Battle of Lake Peipus; Bakht Singh arrives in Bombay; William Thomson dies

By Michael Gryboski, Editor Sunday, April 05, 2026

Throughout the extensive history of the Church, numerous events of lasting significance have occurred.

Each week marks anniversaries of impressive milestones, unforgettable tragedies, amazing triumphs, memorable births and notable deaths.

Some events, spanning over 2,000 years of history, might be familiar, while others might be unknown to many.

The following pages highlight anniversaries of memorable events from this week in Christian history, including the Battle of Lake Peipus, the death of William M. Thomson and the arrival of evangelist Bakht Singh in Bombay.

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By Michael Gryboski, Editor Sunday, April 05, 2026

The Battle of Lake Peipus – April 5, 1242

This week marks the anniversary of when Russian forces under the command of Prince Alexander Nevsky defeated the Teutonic Order of knights at the Battle of Lake Peipus.

Commonly known as “The Battle on the Ice” because a substantial portion of the fight took place on a frozen lake, the conflict was part of the broader Northern Crusades, an effort by Catholic military orders to conquer the Baltic region.

The Teutonic forces and their allies sought to take control of the Russian Orthodox city of Novgorod and defeat its ruler, Nevsky. However, Nevsky’s forces held strong and ultimately repulsed the knights.

“Alexander rode home in triumph, with much money, a lot of horses and armor, and as prisoners tied to the harnesses of their own and other captured war horses,” noted the Warfare History Network.

“As for the Teutonic Order, the knights would continue their crusading efforts and find many new enemies to fight, their arrogance unrestrained by the defeat at Lake Peipus.”