Siege of Esztergom (1241)

Esztergom was 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 sent a reconnaissance party against the Holy Roman Empire and later withdrew of all Mongol forces for the Kurultai.^[1][2]

Mongols siege of Esztergom[3]
Part of Mongol Invasion of Europe[4]
Mongol invasion in the plains of Hungary
Date 25 December 1241[5] Location Esztergom, Hungary[6] 47°47′8″N 18°44′25″E / 47.78556°N 18.74028°E / 47.78556; 18.74028 Result Decisive Mongol victory[7]
Belligerents
Mongol Empire	Kingdom of Hungary
Commanders and leaders
Batu Khan[8]	Count Simeon of Spain[9][10]
Units involved
Light Cavalry Catapults[11]	Citizens of Esztergom[12]
Strength
Unknown 30 catapults[13]	12000 inhabitants[14]
Casualties and losses
none[15]	Almost all killed[16]

Background

During Christmas 1241, eight months after the Mongols annihilated the Hungarian royal army at the Battle of Mohi, King Béla IV of Hungary abandoned his whole realm to flee the advancing Mongols. Kadan, in pursuit of King [Béla IV], sacked the fortified city of Buda.^[17] Batu fresh from his victory plunder the city of Pest.^[18]

Battle

Meanwhile, 12,000 inhabitants resisted the Mongol advance on Esztergom; Batu Khan brought out catapults to take down the city walls. The residents, realizing their situation was hopeless, set fire to the city and buried all their gold and silver. Batu, furious, massacred all the inhabitants except for the handful of survivors left in the citadel led by Count Simeon of Spain.^[19][20]

Aftermath

In January 1242, Batu sent a Mongol detachment to Udine, Italy, not too far from Venice, and even sent a reconnaissance party to probe the defenses of Vienna. Eventually a courier arrived from Karakorum to announce the death of Ogedei Khan, who died in December 1241; Batu needed to return home to participate in the Kurultai. All Mongols in eastern Europe broke camp to uphold tradition and went back to the Far East steppes in Mongolia leaving Europe from further destruction.^[21][22]

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