[By Chuck Almdale]
[NOTE: If maps, pictures and legends don’t display properly in your email, go to the blog. Interactive Google maps may not work in your email but will work on the blogsite. There is a link at the bottom to the entire Mongol Empire & Rus’ series.]
After the Sajó River Battle
It’s difficult to determine exactly what Batu, Subutai, Shayban, Bogutaj, Orda, Baidur, Kadan, Bujek, Güyük, Büri and the other leaders did with their forces during the rest of 1241. Names of leaders in particular areas are usually omitted; when they are supplied there are conflicting reports. Generally speaking, the Mongols “pacified” Hungary, and by now we all know what means: they pillaged and looted what they could, burned buildings, massacred warriors and civilians alike, attacked cities and towns, taking some, failing at others. They most likely split their forces at different times to attack simultaneously in different locations with appropriate-sized forces. But for the rest of 1241 after the 11 April Sajó River battle and the late April sacking of Pest, the Mongols waged no large battles.
The Mongol invasion of Hungary, Chronica Hungarorum by Johannes de Thurocz. Source: AboutHistory – Mongol Invasion of Hungary
The Hungarians east of the Danube lived in terror of the Mongols. Some fled to forests and mountains to survive on wild plants and animals. During the summer the Mongols likely rested in Pest or in the plains nearby, letting their horses fatten for the winter. When the rivers froze, they could move about more easily, especially westward into Transdanubia and Austria. Meanwhile, they needed to stockpile winter battle provisions. Because many Hungarians had abandoned their homes and farms, the Mongolians promised to spare the lives of civilians who returned to their farms and once again tended to their livestock and crops. It is reported, however, that once the harvest was in and the crops taken, these cooperating civilians were slaughtered. The Mongols never left potential rebels in their rear, and — as always — terror was their tool.
Hungary in the XIII century with the regions of Transylvania, Bosnian March, Slovenia and Croatia. In this age Hungary the West Hungarian frontier reached the Adriatic coast, which at present belongs to Slovenia and Croatia.
Source: Lazarus.elte.hu – Historical Hungary of 1914
Subutai, Orda and Baidur
Hungary was much larger in 1241 than now, and large parts of what are now Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Slavonia and Croatia were part of the Kingdom of Hungary. There were some battles that took place in northern Hungary in 1241; most likely they were waged by Orda, Baidur and Subutai.
Interactive Google MyMap showing all locations so far mentioned for Polish, Transylvanian and Hungarian invasion 1241 CE, emphasis on Hungary north of Mohi. Click on any marker or line for description. If map doesn’t display properly in your email, go to the blog.
I am conjecturing that Batu and Subutai split forces following their Sajó River victory on 11 April, 1241. Batu and Shayban went west to besiege Pest and to capture King Béla IV if he was there; the Mongols habitually chased down all defeated leaders, as when they failed to quickly capture and kill them, they’d soon regret it. General Subutai went north into what is now Slovakia, partly for the purpose of pillaging cities, partly to meet up with Orda and Baidur at Trenčín Castle as had been previously arranged, just south of Hrozenkov Pass on the southern edge of the Carpathian Mountains. This meeting took place in late April, 1241, roughly two to three weeks after the Sajó River battle, and after Orda and Baidur completed their scourging of Poland and journey south through Moravia. Details are lacking and it may have been someone else, not Subutai, who came north to meet Orda. For the sake of convenience, let’s say it was Subutai, partially as there are no mentions of his being somewhere else.
The border river between Hungarian Sátoraljaújhely and Slovakian Slovenské Nové Mesto. Source: Wikipedia – Slovenské Nové Mesto
Újhely [Sátoralja]
Of the towns that Subutai’s (we are conjecturing) force would visit en route to Trenčín, first on the list was Újhely [Uhely, Sátoraljaújhely, Slovenské Nové Mesto], forty-five miles northeast of Mohi. This town is currently split by the Hungarian-Slovakian border: Sátoraljaújhely in Hungary, Slovenské Nové Mesto in Slovakia. Sátoraljaújhely comes from Sátor-alja meaning “under the tent” referring to the nearby tent-shaped mountain. The Mongol pillaging destroyed the unfortified portion of this town.
