ABSTRACT
From the discussion above two points are clear. First, the encounter that is commonly known as the battle of Lechfeld took place largely on the fringes of the Rauherforst, not on the plain of the Lech. While some of the fighting spilled over on to the Lechfeld on both sides of the river, these grasslands cannot be regarded as the primary battle site. Second, the Hungarian army was not annihilated on St Lawrence’s Day 955. The Magyars suffered heavy losses to be sure. The footmen were abandoned by the mounted archers and came under attack from the flanks and rear by Ottonian heavy cavalry. Some ordinary foot soldiers in the Hungarian army sought refuge in barns and farmhouses, which their adversaries torched. We may assume that the infantry was almost completely destroyed. Some contingents of mounted archers from the encircling detachment must have survived Conrad’s counterattack. However, they would have been completely isolated from the remainder of the army and could not have participated in any further action. On the other hand, many of the mounted archers who had fronted Otto’s army escaped and were still at large in the Bavarian countryside. These forces retained the capacity to defeat Otto’s men, who had experienced many casualties as well. The three legions in the rear of the relief column had been decimated, and the king’s forces that attacked the Hungarians between Ottmarshausen and Westheim may well have suffered heavier losses than did the Magyars. Furthermore, because of their heavy equipment, Otto’s men were no doubt more affected by the stifling heat of that day than were their lightly armed opponents. Conrad the Red was probably not the only armatus who loosened the straps on his armor to catch a deep breath of fresh air.
