Page:Gregor The story of Bohemia.pdf/87

 war was not carried on merely with the armies, but the people, men, women and children, were murdered without mercy, after enduring frightful cruelties. Some of the people, indeed, saved their lives by escaping to the forests, where they perished from sickness and starvation.

The army destined to invade Bohemia first fought a battle at Yobrem, in Poland. The Bohemian army was hastening to the assistance of the Poles, but did not reach them in time. King Václav wrote to Prague as follows: “When the Tartars were in Poland, we were so near that we could have reached the army of Duke Henry in a day; but he, alas! asking neither our help nor advice, alone risked a battle and woefully perished. Hearing this, we marched on, hoping with God’s help to avenge his death; but the Tartars, discovering our intent, took to flight, and in one day, from morning till night, marched a distance of forty-four miles.”

Some days after this, the Bohemians and Moravians joined their forces, and, aided by the army of Frederick of Austria, they waited for the enemy at Olmutz.

A severe battle was fought, in which the Tartars were defeated. They fell back to Hungary to join the rest of their forces, to be better prepared for another battle. But the second battle was never fought. Some time after the news reached the Tartar horde of the death of their chief, the great Khan of Tartary, and the commander of the army, wishing to take part in the election of a new ruler, hastened home, and the invasion was never renewed.

Although Václav was quite successful in war and