Párkány (Slovakia) 5

The name of this town was changed to Štúrovo after World War II in light of anti-Magyar sentiment in Slovakia, and the latter is mentioned in the Esztergom-Štúrovo listing. The town is almost 70% ethnic Hungarian and that it why it had the Magyar name all those years. The town lies at the great bend of the river where it turns south into Hungary and is across the river from Esztergom. In Turkish days a bridge connected it to Esztergom on the opposite side. This was the site of a great battle and crushing defeat of the Turks October 7, 1683. After the defeat at Vienna the previous month, the Grand Vezier, who had commanded the Turks at Vienna retreated down the Danube into Turkish Hungary. The Christian allies under the overall command of the Polish King John Sobieski followed. The Christians received a check at Párkány but the next day came with more force. The Turks charged across the bridge from Esztergom but were trapped against the river. The Christian artillery knocked a hole in the bridge and trapped the Turkish forces. Thousands tried to cross the bridge, fell into the hole and eventually their bodies filled up the gap! Many thousands were lost. Some of the rest fled down the east side of the river to the city of Pest, now part of Budapest. Párkány was the beginning of the end of Mohammedan rule in Hungary. By 1699, the Turks were swept out of the area forever.