web analytics

The Shadow of Alexander Nevsky in Russia-China Negotiations

Vladimir Putin acts as Alexander Nevsky, making a choice between the antagonistic West and the more traditional China, now epitomised by Xi Jinping.

Russia’s definitive turn to the East that is presently much discussed in the Western media comes as another historical comeback of the recent years. Here, Vladimir Putin acts as Alexander Nevsky, making a choice between the antagonistic West and the more traditional China, now epitomised by Xi Jinping.

The 13th Century in Russian History: A Choice between the West and the East

Back in the first half of 13th century the Papacy went berserk against everyone that was still not subdued to the power of the Roman throne. The barbarian Albigensian Crusade and the siege and capture of Constantinople as the highest point of the Fourth Crusade were insufficient. The Slavic and Baltic tribes of the Eastern Europe remained pagan or Orthodox, and they had to be converted coerced into Catholicism.

The Livonian Order successfully converted or exterminated several Baltic tribes before reaching the borders of Rus near Novgorod the Great. The story of Alexander Nevsky’s overthrowing the Catholic knights in two decisive battles (the Battle on the Neva River, 1240; and the Battle on the Ice, 1242) is well known.

At practically the same time the Mongols came in hordes and subdued the fragments of the Ancient Russian state that fell apart as a result of feudal disunity. Arguably, the Tatar-Mongols were better equipped, and they acted as one force, whereas the Russians were divided, and this explains why there was little resistance to their onslaught. The Mongols were strong, the Russians were weak – although not too weak against the Catholic knights.

Yet there was another reason why the Mongol yoke seemed the lesser of two evils. The Mongols left unscathed the Orthodox Church. If an occasional temple did perish in the flame, it was because the Mongols burnt the entire city, and not because they strongly opposed the Russian religion. As a result, not only did the Orthodox church and faith survive, they also became the building block of the Mongol resistance and played the pivotal role in the first victory at Kulikovo Field in 1380.

Needless to say, this would be absolutely impossible if the Papacy had its way. The Papacy’s sole aim was to expand its power beyond the known limits, to make it universal. There would be no Orthodox order, but only the Roman Catholic. There would be no Russian churches or that peculiar ancient Russian culture we all admire. And there would possibly be no Russians as a nation. The Papacy gave an example of discerning between the heretics and faithful during the Albigensian Crusade: kill them all, and God will know the difference.

Russia and China Today

Centuries later we are back to the same configuration in politics, and once again Russia opts for an alliance with traditional, Orthodox-friendly China against the West, which has clearly lost sight of things in its servile devotion to “progress” and a staunch opposition to Orthodox Christianity.

Hence, Alexander Nevsky’s not-so-difficult choice has been upheld by Vladimir Putin.

More articles:

Historical comebacks

The Battle on the Ice

The United States against China

The United States against China

The real conflict will see the United States against China. It remains to be seen if China will act ahead, like Russia did in February 2022.

While the Western media are (mis)interpreting the Ukrainian conflict, the real battle is getting brewed far from the Ukrainian-Russian border. It is the conflict of the United States against China. It remains to be seen if China will act ahead, like Russia did in February.

The new superpowers clash

I found an interesting article in one of Russian Telegram channels, so I decided to translate it. It offers a complex look at this week’s events that saw Boris Johnson’s resignation, Shinzo Abe’s assassination, and Olaf Scholz’s scandalous party.

The Russian original text.

The main topic of the week has been the hegemon’s blow to the forces that are trying to withdraw their countries from the American protectorate and pursue an independent policy.

Boris Johnson was the first to fall, although his forced resignation is presented as a voluntary act. Although he may be seen as Russia’s principal enemy in the Ukrainian conflict, it is worth recognizing that he acted purely in the interests of Great Britain, “gnawing out” his country’s sphere of influence in Eastern Europe by taking over the territories abandoned by the United States.

