# Battle of Kressenbrunn (July 1260)

URL: https://allhistories.com/austria/timeline/1260-battle-of-kressenbrunn
Themes: Wars & Battles

In July 1260, near Groissenbrunn in the Marchfeld of Lower Austria, King Ottokar II of Bohemia defeated the army of King Béla IV of Hungary in a battle for control of the duchies of Austria and Styria. A papal settlement in 1254 had given much of Styria to Hungary, but the Styrian nobles rose against Hungarian rule and turned to Ottokar. The two armies faced each other across the March river; when Béla's son Stephen crossed and attacked the Bohemian cavalry, Ottokar counter-attacked and routed the Hungarians, many of whom drowned in the river. By the ensuing peace Béla gave up Styria. Ottokar sealed the settlement by divorcing Margaret of Babenberg and marrying Béla's granddaughter Kunigunda in 1261.

## Why it matters
Kressenbrunn left Ottokar master of both Austria and Styria, making Bohemia the dominant power in the former Babenberg lands.

Ruler at the Time: [Ottokar II](https://allhistories.com/austria/rulers/ottokar-ii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Battle of Kressenbrunn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kressenbrunn)
- [Wikipedia — Ottokar II of Bohemia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottokar_II_of_Bohemia)