The Battle of the Ice took place on April 5, 1242, during the Northern Crusades. It was fought between the forces of the Novgorod Republic, led by Alexander Nevsky, and the Teutonic Knights, a German military order. The battle occurred on the frozen surface of Lake Peipus, located on the border of present-day Russia and Estonia. The Novgorod forces, numbering around 5,000, faced a larger contingent of Teutonic Knights. Utilizing their knowledge of the terrain and the ice, the Novgorod troops achieved a decisive victory, which helped to protect the region from further invasions and solidified Alexander Nevsky's reputation as a national hero.