Re-excavations at the Site of the Battle of Mohács

The re-excavation and further scientific study of the mass grave No. 3 at the venue of the 1526 Mohács battle has begun with the help of anthropologists and archaeologists.

The archaeologists of the Janus Pannonius Museum in Pécs are working in the area of the Mohács National Memorial, the site of the battle in 1526 when the Hungarian army lost a decisive battle against the invading Turks.

The excavations of a total of five mass graves already found at the venue of the battle were already carried out in 1960 and 1976, respectively. The bones were then preserved and reburied for later detailed examination with further excavation.

The Battle of Mohács (on August 29, 1526) is considered to have been one of the most consequential battles in Central European history. It was fought in near the Danube in southern Hungary between the forces of the Kingdom of Hungary, led by King Louis II, and those of the Ottoman Empire, led by Suleiman the Magnificent.

The Ottoman victory led to the partition of Hungary for several centuries between the Ottoman Empire, the Habsburg Monarchy, and the Principality of Transylvania. Further, the death of Louis II as he fled the battle marked the end of the Jagiellonian dynasty in Hungary and Bohemia, whose dynastic claims passed to the House of Habsburg.