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CAVALRY AND CANNON
THE BATTLE THE BA

OF MOHACS

In 1526, Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent of the Turkish
Ottoman Empire led a powerful army into the territory of TTLE OF MOHA
King Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia. Meeting Louis’ army
at Mohacs, Süleyman’s forces resisted with skillfully deployed
weaponry and traditional fighting skills.

When Suleyman’s army marched out this. His impressive array of cannon CS
of Constantinople on April 16, 1526, were tied together to form a barrier
its goal was no secret. Expanding across the battlefield, reinforced by
his empire in southeastern Europe, the Ottomans’ elite Janissary infantry
Süleyman had already taken the armed with arquebuses (small-bore
Serbian capital, Belgrade, in 1521. matchlock weapons). In front of this
Hungary was the next stepping stone line of gunpowder weapons he placed
toward his ultimate goal, the Habsburg his own heavy cavalry, the sipahi.
city of Vienna. King Louis had time They were less well armored than
to prepare his defenses during the their Christian counterparts, and
Turks’ slow progress north. Appeals many were still armed with the
to other Christian leaders for military composite bow of their Central
aid fell on deaf ears, however, and Asian ancestors. On the flanks, the
even the Hungarian nobles who owed light irregular horsemen, the akinji,
Louis allegiance were reluctant to awaited the chance to harass, pursue,
accept his authority. and plunder. The sultan himself took
Through a wet summer that made up position in the rear, surrounded
progress arduous, Suleyman’s army by his household cavalry.
advanced along the bank of the The Hungarians opened the battle
Danube, accompanied by a fleet of by firing their cannon. Then the
supply boats. On August 14 they armored knights, with King Louis
reached the Drava River, a tributary in their midst, thundered forward
of the Danube that formed Hungary’s toward the Ottoman army. Most
natural border. Louis’ best policy likely following a prearranged tactical
might have been to defend the river plan, the sipahi melted away in front
crossing here, but the Ottoman of the knights’ onslaught, revealing
forces crossed the rain-swollen flood the line of cannon behind them.
unmolested. It took them five days As the knights bore down upon the
to move 300 cannon and an estimated muzzles of the guns, the Ottomans
50,000 to 100,000 men across a opened fire. Amid a carnage of
skillfully constructed bridge of slaughtered horses and fallen riders
boats. Louis, meanwhile, awaited the charge was brought to a halt.
the invaders near Mohacs, blocking The Ottoman cavalry then launched
their road to his capital, Buda. a counterattack, and a savage mêlée
ensued. Meanwhile the akinji had
KNIGHTS AND CANNON stolen around to the Christian rear,
The battle took place on August 29. and were plundering the camp and
Most of Louis’ army consisted of massacring the camp followers.
armored knights, although he also Louis’ army disintegrated. The
had a significant number of cannon. individual survivors sought to escape
In the tradition of Christian Europe, through woods and swamps, and the
he intended to gamble on the shock king himself died while fleeing—his
impact of his charging knights to body was not found for months. Buda
win the day. Suleyman arranged his was occupied and Hungary became
variegated forces in anticipation of an Ottoman territory.