Carmen Miserabile

Carmen miserabile super destructione regni Hungariae per Tartaros is a latin account of the mongol invasion of Hungary. The work has been attributed to Roger of Torre Maggiore. The original work is now lost, but Johannes de Thurocz appended it to his 15th century Chronica Hungarorum.

let all know that I do not say this rashly, for whoever falls into the hands of the Tartars, if he had not been born, would be better off, and will feel that he is not being held by the Tartars, but in Tartarus. I say this as I have experienced it. For I was among them for a time and a half, in which death was a consolation, as life was a punishment.

Arrival of the Mongols

The account begins with Köten, The Cuman chieftain informing Hungarian king Béla IV of his defeat by the Mongols. Köten offers to submit to Béla and convert to Catholicism if his people can take regufe in Hungary. According to Roger, Köten arrived with 40,000 families. Roger says that the arrival of the Cuman’s, along with unpopular political reforms, made Béla unpopular.

The Mongols continued marching West. Reports of the Mongols reaching the border were not taken seriously. Rumors of a Mongol invasion had spread before without coming to fruition. Eventually a member of the palatine guard arrived from the border to inform Béla that the Mongols has broken through. Roger estiatmes the invading Mongol army, commanded by Batu Khan, consisted of 500,000 men.

Béla assembled his army on the east side of the Danube and asks Frederick II, Duke of Austria, for help. The mongols Rapidly advanced toward Budapest. Roger describes the sacking of Vác, a city just north of Budapest. The local church was burned to the ground along with those who took refuge inside.

Death of Köten

The local Hungarians, already feeling tension with the Cumans, begin to suspect that Köten is secretly aligned with the Mongols. A frenzy broke out among the people in Budepest. Köten was seized and his head was decapitated. The Cumans, originally willing to come to the aid of Béla, now to decide to abandon Hungary and travel to Bulgaria.

Battle of Mohi

Béla advanced his troops to the Sajó river near Mohi, opposite of the Mongol camp. The Hungarians setup gaurds at the bridge, but the Mongols manage to find another crossing and flanked the Hungarians. The Mongols completely defeated the Hungarian army, and Béla was forced to flee.

The Mongols find the king’s Chancellor among the dead, and find on him the king’s seal. The mongols took some clerics who they had left alive and made them write misleading letters. The letters said that the locals should not flee, the king had made a tactical retreat and would soon again be on the offense. In reality, Béla had fled to Austria.

Béla flees to Austria

When Béla made it to Austria he was met by Frederick II. Originally perceived as an ally, Frederick was now extorting him for his freedom. Béla gave Frederick three Hungarian counties as payment.

Roger’s personal account

Roger was in the city of Waradinum (Oradea, Romania) during the invasion. When the Mongols arrived, several people took refuge in the castle. Roger opted instead to hide in the woods. The Mongols burned much of the city and then withdrew. After a couple of days of inactivity, some emerged from the castle, but the Mongols returned and slaughtered them. Then they came back with seige weapons and broke through the castle walls, killing everyone inside.

Roger eventually fled towards the Körös River at a place called Pons Thomae (possibly modern day Tămașda, Romania). The locals denied him passage across the bridge, asking him to stay and help defend. He continued on towards the Mureș River and the town of Chanadinum (Cenad, Romania). Somewhere along the way he found a Fortified Island where he stayed a few days. He hired a guide and a servant to continue on towards Chanadinum, but found the town had already been destroyed by Mongols. They return to the Island. The Mongols get close to the fortress. His servant and guide are killed. Roger again fled to the woods as the Mongols overran the island fortress. He hid in the woods for over a month, returning to the fotress in the cover of night to search for food. He was eventually captured and made to serve as a guard of chariots for Hungarians fighting for the Mongols.

Roger goes on to describe that the Danube froze in the winter, the Mongols crossed over, and destroyed Strigonium (Esztergom, Hungary). The Mongols then turned back and left Hungary. Roger was still enslaved and traveled with thim. He decided to escape when he heard rumors that all of the captured men would be killed when they left Hungary. He again fled to the forest, covering himself with leaves and branches. He remained hidden for two days. The narrative ends with Roger emerging from the forest and making his way to Székesfehérvár.