When the town was rebuilt later in the 13th century, the people wanted to name it új hely “new place” so the new name for the new town became a combination of the two names. Around 1261 Sátoraljaújhely was granted town status by King Stephen V and a stone castle was soon built. Following the revolutions of 1848 and because it now lay on an important trade route between Poland, Ruthenia and Transylvania, it developed light industries and became the capital of Zemplén county.
The hilltop where both stone Abaúj castle and earlier earthen fortification stood. Photo: Civertan. Source: Mapcarta
Abaújvár
Twenty miles northwest of Újhely and near a curve in the Hornád River on the Hungarian-Slovakian border is the village of Abaújvár. From the 11th to the 14th century this was the main residence of the Aba family, the second ethnic royal house of Hungary. Their residence, the stone castle of Abaúj built by King Samuel Aba, seems to date back to at least 1046 CE, but an earlier earthen castle presumably existed. The Mongols attacked the castle but were unable to take it, and had to be satisfied with pillaging the village below. The region is now well known for its Tokaji (Tokay) white wine grapes, from which the sweet wine, affected by Botrytis cinerea fungus (“Noble Rot”), is made.
Fülek Castle ruins. Source: Wikipedia – Fiľakovo
Fülek
The third town we know of attacked by Mongols was Fülek [Fiľakovo in Slovakia], another town with a castle on the current Hungarian-Slovakian border, 75 miles west of Abaújvár. The first record of this castle is from 1242, specifically mentioned because it withstood the Mongol siege. In 1553 the Ottoman Turks conquered the town and took the castle, but it was retaken by Holy Roman Empire imperial troops in 1593, then re-re-conquered by the Turks in 1662 who 20 years later burned the castle down. In 1686 the town went to Austria, which itself morphed into the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867. Fülek remained part of the empire until 1920, then becoming part of Czechoslovakia with the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Hungary held it from 1938 to 1945, when it then went back to Czechoslovakia. After the communist era ended and Czechia split from Slovakia in 1992, it remained with Slovakia. That’s ten national changes in 800 years, all without moving an inch.
Trenčín in 1908 with castle on the hill. Source: Wikipedia – Trenčín
Trenčín
The border town of Trenčín with its castle guarded the southern end of the primary route between Hungary and Moravia, the Hrozenkov Pass. Arrangements had undoubtedly already been made by messenger between Batu and Orda as to where to meet. After Orda and Baidur were victorious at the Battle of Legnica on 9 April, they traveled eastward through Galicia and southward through Moravia, a total distance of approximately 250 miles, stopping off for a few battles or pillages along the way and unintentionally creating a major myth-making industry in Moravia, before arriving at Trenčín. Trenčín Castle still sits high on a ridge overlooking the city. The castle’s history goes all the way back to the Roman Empire; a local inscription records the victory of the II Roman legion at Laugaricio (the Latin name of Trenčín) in 179 CE. The oldest building in town is a stone rotunda, plausibly founded in the Great Moravian period of 833-907. A few decades after the Mongols passed through, the castle became the possession of Baron Jakab Cseszneky, King Béla IV’s swordbearer. In the lower castle is the “Well of Love” which according to legend was dug by Turkish prince Omar. Deeply in love with Fatima [just one of innumerable Fatimas], he had to earn her hand and love by digging this well into the solid rock. Good story, but it was in fact a 16th century garrison who spent 40 years digging this 80-meter deep well. When you put your stone castle on top of a rocky ridge, that’s how deep you might have to go to find water, and a fortified castle without a steady supply of water isn’t worth much.
Castle Trenčín, unsuccessfully besieged by Mongols in late April, 1241.
Source: Wikipedia – Trenčín
According to historian Somer Tomáš (Forging the Past, pg. 240) Orda and Baidar arrived at Trenčín in late April and writes: “The castle itself resisted the Mongol army, but the surroundings suffered heavy damage.” We don’t know if Subutai’s force from the south arrived before or after Orda. Now united, we conjecture that the forces moved back south.
