Franz Kühn

“ He at once ordered that his brave friend should be taken to his own tent and cared for as such a friend deserved.
“Were it possible to purchase thy life, thou faithful one, I would give this day’s honor,” said the Emperor, with great emotion.
“Thanks, my noble sovereign, for thy true friendship, which accompanies me even to the grave,” said Conrad; “but I feel I shall not long enjoy it. Death steadily approaches, and my life swiftly nears its close. But it would be a great consolation in my dying hour to know that my sons will be cared for. ”

“ Even if you had a giant’s strength it might be of no avail. You must remember that the enemy are swarming about us on all sides. They are hovering between us and the army, like birds of prey, seeking to swoop down upon their victims. Foresight and skill, cunning and shrewdness, alone can avail, and only one whose steed can equal the speed of their horses may hope to escape unharmed.”
“That I can do better than any of the rest of you,” said Raymond. ”

“ The Christians were equally bold even when the Turks assailed them with the fierceness of lions. Their bitter resentment over broken faith, their remembrance of the sufferings they had undergone, the thought of so many fallen comrades, and their unwavering belief that the destruction of the enemies of Christianity was pleasing to God, inflamed them to a pitch of fury that extinguished every spark of humanity. They did not desist until every turban-wearer was killed or, like the Sultan, fortunate enough to make his escape. ”

“ With levelled lances they charged into the close ranks of the enemy, dashed them to the earth in heaps, then with lightning-like swiftness exchanged lance for sword and battle-axe, with which they fought so furiously that all who could make their escape fled shrieking and howling. The onset made room for those in the rear, and the base of the hills soon swarmed with Christians, who fiercely attacked the Turks at a swift gallop and drove them back with broken heads. ”

“ Frederick carefully disposed his troops and gave the signal for attack, he himself, as was his practice, leading the onset with desperate bravery. Right and left he drove the enemy before him. Here he rode with levelled spear straight against an entire troop, and there he smote with his mighty war-club, or clove the heads of the rebels with his two-edged sword, until blood flowed in streams. Conrad fought by his side with equal spirit, and with him his sons, who were inspired by the great examples before them. ”

“ The Greeks, on the contrary, were so thoroughly degenerate that they were found now on the one side, now on the other, as one or the other seemed to offer them the greater profit. Boasting their Christian orthodoxy, they persecuted with deadly hatred and sought to exterminate all who differed with them, so that they were as greatly detested in western Europe as the Turks themselves. Indeed, they were so blind as not to see that they were precipitating their own ruin when they, too weak by themselves to resist the enemy of Christendom, were obstructing those who were coming to its rescue. ”

“ The Emperor entertained all the princes and nobles, the strangers and the people of the city for three days. An incredible amount of food was consumed, and wine flowed in streams. All were happy and satisfied, for every one found something that contributed to his highest pleasure. Some regaled themselves at the abundant feasts, others admired the stately knights, the brilliancy of their armor, the beauty and strength of their steeds, while still others visited the various sports. ”

“ What might happen to us if a powerful stranger knight should attack our castle and we were here alone? He would scale the walls with little exertion; he would murder, plunder, and burn until nothing was left. But suppose he should attempt it now! At one blast of the warder’s horn my good servitors, whom I have protected when they were in trouble, would rush to our defence, drive off the assailants and send them home with broken heads. So it is all over the world. One is servant to the other, from the lowest menial to the Emperor, the first and highest person in the Empire. ”

“ Noiselessly, but with astonishing rapidity, the eagerly expected commands were executed, the various divisions led by the princes and the nobles were massed, and messengers hurried in all directions conveying the orders of the Emperor, who meanwhile mounted his battle-horse in full armor and rode to the front with Raymond. Cheers greeted the grizzled old hero faring forth to battle as fresh and vigorous as in the days of his youthful strength. Victory shone in his eyes and declared itself in his general bearing. The faintest-hearted must have been emboldened by his look. ”

“ He reflected that the lives of thousands hung upon his success, and among these thousands was the noble Emperor and hero, the flower of chivalry. So he still rushed on, for horse and rider were unwearied. Two hours later they skirted a dark forest, shadowed by a mountain range, the last he would have to cross, for upon its other side were the army’s outposts, and thence the road led straight to the Emperor’s camp. ”

“ At last the Turks in overwhelming force directed 114 an attack upon the spot where the Emperor and the bravest of his knights were fighting, for they knew the battle must be decided there. Thousands of scymitars flashed about the heads of the little Christian band and glanced off from shields and mail. Hundreds fell victims to German steel, but fresh fighters took their places as if they sprang from the earth to avenge the slain. The slaughter was appalling, for at every blow of the Germans’ heavy two-edged swords, death followed. ”

