On 10 August 955, the Battle of Lechfeld was fought between the Germans under Otto I against the Magyars under Bulchru during the Magyar Invasions.
Why did it happen & Who was involved?
After the division of Carolingian Empire in 843, the Frankish kingdom expanded by Charlemagne split into Western and Eastern halves. The Western portion was stilled ruled by the Franks, but the Eastern portion came under the dominion of the German Saxons. The Eastern portion soon came under attack from the Magyars, horsemen from Central Asia, who mounted destructive raids into central Europe. In 955, the Magyars invaded Bavaria and besieged Augsburg. Otto I, the king of the Saxons, mustered a force of 10,000 heavy cavalry and marched to relieve Augsburg. On 10 August, the Germans confronted the 30,000 strong Magyar army by the Lech river.
What happened?
While the main Magyar army kept the German vanguard busy from the front, a large detachment of Magyar cavalry crossed the Lech river to outflank the German army. This detachment then charged across the Lech river to attack and scatter the German rear, who were guarding the camp and baggage train. Instead of pursuing the fleeing Germans, the Magyars become distracted by the prospect of wealth and began looting the German camp. Upon seeing this, Otto I ordered his second-in-command, Duke Conrad, to lead a counterattack. Close quarter fighting soon developed with the German knights gaining the upper hand over the more lightly armoured Magyars. Meanwhile, under a volley of Magyar arrow fire, Otto led his vanguard cavalry in a smashing charge against the main Magyar army. The German knights soon inflicted 5,000 casualties on the Magyar horsemen, who began to flee upon hearing of the defeat of their detachment. While some Magyars drowned in the Lech river, the rest were hunted down over the next two days by the German knights. German casualties during the battle numbered around 2,000.
What changed as a result?
The Battle of Lechfeld marked a turning point in European history for two reasons. First, Otto’s victory led to Pope John XII crowning him Holy Roman Emperor in 962. The peace that Otto created through his defeat of the Magyars allowed the German economy to recover and led to a flourishing of German art, culture and religion in the Tenth Century. Second, the Battle of Lechfeld brought an end to the cycle of nomadic raids into Europe that had begun during the days of the Roman Empire. Apart from the Mongol Invasion of 1241, Western Europe would never be invaded by Steppe nomads again.
Bibliography
Grant, R.G. 1001 Battles That Changed the Course of History. London, Cassell Illustrated, 2011.
Grant, R.G. Battle: A Visual Journey Through 5,000 Years of Combat. London, Dorling Kindersley, 2005.
Regan, Geoffrey. Battles That Changed History: Fifty Decisive Battles Spanning Over 2,500 Years of Warfare. London, Andre Deutsch, 2002.
Robinson, Tony. Battles That Changed History. London, Dorling Kindersley, 2018.
Swanston, Malcolm. Mapping History: Battles and Campaigns. Royston, Eagle Editions, 2007.
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