Battle of Grobnik Field
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| Battle of Grobnik field | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Mongol invasion of Europe | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Mongols | Croats | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Batu Khan | Unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Around 30,000 | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Almost entire army annihilated (some sources claim 56,000) | Unknown | ||||||
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The Battle of Grobnik field is a legendary battle that occurred in 1242 between the Croats and the Tatars. The legend claims that, in a last ditch struggle, Croats from all over the region gathered there and killed thousands of Mongols, who subsequently withdrew, never to return.[1] The legend become part of a focus of an early romantic poem entitled "Grobnik field" written in 1842 by Dimitrija Demeter for the 600th anniversary of the supposed battle.
Historical background
The Mongols began attacking Europe in the 1220s. They conquered most of Russia and then headed west in the late 1230s. In almost every battle the Christian armies were destroyed and much of Hungary, Poland, Austria and the Balkans were laid waste by Batu Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan. It is known that the Mongols overran Zagreb and swept through Lika and Dalmatia but were unable to take Vinodol. The extent of death and destruction dealt out by the Mongols was compared to an epidemic of the black plague.
Legend about the battle
According to the legend, after a series of defeats along the eastern Adriatic coast the Tatars arrived at the Grobnik field (near Rijeka), where they encountered a native Croatian army that tried to stop their invasion. In the pitched battle that followed, Tatars were routed and destroyed, losing an entire army of 30,000 or, as some claim, even 56,000 people lead by the notorious army leader Batu Khan. They were beaten by units from all the corners of Croatia, and so peace was ensure.d It is believed that Grobnik got its name from the many graves that were used after the battle due to great casualties. Acording to legend there may have been as much as 100,000 dead on the battlefield, so that even the field beneath them could not have been seen. But this is almost certanly an exaggeration because the largest European armies at that time could not have gathered an army of more than 30,000 men.[2] If it actually took place, it would have been one of the last battles of the Mongols in Europe, after which they retreated to their homeland in far Asia. Some of the Mongolians found their new life in new country.[citation needed]
Epilogue
This battle, if it happened, was the last in a series of defeats along the eastern Adriatic coast. It is believed that Grobnik got its name from the many graves that were used after the battle due to great casualties. If it ever took place, it would have been one of the last battles of the Mongols in Europe, after which they retreated to their homeland in far Asia. The furthest south territory in Europe that Mongols reached in 1242 was Croatia, and they spent 6 months in the area without inflicting any significant defeats upon the Croats. They couldn't capture any of the walled cities they besieged, they suffered much casualties from Croatian ambushes and guerrilla tactics and they were finally defeated on the Grobnik field where they were on a plain surrounded by mountains, where they were denied their advantage of their horse archer tactics. In north - east plains the Croats retreated to well fortified cities and in hills and mountains they chose the battlefield that suited them to defeat the Mongols. Some of the Mongolians found their new life in new country.
Controversy and history
Some scolars and historians have long doubted and still are arguing if the battle ever took place[3]. To this day, There seems to be no certain evidence of the battle uncovered on the battlefield. There has been no physical evidence of a battle uncovered on the supposed battlefield, nor is the battle mentioned in any document from that time.[4] The first documents about this battle are mentioned in the 14th century, but some claim that they were either a hoax or not veryfiable. Legend also has it that the Croats also waged off a Turkish invasion at Grobnik field several centuries later by wearing the heads of ows and other animals (see zvončari) and scating the enemy.[citation needed]What is certan, however, is that if the battle ever happened, it was probably on a smaller scale than the original legend claims.
References
| This article needs additional citations for verification. |
- ^ Hrvoje Hitrec, Hrvatska Povjesnica, p.40
- ^ Igor Žic, Kratka povijest grada Rijeke, 1998, p 20
- ^ Goldstein, Ivo (1994) "The Use of History: Croatian Historiography and Politics", HeinOnline, accessed May 2008.
- ^ Županov, Josip, "Dan zahvalnosti: jesu li nacionalni mitovi prokletstvo ili blagoslov", accessed May 2008. Županov says "Taj se mit, doduše, sve manje spominje, jer je povjesničarima poznato da se ta navodna bitka na Grobničkom polju ne spominje ni u jednom povijesnom dokumentu iz toga vremena".