Battle of Strassnitz

Battle of Strassnitz
Part of Rákóczi's War of Independence
Date 27-28 July 1708 Location Near Strážnice Result Imperial victory
Belligerents
Habsburg monarchy Moravians Serbs	Kurucs
Commanders and leaders
Pierre Joseph de Viard Sigbert Heister	Laurinc Pekri Lázsló Ocskay Babocsay
Strength
3,000 riders and infantrymen 2,500 Moravian militiamen 5,000 Cuirassiers	6-10,000 riders and infantrymen 4 artillery
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Heavy

Battle of Strassnitz was a battle between Kuruc army under command of general Laurinc Pekir and Imperial army under command of general Siegbert Heister and Pierre Joseph de Viard during so called Rákóczi's War of Independence and Kuruc raid into eastern Moravia in summer 1708. It happenend on 27- 28 July 1708 Near the municipalities of Sudoměřice, Petrov and cities of Skalica and Strážnice on former moravian-hungarian border and ended in tactical defeat and forced retreat of kurucs from direction of Moravia to Upper Hungary. clash foreshadowed essential failure of insurgent troops in Battle of Trenčín a few days later.

Prelude

Long-term dissatisfaction with habsburg rule in Hungary caused in combination with ongoing War of the Spanish succession in the year 1703 beggining of the uprising, which was leaded by hungarian noble Francis II. Rákóczi. Insurgent troops were able successfully resist imperial army and to do offensive and plundering expeditions even outside of territory of Hungary , for example in year 1705 to southern Moravia through Rohatec pass. In year 1707 assembly convened to Ónodo declared ousting of Habsburgs from hungarian throne and declared complete hungarian independence, mainly due to France, which made this step conditional on essential assistance. However, it did not come. The contradictions in the leadership of the uprising grew, the majority began to be won by conservative magnates inclined to an agreement with the Habsburgs. The causes also included the difficult economic situation, the lack of material resources to continue the fight, and the military failures of France. The Austrians sensed an opportunity and increased the pressure by sending 45 infantry and 42 cavalry regiments to Hungary in 1707.

In year 1708 Rákóczi decided for expedition of his troops to Silesia. He planned to pave the way for Prussian king Fridrich William to ascend the hungarina throne. By this his uprising would be strengthened by silesian protestant estates. His army firstly advaced through valley of Váh and near Trenčín planned to get into Moravia. By the beggining of may 1708 moravian border was crossed by kuruc army numbering about six thousand men under command of general László Ocskay, nicknamed Rákóczi's flash, which plundered area of Brumov-Bylnice, Valašské Klobouky and captured Vsetín on local imperial garrisson numbering 500 men.

Timeline of Battle

Austrian field marshal Sigbert Heister, supreme leader of imperial troops in Hungary

Another military action near moravian border was decided by kurucs on the end of july 1708. On 26. july the Kuruc army approached the border from Skalica numbering about 6 to 10 000 and 4 artillery under command of general of cavalry Lőrinc Pekri, and generals Ocskay and Babocsay as commanders of fighter wings, and began plundering of local towns. Against these forces was from Uherský Brod sended cavalry brigade (regiments Uhlefeld, Latour, Althann, Schönborn a esquadron of serbian hussars) of imperial general Pierre Joseph de Viard, numbering about 3 000 men, which was complemented by about 2 500 men of moravian militia. In reaction on prenesance of imperial troops, kuruc army fortified itself in Šance hill near Sudoměřice and Petrov, Viard's group of more than five thousand people also reached their vicinity. On July 27, the Kuruc forces launched a day-long, but not consistently vigorous, attack on the imperial troops, who were forced to withdraw behind the fortifications of the town of Strážnice with minor losses. After the Kuruc retreated to their original positions near Skalice, Viard carried out a successful counterattack, which had a powerful impact on the rebel morale.

On the morning of July 28, Viard's troops deployed a battle line between Strážnice and Sudoměřice, from Bratislava then 5,000 Cuirassiers commanded by supreme leader of imperial troops in Hungary Sigisber Heister also approached the battlefield. The Kuruc leadership feared encirclement and began a retreat beyond the Hungarian border towards Skalica. Viard took advantage of this and ordered an attack on the rearguard of the retreating army, with whom he fought all day near Skalica. In the evening, Sigbert's cuirassiers also joined the battle and finally pushed the Kurucki forces out of the area towards the Váh River.

The Kuruc army suffered significant losses during the two-day battle, and General Ocskay himself was wounded during the retreat near Skalica.

Aftermath

Immediately after the battle, which thwarted further Kuruc advance into the Moravian interior, the Kuruc Perki army retreated along the Váh River. On August 3, 1708, the Kuruc forces clashed with the imperial troops in battle of Trenčín. The most intense fighting took place in northern part of Hámre (present day part of Trenčianská Turná), but whole battlefield was located between municipalities of Soblahov, Mníchova Lehota and Trenčianska Turná, and further in the area of ​​the Trenčín cadastre. The Kuruc army suffered heavy losses in the battle and was forced to abandon its original plans for further advancement. It turned out that their army had significantly less combat capability than the enemy. Heister and his army continued to pursue the defeated Rákóczi soldiers and occupied the Slovak mining towns. He also gained Nitra, and began besieging Nové Zámky. By the end year ztratili insurgents lost whole west Féldvidek. The Kuruc commander László Oczkay also joined the side of the imperial troops. Rákoczi's troops were soon forced to retreat also Tekov, Hont and Zvolen. By the end of year 1709 even from Liptov.

In december 1708 Rákoczi tried on assembly in Sárospatak, which took place without many of his former supporters, as a last attempt to save his declining army. He wanted to save the situation by promising all subjects in his army freedom and land allocations, if they remained in the fight until the end. However, this resolution no longer had any resonance among the common people, who had so willingly joined his forces in the past. From now kurucs were hated to say the least as same as imperial labans. Subjects, tired of fighting and fed up with promises that no one could fulfill, were leaving the ranks of Rákóczi's army. The uprising finally ended in 1711.

See also

• War of the Spanish Succession
• Rákóczi's War of Independence

External links

• Diplomová práce Uherské povstání Františka II. Rákócziho (1703 - 1711) a panství Strážnice