King Béla IV of Hungary became very concerned, when in 1237, frier Julian warns him about the Mongol threat. For this reason, he temporarily ceased his recentralising efforts against the barons, and instead he began to concentrate on the fortifications of the passes of the Carpathian Mountains.
After the Cuman defeats against the Mongols, the Cuman khan, Köten sought refuge for his people in Hungary in 1239. Béla IV set only one condition, the conversion of the pagan Cumans to Roman catholicism, which Köten accepted.
Béla's move, to let the Cumans in enraged Batu Khan, who viewed them as his subjects. He wrote Béla a threatening letter, inwhich he demanded Béla to surrender to him and expel the Cumans from Hungary. He got no response, thus the plan of invasion of Hungary was set in motion.
In March of 1241, the Mongols led by Batu attacked Hungary from 4 directions through the Carpathians. However by that time, the fortifications of the passes were already complete and the Mongols had to lay siege on them.
Unaware of the lag of the other armies, a fifth Mongol army, which fought against the Poles and Czechs prior, broke into Hungary from Moravia in late April and besieged Turócz and Nyitra. The two forts succesfully resisted the Mongols until 12th May, when a Hungarian army led by prince Kálmán, the younger brother of Béla IV approached Nyitra. In response, the Mongols left the siege and retreated towards Turócz, where they united with the other portion of the army. The Hungarians followed them and engaged in battle at there on 18th May. The Mongol army consisted of roughly 6000 men, while the Hungarian around 8000. In the end, the Hungarian arms triumphed and the remnants of the Mongol army retreated to Moravia, while the Hungarian army returned to the gathering camp of the main Hungarian army in Pest.
By the end of May, when Kálmán's forces returned, Béla managed to gather around 65 000 men at Pest, 10 000 of which were Cumans. There were many Templars and Hospitallers as well, while the Duke of Austria, Frederick also brought 5000 men. On 27th May, Béla's army began to march to Ungvár. The army got there on 10th June, just in time, because on the previous day, the main army of Batu Khan managed to completely destroy the defenses of the Verecke Pass and 50 000 Mongol warrior broke into the country.
The two army met on 11th June near Munkács, but except for minor skirmishes, the two didn't engage in battle yet. The real battle began, when the Mongols launched their attack at night, to catch the Hungarians offguard. The Hungarians were indeed surprised, but fortunately they could form their lines in time thanks to the crossbowmen, who managed repel the first wave of the Mongol attack. Regardless, Frederick, Duke of Austria after the initial shock of the Mongol attack, fled the battle, which he thought to be lost with many of his soldiers. This hurt the Hungarians and hindered their efforts against the Mongols, but as the fight went on, the tides slowly started to turn. The battle eventually lasted until early afternoon, when due to the severe losses, Batu Khan decided to withdraw his army and retreat, thus ultimately, the battle ended in a decisive Hungarian victory.
In the battle, the Hungarians lost around 15 000 men (not counting Frederick's fled forces), while the Mongols the double of it. The Hospitallers and Templars fought very well, just as the Cumans, who were led by their Khan, Köten himself, but Prince Kálmán deserved the most credit, whose unmatched bravery and military skill were essential for the Hungarian victory.
After the Battle of Munkács, the Hungarian army split to many pieces and went to reinforce to defenders of the attacked passes. Within weeks, all sieges of the passes were abandoned by the Mongols, and the war was over. Batu Khan never ever bothered with Hungary again.
The victory furthermore gained significant prestige for the Hungarian Crown both internally and in Europe, which gave a huge boost to Béla IV's recentralising aims. However Béla also took note of the effectiveness of the heavily armed knights in battle and of the usefulness of the fortifications in wartime, thus his another goal became to raise the numbers of both of these in his realm.
Edit: Corrected some ugly parts
After the Cuman defeats against the Mongols, the Cuman khan, Köten sought refuge for his people in Hungary in 1239. Béla IV set only one condition, the conversion of the pagan Cumans to Roman catholicism, which Köten accepted.
Béla's move, to let the Cumans in enraged Batu Khan, who viewed them as his subjects. He wrote Béla a threatening letter, inwhich he demanded Béla to surrender to him and expel the Cumans from Hungary. He got no response, thus the plan of invasion of Hungary was set in motion.
In March of 1241, the Mongols led by Batu attacked Hungary from 4 directions through the Carpathians. However by that time, the fortifications of the passes were already complete and the Mongols had to lay siege on them.
Unaware of the lag of the other armies, a fifth Mongol army, which fought against the Poles and Czechs prior, broke into Hungary from Moravia in late April and besieged Turócz and Nyitra. The two forts succesfully resisted the Mongols until 12th May, when a Hungarian army led by prince Kálmán, the younger brother of Béla IV approached Nyitra. In response, the Mongols left the siege and retreated towards Turócz, where they united with the other portion of the army. The Hungarians followed them and engaged in battle at there on 18th May. The Mongol army consisted of roughly 6000 men, while the Hungarian around 8000. In the end, the Hungarian arms triumphed and the remnants of the Mongol army retreated to Moravia, while the Hungarian army returned to the gathering camp of the main Hungarian army in Pest.
By the end of May, when Kálmán's forces returned, Béla managed to gather around 65 000 men at Pest, 10 000 of which were Cumans. There were many Templars and Hospitallers as well, while the Duke of Austria, Frederick also brought 5000 men. On 27th May, Béla's army began to march to Ungvár. The army got there on 10th June, just in time, because on the previous day, the main army of Batu Khan managed to completely destroy the defenses of the Verecke Pass and 50 000 Mongol warrior broke into the country.
The two army met on 11th June near Munkács, but except for minor skirmishes, the two didn't engage in battle yet. The real battle began, when the Mongols launched their attack at night, to catch the Hungarians offguard. The Hungarians were indeed surprised, but fortunately they could form their lines in time thanks to the crossbowmen, who managed repel the first wave of the Mongol attack. Regardless, Frederick, Duke of Austria after the initial shock of the Mongol attack, fled the battle, which he thought to be lost with many of his soldiers. This hurt the Hungarians and hindered their efforts against the Mongols, but as the fight went on, the tides slowly started to turn. The battle eventually lasted until early afternoon, when due to the severe losses, Batu Khan decided to withdraw his army and retreat, thus ultimately, the battle ended in a decisive Hungarian victory.
In the battle, the Hungarians lost around 15 000 men (not counting Frederick's fled forces), while the Mongols the double of it. The Hospitallers and Templars fought very well, just as the Cumans, who were led by their Khan, Köten himself, but Prince Kálmán deserved the most credit, whose unmatched bravery and military skill were essential for the Hungarian victory.
After the Battle of Munkács, the Hungarian army split to many pieces and went to reinforce to defenders of the attacked passes. Within weeks, all sieges of the passes were abandoned by the Mongols, and the war was over. Batu Khan never ever bothered with Hungary again.
The victory furthermore gained significant prestige for the Hungarian Crown both internally and in Europe, which gave a huge boost to Béla IV's recentralising aims. However Béla also took note of the effectiveness of the heavily armed knights in battle and of the usefulness of the fortifications in wartime, thus his another goal became to raise the numbers of both of these in his realm.
Edit: Corrected some ugly parts
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