The Mongols on March 18 at Chmielnik…
March 1241 CE
The Mongols on March 18 at Chmielnik meet another Polish army.
These forces, commanded by Wlodzimierz, voivode (palatine) of Kraków, and Pakoslaw, voivode of Sandomierz, represent most of the Polish knights from those two provinces (the Kraków Province, also known as the Seniorate Province, and the Sandomierz Province).
The Duke of Kraków withdraws prior to the battle and does not participate in it.
Bolesław's escape damages the morale of the army, and causes many others to withdraw as well, weakening the forces available to Wlodzimierz and Pakosław.
While the Polish forces have the advantage in the first phase of the battle, the Mongols, seeing that they will not defeat the Poles in straight combat, feign a retreat.
When the Polish forces begin to pursue them, they are hit by the Mongols' reinforcements and defeated comprehensively.
Polish casualties are very heavy; the provincial nobility is annihilated.