Battle of Hundsfeld
| Battle of Hundsfeld Poland (now an integral part of Wrocław) | |
|---|---|
| Result | Polish victory |
The Battle of Hundsfeld or Battle of Psie Pole was said to be fought on 24 August 1109 near the
History
The contemporary author
Debate
According to Wincenty Kadłubek, the Germans were ambushed by the Polish forces and the result was a complete victory of Bolesław III Wrymouth, whereafter King Henry withdrew from Poland. After the encounter, due to the many dead and dying left on the battlefield; Kadłubek remarked, that the "...dogs which, devouring so many corpses, fell into a mad ferocity, so that no one dared venture there." Hence, the site became known as "dogs' field" (Polish: Psie Pole, German: Hundsfeld).
Kadłubek's relation was questioned in the late 19th century Encyklopedia Powszechna by Samuel Orgelbrand. Present-day historians are split on the issue, with some arguing that the battle was rather an unimportant skirmish, and the Chronica, written at the court of Bolesław's son Casimir II the Just almost hundred years after the event, is not fully reliable. Though, regardless of the magnitude, the clash contributed to Henry V's retreat.[2][3]
Tradition
The site is now part of the
See also
References
- ^ Kronika księga III rozdział 15. W oryginale: 15. Caesar rediens, ac pro tributo cadavera portans. Hiis auditis Caesar urbem Wratislaviensem adivit, ubi nichil nisi de vivis mortuos acquisivit.
- ^ "S. Orgelbranda Encyklopedia Powszechna", Warsaw 1902, vol. XII, page 406
- ^ M. Kaczmarek, "Bitwa na Psim Polu", in: Encyklopedia Wrocławia, Wrocław 2000