Battle of Chmielnik


The Battle of Chmielnik occurred on 18 March 1241 during the Mongol invasion of Poland. It ended in the defeat of the Polish armies of Sandomierz and Kraków provinces. The Mongols were able to move unimpeded, and plunder the abandoned city of Kraków.

Background

The Mongols invaded Poland in late 1240, and were advancing westwards. The Poles had already suffered a defeat, and the Mongol forces split into two or three armies, the main of which, under Baidar, was heading towards Kraków, a large city in central-southern Poland. Two other Mongol commanders, Kadan and Orda Khan, were advancing more to the north.

Battle

Details of the battle were recorded in the chronicles of Jan Długosz. Incidentally, the oldest mention of the town Chmielnik dates to the battle. In 1241, it was a village.
Polish forces were commanded by Włodzimierz, voivode of Kraków, and Pakosław, voivode of Sandomierz, and represented most of Polish knights from these two provinces of fragmented Poland. The Mongols were commanded by Baidar. The Duke of Kraków. Bolesław V the Chaste, withdrew prior to the battle and did not participate. Bolesław's escape damaged the morale of the army, and caused many others to withdraw as well, weakening the forces available to Włodzimierz and Pakosław.
While the Polish forces had the advantage in the first phase of the battle, the Mongols, seeing that they would not defeat the Poles in straight combat, feigned a retreat. When the Polish forces began to pursue them, they were hit by the Mongols' reinforcements and defeated comprehensively. Polish casualties were very heavy ; Włodzimierz and Pakosław were slain, Castellan of Kraków Klement of Brzeźnica and Castellan of Sandormierz Jakub Raciborowicz were both slain.

Aftermath

With the defeat of the Polish army, panic spread through the nearby Polish lands. Kraków, one of the largest and most prosperous cities of Poland, was abandoned, as inhabitants fled, and the Mongols spent several days pillaging it and the neighboring hamlets.
In the modern town of Chmielnik there is a monument dedicated to this battle.