Battle of Mohi

The Battle of Mohi happened on April 11, 1241. It was a big fight between the Mongol Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary. The battle took place in a town called Muhi, which is in Hungary today, near the Sajó River.

The Mongol Empire was led by Batu Khan. The Kingdom of Hungary was led by King Béla IV. In the battle, the Mongols won, and they defeated the Hungarian army. This was a big loss for Hungary.

The Battle of Mohi was very important for Hungary and for Europe. It changed the way power was balanced in eastern Europe. After the battle, Hungary had to rebuild. The battle also had effects on European politics and culture for many years. It is remembered as one of the most important events in Hungarian history.

Background

The Mongol invasion of Europe

Main article: Mongol invasion of Europe

Hungary's failed defence policy

Hungary had a rule that only the king could build stone castles. This was to keep the king's power strong. But when the Mongols came, Hungary did not have many stone castles to help defend.

Mongol invasions in Europe

The Mongols attacked Europe with three groups of soldiers. One group went through Poland, another attacked a place called Transylvania, and the main group, led by Batu Khan, came through a mountain pass into Hungary. King Béla IV tried to block their way, but the Mongols moved very fast. Hungary did not have enough time to gather all their soldiers.

Mongol political-military leadership and Turkic-dominated army

The Mongols were sometimes called Tatars by people in Hungary. The army that attacked Hungary was led by Batu Khan and included many soldiers from different places. They followed the battle plans of Genghis Khan.

Warnings and Hungarian preparations

See also: Friar Julian

In 1223, the Mongols defeated some soldiers from Rus at a place called the Kalka River. Hungary had tried to make friends with the Cumans, a group of people who had moved into Hungary. But the Mongols saw Hungary as a threat.

King Béla IV started preparing his army, but there were problems. Some people in Hungary did not like the king and did not want to help him. There were also fights between the Cumans and other Hungarians. This made it hard for Hungary to defend itself.

Battle

The Mongols reached Pest and started to cause damage. King Béla told his soldiers not to attack because the army was not ready. Duke Frederick attacked a small group of Mongols and went home, leaving his fellow soldiers. The Mongols destroyed other Hungarian forces that could not join the main army on time.

The king decided to fight the Mongols, but they started to move away. The Hungarian army reached the River Sajó and set up a strong camp with wagons to protect themselves.

The Mongols planned to surprise the Hungarians while they crossed the river. A slave warned the Hungarians about the plan. The Hungarians attacked the Mongols at the bridge and won, but did not know the main Mongol army was nearby.

In the morning, the Mongols attacked the bridge again. The Hungarians were prepared but were surprised when more Mongols arrived. The fighting was heavy, and the Mongols managed to cross the river. The Hungarians retreated to their camp but were scared. The camp became crowded and chaotic. Eventually, the Hungarians tried to escape, but many were caught and lost. King Béla and his brother Coloman managed to run away, though Coloman was badly hurt.

Aftermath

With the main Hungarian army defeated, the Mongol forces chased King Béla IV. They burned the town of Pest and attacked Esztergom, destroying much of the area. The Mongols took control of large parts of Hungary, forcing many people to work for them. Hungary was left in ruins, and fear spread across Europe.

King Béla IV fled to Austria but was arrested and forced to give up land. Some Hungarian soldiers tried to slow the Mongols, but these efforts were not successful. The Mongols focused on moving quickly and capturing the king rather than fighting long battles.

After the battle, there were disagreements among the Mongol leaders about who deserved credit for their successes. Some claimed the main Mongol leader, Batu, was not very skilled, while others praised a commander named Subutai for his planning.

Casualties

After winning the battle, the Mongols chased the remaining Hungarian soldiers. They attacked the countryside to strengthen their control. Many Hungarian soldiers were killed. The number of Mongol losses is not known for sure.

Punitive campaign against Austria

After the Mongol invasion, King Béla IV rebuilt his army. In 1246, he led a campaign against Austria. On 15 June 1246, Béla’s forces fought the Austrians at the Battle of the Leitha River. The Austrian leader was killed, and this battle is seen as part of Hungary’s recovery after the invasion.