“ The Emperor allowed but a few hours of rest, for he had decided to storm the city while yet the hearts of the knights beat high with victory and before the enemy could make the necessary preparations for defence. Everything was made ready in the gray of twilight, and at break of day the general assault began. The enemy, who imagined they alone excelled in swift movements, found themselves outdone. Surprised by the unexpected attack, some of them became panic-stricken, but the most of them, who were only accustomed to fighting in the open country, could not stand confinement within city walls. ”

“ Raymond’s Heroic Ride
Our young hero rode with a stout heart. His steed showed itself a worthy representative of the splendid Arab breed. The waves of a gently flowing stream could not have borne him more easily. His horse’s hoofs hardly disturbed the soil. It glided with the swiftness of the wind or the swallow, rather than ran, and was so perfectly trained that it obeyed the slightest touch upon its shoulder or pull upon the bridle. ”

“ For Turkish gold they led us into an arid waste, where the Turks suddenly attacked us and, favored by the almost limitless stretch of level country, surrounded us and used their fatal skill at fence so dexterously that in a few days the greater part of the German army was sacrificed. Hardly the tenth part of it returned to Byzantium. We were among the fortunate ones, but our friendly reception at the hands of the Greek Emperor was poor compensation for our misfortunes. Shame upon the people of a country who would rather see their champions perish than aid them against a dangerous foe! ”

“ The Emperor’s bold example inspired all. They not only held their ground, but forced the enemy to give way. As their courage rose that of the enemy proportionately weakened. They realized more and more that all the advantages they might secure could not compensate them for the loss they must suffer. The irregular hordes of cavalry, which had been harassing the Christians from motives of pure hatred, saw they had been deceived. They expected to overcome them with ease, but for every dead Christian there were hosts of dead Turks. ”

“ Though old and well-nigh exhausted, Conrad had sufficient presence of mind 81 to improve every advantage and to save his strength.
The Turk now had to consider the danger to which he himself was exposed in bringing the struggle to a close. His cries attracted the attention of the knights. Warding off blows on every hand, a young Christian champion made his way through the enemy, dashing over the fallen at the imminent risk of his life. A skilfully directed blow severed one of the Turk’s arms, and a second stretched him upon the earth, howling with pain and rage. ”

“ At the same instant Raymond’s sword descended with all the strength of his wounded arm upon the head of the Turk, who fell dead from his horse. Raymond’s sword, however, dropped from his hand, and he found himself unable to protect his father or himself amid a swarm of bloodthirsty Turks. But help was at hand, for the Emperor had led his forces to a glorious victory. Those of the enemy who were not disabled fled before the lions, who shook their manes in furious rage and looked about them for more victims. ”

“ He did not teach them to treat their inferiors as if they were hardly human—much less as barely deserving a share of the abundant mercies of the Almighty—but as divinely created and intended to rise to higher things. He taught them in the true Christian sense that all men are brothers—all children of God, the one Father, and that if He did not suffer all to have an equal share in His beneficence, if it happened that one had more than another, still each had what was necessary to his real happiness. ”

“ They were convinced that their steadfastness in the right course would result in greater advantage to them, as well as to the Christian army, than an act of murder when they were still too young and inexperienced to unravel the web of the cunning Turk and see through his plans. They had earned his respect—the respect of an enemy second to none in the world. Since he respected them, he certainly would respect the knights and, above all, the Emperor, for he was the ideal of all knightly virtues. ”

“ Even the Emperor himself cannot act entirely alone. He needs the help of others. He who would be a true knight must be ever mindful of his calling,—must protect innocence, resist enemies, and courageously maintain justice and support the law. Above all, he must keep untarnished the shield and escutcheon inherited from his ancestors, whose portraits upon the castle walls look down upon him and his deeds and judge him. ”

“ Let not weariness overcome you, and be not deceived by the quiet around you. It is only the noble lion who openly seeks his prey; the bloodthirsty tiger lies in wait for the approach of its unsuspecting victim. So it is with our enemies. When you reach the camp, hasten to the Emperor’s tent, and if you have to rouse him from sleep, do so, and urge haste upon him and the army. If that is of no avail, then tell them of this valley. ”

“ The Emperor’s confidants alone were acquainted with his plans. No one was trusted whose faithfulness had not been proved. This was not because there was any fear of traitors in the German army, but because a thoughtless person might let slip a word which would arouse the malice or excite the cunning of the enemy.
Their stay among these faithless people was 71 a hard trial to the honest, high-minded German knights. It galled them to have to protect themselves against an ally as if he were an open enemy. If he only had been one or the other, friend or foe, they would have been better pleased. ”

