Battle of Mohi
A decisive Mongol victory over the Kingdom of Hungary, fought on 11 April 1241 during the Mongol invasion of Europe.
Subutai: A Mongol general who helped lead campaigns across Asia and Europe. He coordinated the Mongol forces that crossed the Sajó and attacked the Hungarian camp.
Mongol invasion of Europe: The Mongol campaigns into eastern and central Europe in the 13th century. Mohi was the invasion’s decisive engagement in Hungary.
Mongol withdrawal from Europe: The Mongol army’s retreat from central Europe in 1242 after its invasion of 1241–1242. The withdrawal followed Mohi, though historians debate the relative weight of its causes.
Mohi: A settlement in northeastern Hungary near the site traditionally associated with the 1241 battle. The settlement gives the battle its conventional name.
Sajó River: A river in northeastern Hungary that flows into the Tisza. The battle turned on Mongol efforts to cross this river and reach the Hungarian camp.
Batu Khan: A grandson of Genghis Khan who led Mongol campaigns in western Eurasia. He commanded the Mongol invasion force confronting Hungary in 1241.
Second Mongol invasion of Hungary: The Mongol invasion of Hungary in 1285, decades after the first invasion. Its failure reflected changes in Hungarian defenses after the devastation of 1241.
Roger of Torre Maggiore: A medieval cleric whose account describes the Mongol invasion and devastation of Hungary. His account, the Carmen miserabile, is a major narrative source for the invasion.
Mongol military tactics: A flexible system of mounted warfare emphasizing mobility, coordination, intelligence, and deception. At Mohi, coordinated crossings and a feigned retreat applied these methods against a larger army.
Béla IV of Hungary: King of Hungary from 1235 to 1270, ruling during the Mongol invasion of 1241. His kingdom faced the invasion, and his army fought at Mohi.