'Neath the Hoof of the Tartar; Or, The Scourge of GodJósika, Miklós, báró
History
'Neath the Hoof of the Tartar; Or, The Scourge of God
Jósika, Miklós, báró
Hungary -- History -- Mongol Invasion, 1241-1242 -- Fiction
To add to the general horror and terror, the waggons took fire, and soon
the tents nearest them were in flames. The tumult and confusion waxed
greater and greater.
Batu's main object was to capture the King, and already Béla had had at
least one narrow escape, which he owed to the devotion of one of his
guard; but now both he and they were all wounded.
Fighting had been going on since early morning; it was now noon, when
the Duke made a last bold effort to retrieve the day.
"I'll break through the enemy's lines with the right wing," he shouted
in stentorian tones. "Will your Majesty give the left wing orders to do
the same, and then yourself lead the centre!"
The heroic Duke spoke of left and right wing, and centre; but alas!
where was any one of them?
Without waiting for the King's answer he galloped off again, succeeded
in infusing some of his own spirit into his men, and, joined by Ugrin
and his followers, and the remaining Templars, he made a dashing attack
upon the Mongols, who were drawn up in such close order that individuals
had no room to turn.
Numbers of them fell before the furious onslaught of the Hungarians, and
great was the devastation wrought in their ranks, when suddenly, like a
whirlwind, up came Batu Khan himself with a fresh cloud of savage
warriors, and arrows and spears flew thicker and faster than ever.
The Archbishop was smitten on the head by a spear, just as he had cut
down a Mongol, and he fell, as a ship's mast falls struck by lightning.
Next fell the leader of the Templars, fighting helmetless by his side.
The riderless horses dashed neighing into the ranks of the enemy, among
whom they quickly found new masters.
Kálmán had seen the bravest fall around him, but he was still pressing
forward, still fighting, when he also received a severe wound. Just then
the sun went down.
His sword-arm was useless, and his brave warriors, placing him in their
midst, made their way back to the camp. But the camp was deserted now by
all but the dead and the dying. The troops whom they had left there had
forced their way out at last, but it was to fly, not to fight.
The Mongols had made no attempt to stop them; on the contrary, they had
opened their ranks to let them pass through, and the faster and thicker
they came, the more room they gave them.
That the fugitives would not escape in the long run well they knew, and
their object just now was the King.
The flower of the Hungarian nobility, several bishops, and high
dignitaries, both of Church and State, had fallen in the battle, or fell
afterwards in the flight. Most of them took the way to Pest, which was
strewn for two days' journey with the dead and dying, with arms and
accoutrements.
Many were slain by the Mongols who pursued and attacked them when they
were too weak to defend themselves; and many others perished in the
attempt to cross rivers and swamps.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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