CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2021
| Author | Smojver, Domagoj |
|---|---|
| Title | The Mongol Invasion of Slavonia and Dalmatia: Were the Mongols as Cruel as the Sources Say? |
| Summary | The Mongol invasion of 1241-42 resulted in King Béla’s call for strengthening the Hungarian kingdom with new forts. Many lords and counts received royal privileges, granting them either direct land possession, jurisdictional power or the right to exert power over certain areas in the kingdom. These charters were a way of expressing gratitude to regional lords for their financial and military aid, in times of need. The king took refuge in many cities throughout Slavonia and Dalmatia over the two years, often changing forts in order to avoid being caught or killed. This thesis will follow two military powers, respectively. The first one is led by King Béla, followed by his royal and ecclesial entourage, sometimes supported by local nobles. The other one is the invading force, led by two army commanders: Batu and Qadan. Following modern road reconstruction and military troop movement, this study provides an overview and in-depth analysis of Mongol activity in Slavonia, bordered by natural dividing lines, like the rivers Drava, Sava and Danube. Moreover, it traces the Mongol progress from Slavonia to Dalmatia, through the Lika region, backed up with relevant archaeological finds, where such remains exist. Available existing theories on major battles, minor clashes and raids, carried out by the Mongols, are reassessed with a focus on Croatian historiographical tradition. The king managed to escape the Mongol threat, safely hidden behind stone walls. Major battles did not occur in northern Adriatic region, but rather to the south, near Trogir, Split, and Šibenik. It is disputable what was the extent of Mongol raids in the Dalmatian hinterlands. The conclusions are thus based on a combination of critical-based analysis of medieval sources (Thomas of Split, Master Roger), reflection on secondary literature, and supplemented with recent historical and archaeological publications. |
| Supervisor | Laszlovszky, József; Nagy, Balázs |
| Department | Medieval Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2021/smojver_domagoj.pdf |
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