Next came the assassination of the Japanese ex-Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. He ardently supported the strengthening of his country’s independence, as far as it was possible in the state abundantly stuffed with American military bases. The actions of his guards are considered as, at least, incompetent, and many experts claim it is highly likely that their ineffectiveness was in fact an act of complicity in Abe’s murder.

And the third blow of the hegemon, whom many are in a haste to bury alive, was the scandal with drugged girls at the party of Olaf Scholz. The German Chancellor, as well as the previously mentioned leaders, has tried to lead an independent course for his country. He delayed the supply of weapons to Ukraine, tried to save the German economy and to do business with Russia to the very last minute. If this scandal serves its purpose to the full (i.e. Scholz’s resignation), then the next German leader will think twice before trying to play independently.

Thus, there are practically no countries left in the world that attempted to claim leadership, albeit regional, and did not receive a “punch in the mouth”. Russia battles its sanctions, Turkey has to deal with hyperinflation and the Kurds, and Erdogan is certainly not guaranteed to remain on his “throne”. Japan has lost her Abe, Great Britain her Johnson, and Germany may lose Scholz. Among the major regional players, Emmanuel Macron’s position has been relatively stable so far, but it is quite possible that he has given guarantees to the hegemon that he would not expand the zone of influence beyond French Africa.

The main battle of the century between the American Eagle and the Chinese Dragon now lies ahead. The United States wants to plunge the entire world into chaos so as to prevent anyone from “cashing in” on their upcoming conflict with China. Perhaps China is not against this scenario. The new (or the good old) hegemon will come out badly battered from this conflict and may become an easy prey for regional states that do not have any problems, which means that such powers must be eliminated beforehand. Each regional power will deal with its own problems, and they will not be up to the fight between the United States and China for world domination.

Other posts in History and News

Russians in China Exhibition Continues in Moscow

A Harbin-made dress (Alexander Vassiliev collection)

Russians in China exhibition at the State Orient Museum in Moscow (October 13, 2011 – January 2, 2012) traces the history of Russian emigration in China. This topic has become widely popular in the recent years, bringing academics and artists from various fields to contemplate the fate of those Russian emigrants who had to leave the country and to settle in the world quite different from
their own.

The present exhibition is a joint effort of the Russian-born French Historian of Fashion and Costume Designer, Alexander Vassiliev, and the State Orient Museum in Moscow. The exposition looks at the way of life of the Russian emigrants in China in the first half of the 20th c., particularly 1920s-30s. It explores the intercultural dialogue between Russian and Chinese traditions in art and domestic life, and especially at the material culture of the Russian set.

The challenge was presented by the necessity to display the co-existance of Russian and Chinese objects. The artifacts and clothes brought by Russian emigrants were heavily influenced, if not produced, by European designers. This ‘European’ part of exhibition has been entirely selected and arranged by Alexander Vassiliev. Among the dresses of prominent Russian female emigrees are several art deco numbers, some of which were purchased from the collection of the private secretary of the Admiral Kolchak. Other objects on display are dresses and kimonos made in Harbin in 1920s-30s, as well as “Chinoiserie” (Chinese-esque) numbers by British and French designers of the time.

The artifactual part of exhibition comes predominantly from the collection of Dmitry Melnikov who came to live in China in the 19th c. and amassed a superb repertoire of Chinese art works.

Russian emigrants in China usually settled in four of the country’s top cities: Harbin, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Wuhan. The Russian set included such figures as Alexander Vertinsky, Oleg Lundstrem, Larissa Anderson, Pavel Severny, and many others. The world-famous painter Nikolai Roerich also visited these centres of Russian emigration. These figures all left unique recollections of the ups and downs of Russians who escaped their native homes amidst the Revolution and Civil War.

Last but not least, the visitors of the exhibition will also see the examples of Russian-language newspapers that were aimed at aquainting the Russians with the Chinese news, customs, and traditions. Some of the most intriguing displays contain photographs made by Russian emigrants in China and Korea where the well-off folk spent their summers.

The exhibition Russians in China runs until January 2, 2012. Address and visitor information.

 

error: Sorry, no copying !!