Invasion into Central Europe
The attack on Europe was planned and executed by Subutai, who achieved perhaps his most lasting fame with his victories there. Having devastated the various Rus' principalities, he sent spies into Poland and Hungary, and as far as eastern Austria, in preparation for an attack into the heartland of Europe.
[18] Having a clear picture of the European kingdoms, he prepared an attack nominally commanded by Batu Khan and two other familial-related princes. Batu Khan, son of
Jochi, was the overall leader, but Subutai was the strategist and commander in the field, and as such, was present in both the northern and southern campaigns against Rus' principalities.
[19] He also commanded the central column that moved against Hungary. While
Kadan's northern force won the
Battle of Legnica and
Güyük's army triumphed in
Transylvania, Subutai was waiting for them on the Hungarian plain. The newly reunited army then withdrew to the
Sajó river where they inflicted a decisive defeat on King
Béla IV of Hungary at the
Battle of Mohi. Again, Subutai masterminded the operation, and it would prove one of his greatest victories.
Invasion of Poland
The Mongols at Liegnitz display the head of
King Henry II of the
Duchy of Silesia.
The Mongols invaded Central Europe with three armies. One army defeated an alliance which included forces from
fragmented Poland and their allies, led by
Henry II the Pious,
Duke of Silesia in the
Battle of Legnica. A second army crossed the
Carpathian mountains and a third followed the
Danube. The armies re-grouped and crushed Hungary in 1241, defeating the Hungarian army at the
Battle of Mohi on April 11, 1241. The devastating Mongol invasion killed half of Hungary's population.
[20] The armies swept the plains of Hungary over the summer, and in the spring of 1242, regained impetus and extended their control into
Dalmatia and
Moravia. The Great Khan had, however, died in December 1241, and on hearing the news, all the "Princes of the Blood," against Subotai's recommendation, went back to Mongolia to
elect the new Khan.
[2
After sacking
Kiev,
[22] Batu Khan sent a smaller group of troops to Poland, destroying
Lublin and defeating an inferior Polish army. Other elements—not part of the main Mongol force—saw difficulty near the Polish-Galich border.
The Mongols then reached Polaniec on the
Czarna Hańcza, where they set up camp.
[23] There, the
Voivode attacked them with the remaining Cracovian knights, which were few in number, but determined to vanquish the invader or die. Surprise gave the Poles an initial advantage and they managed to kill many Mongol soldiers. When the invaders realized the actual numerical weakness of the
Poles, they regrouped, broke through the Polish ranks and defeated them. During the fighting, many Polish prisoners of war found ways to escape and hide in the nearby woods. The Polish defeat was partly influenced by the initially successful Polish knights having been distracted by looting.