“ Courage and presence of mind alone will aid thee.” He studied the situation and planned out his method of attack with the same coolness and composure that characterized him when laying out his movements on the battlefield. His hand had not trembled, his heart had not wavered in a hundred battles. It beat undauntedly when all seemed lost at Legnano, and in many a desperate battle with the Turks. Why, then, should it beat less resolutely in a contest which must decide in a moment whether victory or death was to be his fate?
It was a little past midday when our hero reached the castle. ”

“ He esteems honor—without which one cannot be a knight—higher than life. Will he, the greatest sovereign on earth, whose long life is one series of heroic acts such as have rarely been performed in this world, before whom Europe and Asia tremble, will he forget his imperial duty and prove himself guilty in his old age of such a cowardly act as you expect from him? ”

“ It seemed as if the contest would never end; but suddenly one of them dealt the other’s horse a mighty blow which clove its head and killed the brave beast. In a trice its rider was on his feet, the other knight dismounted, and the fight was renewed on foot. Their shields had already crashed together and their swords were clashing with such force that the sparks flew, when the overseers advanced at the Emperor’s command, shouting, and interposed their white staves as a signal that the contest must cease. The knights heard the order with ill-concealed indignation. ”

“ The temptation to escape came so suddenly that the boys were inclined to yield to it.
“And yet,” said Rustan, “we are not absolutely safe even when the tyrant sleeps. When he wakes, his first question will be about you, for even in sleep he dreams of you and is busy devising new tortures. So, if you would be absolutely safe, take this dagger and thrust it into the heart of your torturer.”
With these words he placed a sharp, polished dagger into the hand of each of the boys in spite of their resistance. All at once they felt these glittering but fearful weapons in their hands. ”

“ Now I will renew it—write to the Emperor.”
“Not one word,” replied Raymond. “We have given you our answer, and we do not change our minds like smooth-tongued Greeks and Turks.”
128
The Sultan restrained his anger at the reproach hurled at him, and addressed Conrad:
“Be more reasonable than your insolent brother. You are young yet, but you know it is a sin against God to shorten life. The Emperor will be forced to free you. Write to him yourself.”
“I well know it is a crime to take one’s own life, but it is also a crime to preserve that life by a shameful deed. ”

“ He had had large experience with Greek treachery in little as well as in great affairs. He was well aware that their greed and their hatred of the Western Christians would lead them to work against him at every opportunity. It was easy enough to protect himself against the fisherman’s hostile designs by killing him or by putting him in safe custody until his work was accomplished, but he regarded such action as ungrateful, cowardly, and vile. He knew also that he could purchase the man’s faithfulness, but he would not debase himself so far as to redeem his pledge by the use of gold. ”

“ They now recognized their own danger, and advanced upon the Christians with all the bravery of their race, and the skill and adroitness of their methods of fighting. The storm of arrows, which struck upon the knights’ mail, unceasingly but uselessly, was discontinued, for it injured more friends than enemies. They engaged their foes man to man, with their sharp scymitars, and tried to perforate the grooves of the mail; but the Christians still had the advantage, for they mowed them down with swords and war-clubs before the Turks could make use of their shorter weapons. ”

“ Kilidj Arslan proved as faithless as Isaac.
Conrad of Feuchtwangen, leader of the vanguard, encountered Turkish troops at the very outset. As soon as he entered the mountain region he was harassed on all sides by swift, alert horsemen. Every grove and hill concealed them. As the Germans approached they dashed out, brandishing their scymitars or shooting arrows at them. Strong bands suddenly attacked them in ravines and narrow passes, and when the Germans attempted to resist in regular battle order, they disappeared like the wind in all directions. ”

“ We will fight for our liberty with the same weapons, man to man. You shall reach him only over our dead bodies.”
“Awake!” cried Conrad, vigorously shaking the Sultan. “Awake! your life is in danger. An assassin threatens you. Take this dagger and protect yourself.”
The Sultan roused up. Raymond was still holding Rustan’s dagger arm and with his wounded arm holding his own dagger at his heart, while Conrad was standing in a threatening attitude by the side of the Sultan and looking at the assassin with blazing eyes. ”

“ After the death of Conrad, Italian affairs were in almost inextricable confusion, and the German fatherland was in almost as desperate a condition, growing out of lust for power, and oppressive restrictions. The grand dukes repeatedly defied the imperial power, and forcibly extorted from weak rulers privileges and immunities which they used for their own profit in dealing with their inferiors. Their vassals, the knights, were humiliated, deprived of all authority, robbed of their possessions, and even church and convent property did not escape spoliation. ”