Battle of Ilava

The Battle of Ilava was a battle in the Hussite Wars between the Hussites and the Hungarian-Royalists army near Ilava (hist. Lewa) in Upper Hungary (today Slovakia) on November 11, 1431.

In 1430 in the Battle of Trnava the army of the Bohemian Hussites defeated the army of the Hungarians, Serbs and Royalists, but the casualties of the Hussites was very strong and the victory was not successful.

In autumn 1431 the Hussite army under Prokop the Great, Prokop the Lesser (Prokůpek) and Hanuš of Kolovrat again invaded Upper Hungary for the revenge of the death of Velek Koudelník of Březnice and for food replenishment. The Hussites captured all Nyitra (Nitra) and the Orebite forces conquered the Likava castle near Liptó (Liptov), on 29 September. The Taborite forces lotting around Nagyszombat (Trnava), Nyitra (Nitra) and Léva (Levice).

Barbara of Cilli, spouse of Emperor Sigismund sent Miklós Rozgonyi and István Pohárnok against the Hussites and also called on the citizens of Kassa (Košice) for the uprising. In October the Hungarian-Royalists forces under Miklós Rozgonyi casts out Prokop's and Kolovrat's Orbite army in Moravia. Near the river Vág (Váh) the Hungarians attacked the Hussite (Taborite) army chief. Because of intensive rain the bridge fell apart under the Taborites and his forces had great losses. Between Galgóc (Hlohovec) and Illava (Ilava) Rozgonyi destroyed Prokůpek's army.

In the battle 5,000 Hussites were killed, 250 Hussite war wagons and many cannons were captured. Rozgonyi executed many Taborite prisoners and their commander Zikmund Hořovský.

As the defeat has hardly affected Taborites in Bohemia and increased the prestige of the Orbites.