Palla Ákos szerk.: Az Országos Orvostörténeti Könyvtár közleményei 24. (Budapest, 1962)

The deads of the battle of Mohács

of the battle and it became increasingly imperative to ascertain its exact spot. All historians are bound to start from the only strictly speaking Hungarian authority, the work of István Brodarics written in 1527. In his work Brodarics tells us in some detail that on the fateful day the Hungarian army started at dawn from its camp, situated about 3-4 km south of Mohács, progressing southward along the road to Eszék. Some 3 km further, near the „Fekete kapu" (Black gate) where to-day a road bordered by horse-chestnut trees runs from east to west toward the state-farm Sátorhely, the army separated into two columns and continued marching one after the other. Finally it took a stand southward from this line, fanning out in a northwesterly and south-easterly direction, fronting towards south-east. The Hungarian army stood waiting until 3 o'clock P. M. which left Brodarics plenty of time to look around and to remember the countryside a year later, when writing his historical work. On the army's left he saw a marshy, muddy water full of reeds and sedge; "later", i. e. during the flight, "many found their death" in this swamp, which to-day is called "Vizslaki-rét". On the western part of this meadow, under the "Törökdomb", many an object was was bearing out Brodarics' assertion. The Hungarian army attacked from their positions situated near the southwestern end of abovementioned "Vizslaki rét" and this fact is confirmed also by another data in Brodarics' work. He (mentions a small village with a ohurch standing at the right side of, but far from their positions, beneath the slopes of a hill forming a longdrawn half-circle. The village was Földvár and the Hungarian attack was aimed in its direction; during the fight Brodarics observed Turkish "tcharkadshis" moving between the houses. Before the village, at a distance yet unknown, spread the line of the Turkish artillery, destined to play a decisive part in the issue of the battle. Clearly, the exact situation of the village Földvár is the biggest clue in determining the battle-field proper and all historians had to concentrate first and foremost on this point. Most historiographers agree as to the process of the battle, but as to its exact location opinions differ very much indeed.