Siege of Esztergom (1241)
Esztergom is the capital and wealthiest city of the Kingdom of Hungary until its destruction. It was looted and destroyed by Batu Khan of the Mongol Empire.[1]
Mongols siege of Esztergom[2] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of Mongol Invasion of Europe[3] | |||||
Mongol invasion in the plains of Hungary | |||||
| |||||
Belligerents | |||||
Mongol Empire | Kingdom of Hungary | ||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||
Batu Khan[6] | Burgrave Simeon (Spanish commander)[7] | ||||
Units involved | |||||
Light Cavalry Catapults[8] | Esztergomians[9] | ||||
Strength | |||||
Unknown 30 catapults[10] | 12000 inhabitants[11] | ||||
Casualties and losses | |||||
none[12] | Almost all killed[13] |
Background
Christmas on 1241,Eight months after the Mongols annihilated a whole Eastern European army at the Battle of Mohi in Europe, King Bela IV of Hungary abandoned his whole Kingdom to run away from the advancing Mongols. Kadan in charge of tracking King Bela IV doesn't want to proceed with a smaller force decides to come in contact with Batu who agreed to give half of his forces to Kadan and another half to target Esztergom. Kadan did not have the chance to accomplish his mission due to the kurultai.[14][15]
Battle
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 any precious belongings. Batu was furious when he found out the buried loot, he massacred all the inhabitants except for the handful of people left in the citadel.[16][17]
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.[18]
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.
Footnotes
- ^ "The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in History: How Genghis Khan almost conquered the world"by Craughwell, Thomas p.270-277
- ^ "Genghis Khan: his conquest, his empire, his legacy"by Frank Lynn
- ^ "Genghis Khan: his conquest, his empire, his legacy"by Frank Lynn
- ^ "The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in History: How Genghis Khan almost conquered the world"by Craughwell, Thomas
- ^ "Genghis Khan: his conquest, his empire, his legacy"by Frank Lynn
- ^ "Genghis Khan: his conquest, his empire, his legacy"by Frank Lynn
- ^ "Genghis Khan: his conquest, his empire, his legacy"by Frank Lynn
- ^ "Genghis Khan: his conquest, his empire, his legacy"by Frank Lynn
- ^ "Genghis Khan: his conquest, his empire, his legacy"by Frank Lynn
- ^ "Genghis Khan: his conquest, his empire, his legacy"by Frank Lynn
- ^ "Genghis Khan: his conquest, his empire, his legacy"by Frank Lynn
- ^ "Genghis Khan: his conquest, his empire, his legacy"by Frank Lynn
- ^ "Genghis Khan: his conquest, his empire, his legacy"by Frank Lynn
- ^ "Genghis Khan: his conquest, his empire, his legacy"by Frank Lynn
- ^ "The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in History: How Genghis Khan almost conquered the world"by Craughwell, Thomas
- ^ "Genghis Khan: his conquest, his empire, his legacy"by Frank Lynn
- ^ "The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in History: How Genghis Khan almost conquered the world"by Craughwell, Thomas
- ^ "The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in History: How Genghis Khan almost conquered the world"by Craughwell, Thomas