Siege of Esztergom (1241)

Esztergom is the capital and wealthiest city in the Kingdom of Hungary until its destruction. It was the last city to be looted and destroyed by Batu Khan before he sends a reconnaissance party against the Holy Roman Empire and the withdrawal of all mongol forces for the Kurultai.

Mongols siege of Esztergom
Part of Mongol Invasion of Europe
Mongol invasion in the plains of Hungary
Date 25 December 1241 Location Esztergom, Hungary
Belligerents
Mongol Empire	Kingdom of Hungary
Commanders and leaders
Batu Khan	Count Simeon of Spain
Units involved
Light Cavalry Catapults	Esztergomians
Strength
Unknown 30 catapults	12000 inhabitants
Casualties and losses
none	Almost all killed

Background

Bela IV runs away from his Kingdom

Christmas on 1241,Eight months after the Mongols annihilated a whole Eastern European army in Europe at the Battle of Mohi, King Bela IV of Hungary abandoned his whole Kingdom to run away from the advancing Mongols. Kadan in pursuit of King [Bela IV] sacked Buda a fortified city in Europe. Batu fresh from his victory plunder the city of Pest. Kadan doesn't want to proceed with a smaller force decides to come in contact with Batu and agrees to give half of his forces to Kadan and remaining half to target Esztergom. Kadan did not have the chance to accomplish his mission due to the kurultai.

Battle

Batu's earliest use of siege engines

Christmas day on 1241, 12,000 inhabitants resisted theMongol advance in Esztergom, so Batu Khan bring out the catapults to tear down the walls of the city. The Esztergomians realized it was hopeless so they set fire to all the house and buried all their gold and silver and all precious belongings. Batu was furious when he found out the buried loot, he massacred all the inhabitants except for the handful of survivors left in the citadel led by Count Simeon of Spain.

Aftermath

Batu and his army crossed the frozen Danube river to prepare for the invasion of Western Europe. He even sends a reconnaissance party to check the defenses of Vienna until a courier arrived from Karakorum to his tent in Austria to announced the death of Ogedei Khan, and to select a new khan in the Kurultai. Batu broke camp to uphold his tradtion and went back to the Far East steppes in Mongolia leaving Europe from further destruction.

References

• Alexander, Bevin. How wars are won:the 13 rules of war from ancient greece to the war on terror P/117. Three River Press. ISBN 1-4000-4948-2.
• Howorth, Henry H. The Mongols Proper and the Kalmuks p.150. Cosimo Classics. ISBN 978-1-60520-133-7.
• McLynn, Frank. Genghis Khan: His conquest, his Empire, his legacy. Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-82396-1.
• Craughwell, Thomas J. The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in History: How Genghis Khan almost conquered the world. Fair Winds. ISBN 9781616738518.