Novgorod & Samara
Flag of Novgorod
The flags of Novgorod and Samara align by design in the background. They are both tri-bars of red, white and blue. Nogorod's bars are vertically cut while Samara's are horizontally cut.
Novgorod has two black bears and the fish while Samara has a white goat on their central shields.
Flag of Samara
Novgorod and Samara are both in the European parts of Russia but at transition points. Novgorod is a gateway to Scandinavia while Samara is a gateway to the steppe of Central Asia. Most of Novgorod's rivers flow into Europe's largest lake, lake Ladoga. While Samara rests on Europe's largest river, the Volga River, which feeds into the worlds largest internal sea, the Caspian.
Samara Province and Novgorod Province have large cities with their provincial namesake. These cities are beyond Moscow's comfort zone and have their own personalities.
Nevesky with his Tatar blood brother Sartaq
The solidification of Moscow as key power point in Russia accelerated in 1252 when Alexander Nevesky rose to power. At this time much of Russia was subjugated by the Mongols under the Golden Khanate, which at this time ruled over what was to be Samara. But the Mongols never attacked Novgorod.
Alexander Nevesky proved himself a great leader by defending Novgorod from Scandinavian and German invasion and allying to a Tatar named Sartaq, who became his blood brother. This alliance served as a catalyst for Moscow's growth in the middle ages.
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Novgorod
Samara
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