none Almost all killed Result Decisive Mongol victory | Date 25 December 1241 | |
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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.
Contents
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. Batu fresh from his victory plunder the city of Pest.
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.
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.