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The land along the Neva River has been part of Ancient Russia since the 9th century AD and has harbored a mixed population of Slavs, Finns and others. In 1240, while Southern and Central Russia fought the Mongol invasion, a Swedish invasion landed on the banks of the Neva River. The Novgorod troops of Prince Alexander met the invaders on July 15, 1240 and were victorious. In the 16th century land along the Neva River became part of the centralized Russian state, Muscovite Russia. However, in the the 17th century unrest began after the last Tsar of the Riurik dynasty, Fiodor Ioanovich, the son of Ivan the Terrible, died leaving no heirs to the throne. The new ruler, Vasily Shuisky, invited the Swedes to fight on his side. The Swedes realized how weak Russia was, and instead decided to take a significant portion of North-Western Russia. The new Romanov dynasty was established in 1613. Russia suffered territorial losses. A new border between Russia and Sweden was established by the Stolbovo Treaty of 1617. For the remainder of the century the Neva River was a part of Sweden, and the Swedes cut off Russia from all Baltic trade routes. By the end of the 17th century Peter the Great was determined to change the status quo, regain access to the Baltic Sea and establish stronger ties with the West. In the hope of achieving these goals he embarked on the Northern War with Sweden (1700-1721). In 1703 the Russians gained control over the Neva river and on May 16, 1703 (May 27 - by the modern calendar) he founded the city of St. Petersburg on the banks of the river. Travel vicariously to his grand place seeped in a history of blood, and travel along the river with photographer John D. Weigand and attorney, former teacher and award winning author, Penelope Dyan; and see what they saw on their journey. There is also a video on YouTube (on Bellissimavideo) that adds to the experience of this large print meant for little eyes book with an early reader vocabulary.
