draw their swords and move against each other, plunging the Russian people into a terrible internecine war?