Nitra with the castle on the hill. Source: Wikipedia – Nitra
Nyitra
Forty miles south of Trenčín is Nyitra, currently in Slovakia. We saw this name previously as the town to which King Bela IV first fled after his defeat at the Sajó River on 11 April. It may be that Subutai’s spies had learned of this fact, and they went here first after leaving Trenčín to see if they could sniff out his trail or even catch the man himself.
Human presence in Nyitra goes back 25,000-30,000 years, and occupation has been continuous for the past 5,000-7,000 years. Fortifications first appeared on Castle Hill during the Bronze Age (1,600 BCE), and Celts settled the area in the 1st century BCE. The fort was later destroyed and the site abandoned until the early Slavic period (7th -8th centuries), and has been permanently occupied by Slavs since 800 CE. A wooden palisade protected the hilltop in the early 9th century, and a few decades later a massive stone rampart 2-3 meters thick was added with an internal earth-filled wooden structure 3 meters thick. This lasted until the early 11th century, when the castle was built. The core of the castle is St. Emmeram’s Cathedral which also contains the Bishop’s residence. The castle’s current configuration dates to the 18th century.
Nitra Castle, Slovakia, August 2005. Photo: Xmetov.
Source: Wikipedia – Nitra Castle
As with other Hungarians towns earlier and later, the castle in Nyitra was besieged by the Mongols but could not be taken, so the surrounding town was pillaged. The Mongols may then have continued south 40 miles to Komárom on the north bank of the Danube. But if they learned in Nyitra that King Béla had been there but continued westward to Pozsony, they would follow. Catching a defeated king was always a critically important task to the Mongols. As we know that the Mongols did in fact go to Pozsony — only fifty miles west of Nyitra — at some point in time, it is likely that it closely followed their visit to Nyitra.
In the next installment we’ll follow our Mongol force westward into Austria.
Pozsony in the 16th century, with castle firmly ensconced upon the hill. Source: Wikipedia – Bratislava
Entire Mongol Empire & Rus’ Series: Click Here
First Installment: Why didn’t the Mongols Conquer Europe in the 13th Century?
Previous Installment: The Siege of Pest || Mongol Empire XCIV
Next Installment: Pozsony and Austria || Mongol Empire XCVI
This Installment: North from Sajó River || Mongol Empire XCV
Sources
Forging the Past: Facts and Myths Behind the Mongol Invasion of Moravia in 1241; Somer, Tomáš; Golden Horde Review 2018.6(2), pages 238-251. Somer Tomáš of Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic. Link to free PDF file. [Unlike the rest of Europe, among Hungarians the names are written: family name, given name. But in publications they may appear in given name, family name order. This is confusing and I make no guarantees that I get this right.]
Mongol Invasion and Its Consequences, The; Editors: Béla Köpeczi, László Makkai, András Mócsy, Zoltán Szász; 2001-2002. History of Transylvania, Institute of History of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Editor of the English translation: Bennett Kovrig, Primary translation by Péter Szaffkó et al. Page Link.
WeaponsAndWarfare – Sajó River, Battle of
Wikipedia – Abaújvár
Wikipedia – Batu Khan
Wikipedia – Béla IV, King of Hungary
Wikipedia – Central Europe, Mongol Invasion of
Wikipedia – Fülek [Fiľakovo]
Wikipedia – Holy Roman Empire, Mongol Incursions into
Wikipedia – Hungary, First Mongol Invasion of
Wikipedia – Mohi [Sajó River], Battle of
Wikipedia – Mongol Invasions and Conquests
Wikipedia – Nitra Castle
Wikipedia – Nyitra [Nitra]
Wikipedia – Sajó
Wikipedia – Sátoraljaújhely
Wikipedia – Slovenské Nové Mesto
Wikipedia – Subutai
Wikipedia – Trenčín
Wikipedia – Trenčín Castle
ZCMS.Hu – Muhi, Battle of
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