The Mongol Siege of Esztergom 1241: Europe's Richest City Falls

In January 1241, a Mongol army under Batu Khan crossed the frozen Danube and struck the royal and ecclesiastical heart of Hungary: Esztergom. This episode walks through the siege as recorded by Archdeacon Thomas of Split in his Historia Salonitana, and the Carmen Miserabile of Rogerius of Apulia. We explore the city's formidable defenses, the desperate flight of King Béla IV, the role of the city's wealthy Italian merchants, and the Mongol use of naphtha and trebuchets. The fall of Esztergom sent shockwaves across Europe, proving that no stronghold was safe. We also contrast the city's swift surrender with the fierce resistance of nearby castles, and ask what the destruction of Hungary's richest city meant for the kingdom's recovery. Names: Béla IV, Batu Khan, Subutai, Kadan, Thomas of Split, Rogerius of Apulia, Esztergom, Buda, Pest, Gran. #Esztergom #MongolSiege #1241 #BatuKhan #Subutai #BelaIV #ThomasOfSplit #HistoriaSalonitana #CarmenMiserabile #RogeriusOfApulia #Hungary #MongolInvasion #MedievalSiege #Naphtha #GoldenHorde #FexingoHistory #History #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo