Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/229

Rh victories, however, had only the more surely prepared for their present defeat. Men and horses were all exhausted; their ranks were broken, and all organization lost in the late disorderly pursuit. What wonder, then, that this fresh array of troops, led by Bajazet in person, should gain an easy victory! Combat there was little or none, and only a very slender remnant of that gallant band succeeded in extricating itself from the fatal plain.

The scale of victory had now turned. The Hungarians, witnessing the complete destruction of their French allies, in whom they had placed their chief reliance, and being themselves principally raw undisciplined levies of militia, did not wait to encounter the shock of Bajazet’s advance. They gave way at once, and fled ignominiously from the field. The Bavarians, however, under Gara, the elector palatine, and the Styrians under Herman de Cilly, stood firm, and, supported by the knights of Rhodes, sustained with a resolute front the onset of the enemy. Being reinforced by such of the French cavalry as had escaped the previous melée, they resumed the offensive, and to the number of about 12,000, hurled themselves anew on the Turk. At this moment it seemed as though the fate of the day might still be restored. The impetuous charge of those gallant spirits carried them through the serried ranks of the janissaries, who were totally unable to withstand the shock, whilst the sipahis who advanced to their support were thrown into the utmost disorder, and appeared as though they were once more about to quail before the chivalry of Europe.

At this critical moment the Kral of Servia, a faithful ally of Bajazet, rushed to the rescue with a fresh body of troops numbering 5,000. This reinforcement decided the victory in favour of the Turks. The heroic band which had struggled so long and so nobly to restore the fortunes of the day, was crushed by the new foe, and the larger number perished gloriously around their banners. A few faithful knights, amongst whom was Philibert de Naillac, gathered round Sigismond, and with the greatest difficulty extricated him from the battle-field. Having gained the side of the Danube, they placed the king and the Archbishop of Grau in a little boat which was lying beneath the shelter of the bank, they them-