Siege of Esztergom (1241) other European states, bar Moravia, Bohemia, and the Polish duchies, which the Mongols dealt with separately. Bela's kingdom was ill-prepared for the Mongol invasion. At the time, Hungary was one of the poorest and most sparsely populated areas of Europe. The population was estimated at slightly over 2 million in the mid-thirteenth century despite its large land area, with the largest city, Esztergom, having only 12,000 inhabitants. Its armies consisted primarily of light cavalry with some light infantry, and only a handful of crossbowmen, mounted knights, and heavy infantry, in contrast to the areas further west where such troops were
Szeged lessened, but as it took over roles that formerly belonged to the now lost cities, it slowly recovered. Following the Loss of Transilvania to Romania, University of Kolozsvár (now Cluj-Napoca, moved to Szeged in 1921 (see University of Szeged). In 1923 Szeged took over the role of episcopal seat from Temesvár (now Timișoara, Romania). It was briefly occupied by Romanian army during Hungarian-Romanian War in 1919. During the 1920s the Jewish population of Szeged grew and reached its zenith. Szeged suffered heavily during World War II. 6,000 inhabitants of the city were killed, the Jewish citizens were confined to ghettos