Hungarian-Wallachian Wars

Battle of Posada

Dezső sacrifices himself protecting Charles Robert. by József Molnár, oil on canvas in 1855

Date	November 9, 1330 – November 12, 1330
Location	Near the border between Transylvania and Wallachia, in present-day Romania.
Result	Decisive Wallachian victory

Belligerents

Kingdom of Hungary

Wallachia

Commanders and leaders

Charles I Robert

Basarab I

Strength

30,000

7,000-10,000

Casualties and losses

Very heavy

Light

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

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 near the border between Oltenia and Severin.

The battle resulted in a major Wallachian victory and disaster for Charles Robert, becoming a turning point in the politics of Hungary, which had to abandon its hopes of extending the kingdom to the Black Sea. For Wallachia, the victory meant an increase in morale and the further evolution of the independent state.

Some historians claim that the Cumans aided the Wallachians in the battle. Still in the Hungarian army there was a substantial cuman Hungarian contingent so this variant is very improbable.. In 1324, Wallachia was a vassal of Hungary, and Robert referred to Basarab as "our Transalpine Voivode".

The war started with encouragement from the Voivode of Transylvania and a certain Dionisie, who later bore the title Ban of Severin. In 1330, Robert captured the long disputed Wallachian citadel of Severin and handed it to the Transylvanian Voivode.

Basarab sent envoys who asked for the hostilities to cease, and in return offered to pay 7,000 marks in silver, submit the fortress of Severin to Robert, and send his own son as hostage. According to the Viennese Illuminated Chronicle, a contemporary account, Robert said about Basarab: "He is the shepherd of my sheep, and I will take him out of his mountains, dragging him by his beard." Another account writes that Robert said that: "...he will drag the Voivode from his cottage, as would any driver his oxen or shepherd his sheep."

The King's councillors begged him to accept the offer or give a milder reply, but he refused and led his 30,000-strong army deeper into Wallachia "without proper supplies or adequate reconnaissance". Basarab was unable to stand a battle in the open field against a large army, due to the poor state of his troops, and he decided to retreat somewhere into the Transylvanian Alps.

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Wikipedia