Battle of Zsibó Battle of Zsibó ( ) was fought on November 15 , 1705 between the Kuruc ( Hungarian ) army ( supported by French contingents ) and forces of the Habsburg Empire , Kingdom of Denmark and Vojvodian Serbs in Zsibó , Principality of Transylvania ( today : " Jibou , Romania " ) . The Austrian marshal Ludwig Herbeville marched against Transylvania . Although the Kuruc - French army was equal in size to the combined Austrian , Danish and Serbian forces , Francis II Rákóczi went on the defense due to the inferior training of his troops . The Danes and Austrians launched a powerful attack on the French and Kuruc infantry . Although the Kuruc infantry held its ground , the Kuruc cavalry could not launch an attack due to a lack of leadership and an overly muddy battlefield . The Austrian cavalry was thus capable of flanking the Hungarians on the left , forcing the Hungarians to retreat and crushing their cavalry in the process . After the battle , the combined Austrian - Danish army bought Transylvania . Preparations . The Kuruc forces in campaigns of 1704 liberated much of Hungary from Austrian rule , in so doing establishing numerical parity with the Austrians . However , due to better training , a stronger officer corps and deeper logistical capabilities , the Austrians still won the decisive Battle of Nagyszombat , going on to take back the important fortresses of ( Buda , Pressburg and Esztergom ) . The Austrians subsequently called on aid from Croatian , Serbian and Danish armies . As a means of counterbalancing Austrian power , Louis XIV of France attempted to support the Kuruc rebels , sending troops and material support . However , following the French defeat at the battle of Höchstädt , Louis was forced to reduce his material contributions to Rákóczi and the Kurucs . In July 8 , 1704 the Transylvanian noble Rákóczi was elected Transylvanian prince and inducted in April 4 , 1705 . Designed to declared the confederation of Hungary and Transylvania , however problems have occurred in the National Assembly of Szécsény about the army and the legal status of the serfdom . Meanwhile routed the new Habsburg army under Vienna . In June 27 arrived the Danish military detachment in Vienna ( 4500 infantry and 1600 cavalry ) under Andreas Harboe . The Danish soldiers fought against the French army in the battle of Höchstädt . The Danish - Austrian vanguard under col . Dietrich Glöckelsperg intrude in the Great Rye Island . Baron Herbeville his army mobilized in the island and in July 29 tried to march in Komárno , but because the Kuruc attacks was withdraw in August 3 . Meanwhile Miklós Bercsényi and Antal Esterházy invaded Moravia . In August 25 Herbeville he crossed the Transdanubia . In September teak a rest in Buda . The army of János Bottyán ( 6000 men ) tried to disturb the Austrian army . The Kuruc commanders will have committed serious errors : only in October responded to the attack of Herbeville . Rákóczi reinforced fortifications built near Zsibó , but near Nagyvárad ( today : " Oradea , Romania " ) wanted to fight a battle . Later was decided that the battle will be near Zsibó . Herbeville in October 31 chased the Kuruc army from Nagyvárad , which was besieged for two years . This has a serious defeat for the Kuruc army . Opposing forces . Rákóczi ' s army was well equipped with food and the soldiers were relaxed . However many Kuruc soldiers were weakly trained . The French auxiliary troops of Des Alleurs marqius , Rákóczi ' s court regiments ( Hungarian , Rusyn and German soldiers ) and the German mercenaries of Simon Forgách was trained and disciplined soldiers . In the infantry and cavalry served many Romanian soldiers , in addition there was a miscellaneous Hungarian - Romanian - Serbian mounted regiment . The total number of the Kuruch - French army is 15 , 000 men and 34 cannons . Kuruc army was located in the trenches near Zsibó , but the trenches are not completely prepared . Herbeville ' s army was starving , as Bottyán used against the Austrians the scorched - earth tactics and in the Great Rye Island the crops have been harvested , therefore the Austrians did not find too much food . Nevertheless the fighting morale of the army remained . All military units was trained , equipped and disciplined , except for the irregular Serbian cavalry . Under Andreas Harboe and general Frederik Gersdorff fought the Danes ( grenadiers , infantrys and cavalrys ) . The vojvoda of Tököl commanded the Serbian light cavalry . The number of the Austrian - Danish - Serbian army was 16 , 500 men .