I've improved my article on Körmend's history with a few pictures and a description of the battle at Körmend in 1664, all based on Szibler Gábor's efforts.
Grand Vizier Ahmed Köprülü wanted to take the ford of the Rába river in 1664 in order to move towards Vienna with his huge army. He was leading the Ottoman army to reinforce the defenders of Kanizsa castle.
They took Új-Zrínyivár castle on 30 June 1664, then they were heading toward Vienna through Zala County. General Raimondo Montecuccoli deployed the Imperial troops along the line of the Rába river to fend off the Turks.
The general sent Nádasdy Ferenc, Judge of the Country, and his Hungarian and Croatian men to defend the ford at Körmend. Nádasdy was aided by the troops of Batthyány Kristóf, Chief Captain of the Trans-Danubian Region.
The first clashes occurred on 25 July between the Ottoman raiding parties and the Hungarians but the Christians did not want to get engaged in a grand-scale battle with the bulk of the Ottoman army just yet.
The soldiers of the French Count Jean de Coligny-Saligny and the men of Imperial Count Wolfgang von Hohenlohe arrived at Körmend on 26 July, along with the Hajdú warriors of Esterházy Pál. They occupied the crossable fords of the Rába river while the cannons of the castle were firing at the Ottoman army who made camp on the right bank of the river.
The defenders of Körmend castle consisted of Hungarian, Croatian, German, and French soldiers at that time. The Turks launched a cavalry charge, aided by Ottoman riflemen who followed them.
The Hungarian and French soldiers were able to block the enemy’s crossing. The walls of Körmend were not very high and did not provide a proper cover to the French troops who were under severe Ottoman cannon fire. Even Count Coligny was wounded.
When the cavalry of Montecuccoli arrived, the Ottomans decided to withdraw their army. However, Köprülü launched a final attack against the mounted riflemen of Baden but the Germans inflicted great casualties among the assaulting Ottoman warriors. Seeing this, Köprülü issued the order of withdrawal.
This battle of 26-27 June was not that important but it had a role in the victory of the Battle of Szentgotthárd. The whole Ottoman army was not involved in the fight but it was the Christians’ success that they could keep the enemy on the other side of the river.
The army of Köprülü moved on and the Hungarian-Croatian soldiers of Nádasdy and Esterházy remained at Körmend to keep an eye on the fords of the river.
Read more about Körmend's history on my page:
https://www.hungarianottomanwars.com/kingdom-of-hungary/kormend/
