Battle of Tursko
| Battle of Tursk | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Mongol invasion of Poland | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Mongol Empire | Poles (from Krakow ziemia | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Baidar | Włodzimierz, Voivode of Kraków | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| unknown | unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
The Battle of Tursko took place on 13 February 1241, during the Mongol invasion of Poland. It ended in the defeat of the Polish forces of the ziemia of Kraków.
In early February 1241, Polish forces under voivode of Kraków Włodzimierz blocked the road towards Kraków, concentrating in the area of Miechow, while Mongol forces, heading towards Kraków via Koprzywnica, Wislica and Skalbmierz, withdrew to Tursko Wielkie. Following the order of the voivode, the Poles decided to follow the Mongols. Baidar was probably aware of it, using mock retreat in order to find a better position for the battle. According to Jan Dlugosz, first clash ended in Polish victory and release of a number of prisoners. Second clash, however, resulted in complete defeat of Polish knights. [1]
The Polish victory by Tursko shook the Mongols. Echoes of this battle can be found a Taiwan chronicle of the Chinese Yuan Dynasty, where Tursko is spelled in it as Tulisseko.[2] [3]
Remnants of ground fortifications were visible by Tursko until recently and were associated with a Mongol camp; the locals called this place "Zamczysko" (literally, "castle remnants").[2]
In the spring of 2012, construction of a monument commemorating the battle began in Tursko Wielkie.[4]
References
- ^ Karol Szajnocha, Historical Sketches, 1876, p.14 (Google e-book)
- ^ a b Tatarzy w Sandomierzu, by Tomislaw Giergiel
- ^ A footnote in Karol Szajnocha's Historical Sketches, p.42, footnote 44 quotes the History of Huns by Joseph de Guignes: "Les Chinois le nomment Tuliseko"
- ^ Dokoncza pomnik w Tursku Wielkim