Mohacs, battle of (1526), decisive defeat of Hungarian forces by the Ottoman Turks, effectively destroying the Hungarian monarchy. Suleiman ‘the Magnificent’ demanded tribute from a failing Hungarian state. When it refused to pay, he advanced, capturing Sabac and Belgrade (then lying within the Hungarian dominions). The Hungarian King Louis II assembled a puny army of 20, 000 and advanced from Buda (one of the twin cities which became Budapest). On 29 August 1526 he stupidly attacked 100, 000 well-armed, -trained, -paid, and -motivated Ottoman Turks. He was killed and his army annihilated. Suleiman took Buda but then withdrew, taking 100, 000 prisoners as slaves. Hungary was no threat to him now, and he left it alone. Transylvania and eastern Hungary became autonomous provinces of the Ottoman empire. Hungary herself collapsed into civil war from 1526 to 1538.
— Christopher Bellamy
