Battle of Posada

Battle of Posada
Part of the Hungarian-Wallachian Wars

Dezső sacrifices himself protecting Charles Robert, by József Molnár, oil on canvas in 1855
Date9–12 November 1330
Location
Near the border between Transylvania and Wallachia, in present-day Romania.
45°17′13″N 25°37′6″E / 45.28694°N 25.61833°E / 45.28694; 25.61833
Result Decisive Wallachian victory[1]
Belligerents
Kingdom of Hungary Wallachia
Commanders and leaders
Charles I Robert
Stephen I Lackfi
Thomas Szécsényi
Desiderius Hédervári  †		 Basarab I
Strength
30,000[2] 7,000–10,000[2]
Casualties and losses
Very heavy[2] Light[2]
Battle of Posada is located in Romania
Battle of Posada
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Location within Romania

The Battle of Posada (9–12 November 1330)[3] was fought between Basarab I of Wallachia and Charles I of Hungary (also known as Charles Robert).

The small Wallachian army led by Basarab, formed of cavalry and foot archers, as well as local peasants, managed to ambush and defeat the 30,000-strong Hungarian army, in a mountainous region.

The battle resulted in a major Wallachian victory. Sălăgean writes that the victory "sanctioned the independence of Wallachia from the Hungarian crown" and altered its international status.[4] Georgescu describes Wallachia as the "first independent Romanian principality."[5] Although the kings of Hungary continued to demand loyalty from the voivodes of Wallachia, Basarab and his successors yielded to them only temporarily in the 14th century.[6]

  1. ^ Djuvara, pp. 190 – "Când ultimii scăpați teferi din marea oaste a lui Carol cel Mare s-au pierdut în noapte, au rămas in mâinile românilor o mulțime de prizonieri și o uriașă pradă...".
  2. ^ a b c d Djuvara, pp. 172–180
  3. ^ Djuvara, pp. 19– "... marea bătălie zisă de la Posada (9–12 noiembrie 1330)".
  4. ^ Sălăgean 2005, p. 195.
  5. ^ Georgescu 1991, p. 17.
  6. ^ Vásáry 2005, p. 155.