Battle of Pákozd

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Battle of Pákozd happened on September 29, 1848 during the Revolution of 1848, near Pákozd in central Hungary. The outcome, a Hungarian victory, was an important victory for the outnumbered Hungarian troops against the forces of Ban Josip Jelačić.

When Jelačić's Croatian troops entered Hungary following the September 11 declaration of war in the name of the Habsburg Empire, many of the Hungarian generals were not willing to attack the imperial troops to which they had sworn allegiance (notably general Ádám Teleki, commander of the forces on the Drava).

The battle is a landmark of loyalty: the ban of Croatia, Josip Jelačić, who led the Croatian army, was sent to deal with the rebellious Hungarians, which he promptly did, despite the fact that, had he sided with them, and against the Emperor, Croatia very well could have won its independence from the Habsburgs in 1848. The ban's choice to obey the Empire by attacking Hungary is a pivotal moment in the history of the Habsburg monarchy; the Empire owed a great debt to him.

After the battle of Pákozd, the halted Croatian armies were forced to retreat towards Austria, where they were given new orders from the Austrian government, but no reinforcements as they were promised.