CUMANS AND MONGOLS IN THE REGION OF SREM IN 1241-1242: A DISCUSSION ON THE EXTENT OF DEVASTATION

Abstract

On the eve of the Mongol invasion of Hungary in 1241 in order to defend the country as successfully as possible the Hungarian King Bela IV welcomed Cumans to his state (1239). They had previously clashed with the Mongols in the area of the Black Sea region of steppes and they were threatened by them. However, after the murder of their khan Kotyan, Cumans left Hungary in 1241 and found refuge in neighboring Bulgaria. During the retreat southward they devastated the Hungarian border area of Srem (Marchia) and shortly after that armed Mongols themselves passed through this land. On the basis of the analysis of known and indirect sources still not considered in historiography in the context of this topic and based on the views of historiography the author investigates the possible extent of Cuman and Mongol devastation of Srem and these areas in the south of Hungary from 1241 to 1242. The author of the paper adopts a critical approach towards the news of Master Roger, who was particularly shocked by the Cuman destruction of Marchia. His report was credible, but the writer did not have the opportunity to stay in Srem before or after the invasion. The author believes that the Cuman and Mongol invasion did not fully and dramatically influence the depopulation of Srem and the disruption of the local economic life; instead, this invasion had devastating consequences only in some of its segments.

Keywords

• Srem (Syrmia)
• Cumans
• Mongols
• 1241
• southern Hungary
• Bela IV