Battle of Opole

Part of the Mongol invasion of Poland

Date	early April 1241
Location	Opole, Poland
Result	Mongol victory

Belligerents

Mongol Empire

Poles (from the provinces of Silesia and Lesser Poland)

Commanders and leaders

unknown

Wladyslaw Opolski

Strength

unknown

Casualties and losses

unknown

Mongol invasions of Poland

1st invasion (1240–41) Sandomierz Tursko Chmielnik Tarczek Kraków Racibórz Opole Legnica 2nd invasion (1259–60) Sandomierz Kraków 3rd invasion (1287–88) Lagow Dunajec Stary Sacz

The Battle of Opole took place in the Polish town of Opole, in early April 1241, during the Mongol invasion of Poland. It ended in the victory of the Mongol forces, who defeated knights from Opole Silesia and Lesser Poland, headed by Duke Wladyslaw Opolski.

In late March 1241, Mongol forces, which had previously been divided into two armies, reunited in the area of Kraków. On April 1, the invaders headed westwards, to the Polish province of Silesia. After a skirmish near Raciborz, the Mongols decided not to besiege well-fortified Raciborz. Instead, they followed the Oder towards Opole. There, they faced units from Lesser Poland (the provinces of Kraków and Sandomierz), reinforced with knights of Duke of Opole, Wladyslaw. Since the Poles were numerically inferior, they retreated after a short battle. The Mogols followed them towards Wrocław, and Legnica (see Battle of Legnica).

Sources

Piastowie. Leksykon biograficzny, wyd. 1999, str. 397
Wielka Historia Polski cz. do 1320, wyd. Pinexx 1999, s. 187-188
Stanislaw Krakowski, Polska w walce z najazdami tatarskimi w XIII wieku, wyd. MON 1956, str.136-137

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