The Mongol invasion of Poland in the 13th century was one of the most dramatic and tragic events in European history. It pitted the mighty Mongol Empire, led by the descendants of Genghis Khan, against the divided and feudal kingdoms of Poland and Hungary, which were struggling to defend their lands, their faith, and their honor.
The Mongols were a nomadic people who had conquered most of Asia and parts of Eastern Europe under the leadership of Genghis Khan and his successors. They were renowned for their military prowess, their ruthless tactics, and their cultural diversity. They had a complex system of laws, religion, and administration, and they were tolerant of different faiths and customs.
The Mongols had a long-standing conflict with the Cumans, a Turkic people who lived in the steppes of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The Mongols considered the Cumans to have submitted to their authority, but the Cumans fled westward and sought asylum within the Kingdom of Hungary. “They are our brothers and allies, and we will defend them with our lives,” said King Béla IV of Hungary, the Hungarian monarch and leader of the resistance against the Mongols.
The Mongols, however, did not accept this. After King Béla IV of Hungary rejected Batu Khan’s ultimatum to surrender the Cumans, Subutai began planning the Mongol invasion of Europe. Subutai was the Mongol general and strategist, who had served under Genghis Khan and his sons. He was a master of deception, mobility, and coordination, and he devised a cunning plan to divide and conquer the European forces.
Batu Khan, the Mongol ruler and founder of the Golden Horde, and Subutai were to lead two armies to attack Hungary itself, while a third under Baidar, Orda Khan and Kadan would attack Poland as a diversion to occupy northern European forces which might come to Hungary’s aid. Orda’s forces devastated northern Poland and the southwestern border of Lithuania. Baidar and Kadan ravaged the southern part of Poland: first they sacked Sandomierz in order to draw the Northern European armies away from Hungary; then on 3 March they defeated a Polish army in the battle of Tursko; then on 18 March they defeated another Polish army at Chmielnik; on 24 March they seized and burned Kraków, and a few days later they tried unsuccessfully to capture the Silesian capital of Wrocław (Breslau).
The Polish and Moravian forces were led by Henry II the Pious, the Duke of Silesia and High Duke of Poland. He was a devout Christian and a brave warrior, who had inherited the throne from his father, Henry I the Bearded. He had to face not only the Mongol threat, but also the internal strife and disloyalty of some of his vassals and nobles. He tried to rally the support of the Pope, the Holy Roman Emperor, and other European rulers, but he received little help. He decided to face the Mongols with his own army, composed of Poles, Moravians, Bavarian miners, and some knights from the military orders. “The Mongols are not invincible. They are men like us, and they can be defeated. We have to stand together and fight for our lands, our faith, and our honor,” he said.
The decisive clash took place on 9 April 1241 on the plain southeast of the city of Legnica. Henry divided his small army into four troops, which, according to the custom of the time, joined the battle one by one. The Mongols, however, used their superior mobility, archery, and tactics to lure the Polish troops into a trap. They feigned retreat, then encircled and overwhelmed the enemy with a barrage of arrows and a charge of lancers. The Polish army was annihilated, and Henry was killed in the battle. His severed head was paraded on a spear by the Mongols, who also looted and burned the city of Legnica.
The Battle of Legnica was a crushing defeat for the Polish and Moravian forces, where they suffered heavy casualties. It was also a significant historical event, as it marked the furthest extent of the Mongol invasion of Europe. The Mongols, however, did not pursue their victory further, as they had to return to the east to attend the election of a new Great Khan after the death of Ögedei Khan. Some of the Mongols, such as Kaidu, the Mongol prince and grandson of Ögedei Khan, remained loyal to the Mongol Empire and its culture. “The Mongols are not our enemies. They are our friends and benefactors. They have brought us peace, prosperity, and civilization. They have given us laws, culture, and religion. They are the sons of Heaven, and we should serve them with loyalty and gratitude,” he said.
Relevant articles:
– Battle of Legnica – Wikipedia
– A War of the Worlds at Legnica – Polish History
– Duchy of Legnica – Wikipedia
– Battle of Legnica | Summary | Britannica