Honoring a Fallen Enemy.

My name is Stashu Maraczka, a conscript of the Polish common wealth. In my years of service I have written about many battles, reporting the valour of Polish heros, and singing the praises of our Victories. This is the first time I shall write about the valour of an Enemy.

It was a warm spring day when this event happened. Just a few months before the now ending winter our army had defeated the Byzantine Emperor in Battle, were most of his troops were killed, or taken prisoner. The Emperor managed to flee the field and hold up in the castle that stood in Serbia. It was this day that the assault on the castle took place.

Our General send men to break down the gate, since we had no proper seige weapons. After many losses they complete there task and rushed forward. I can not say what transpired inside, but a few moments later a few of our men were running out of the gate. Behind them I beheld the Emperor of the Byzantine empire. He sat upon a huge stead, with a sparkling crown on his head. He paused only for a moment at the gate house looking at his foes before him. I can tell you what he did next, but I can not tell you why. Perhaps he knew that he and his empire would fall that day, and did not want to waste more lives. Perhaps it was the sadness of the loss of two sons a few months earlier. We will never know what his motives were.

The Emperor took up his lance, adjusted his position on his horse and charged. He was coming forth to meet his enemies. At this moment all of our men just stood and gazed upon this man, his armor gleaming in the mid morning sun, as he rode hard down the slope towards us. For what seemed the longest time there was no sound, just the movement of man and beast. This state was broken by our sergeant, asking our general "My Lord, shall the arbalesters fire?" The general did not answer, he just continued to gaze to the Emperor charging towards our front lines. "My lord! Shall they fire?" the sergeant asked once again. Our general paused. Just before the sergeant was about to implore him once more the general said softly "Yes, fire."

"FIRE!" the sergeant yelled. As his command was echoed down the lines the arbalesters let there bolts go. The Emperor's horse was hit and slammed head first into the ground. The Byzantine Emperor was thrown forward, and lied still. Just as all thought that he suffered a fatal blow, he stirred. Slowly he forced himself to his feet. It was apparent by his movement that he was badly injured, but he still found the strength to draw his sword and take one step towards us.

One step was all he got. Multiple bolts pierced his chest plate and he fell back words with him sword over his head. Like his armies, he had fought with honour and courage. Our general instructed our men to prepare the body to be taken to Constantinople. It was there were the Emperor was lied to rest on what was his royal grounds.

Ah, I enjoyed that quite a bit. Good way to make use of bad AI ~;) . Fun stuff.

Very nice story. Did the battle actually happen in your campaign?

Yes, it is based on my current campaign. I had the Emperor and his sons trapped in Serbia. In a very hard fought battle a killed most of his army, and managed to capture the rest as it routed off the field. Only he escaped. So the next year I assaulted the castle. I had a units of Mongrel infantry attack the gate, then charge him. They routed (most likely because they were down to 4 out of 60 men) and he chased them out to my arbalesters.

hm.. I wonder if anything like that really happenned.

I don't know about any historically famous bum rushes. I'm sure someone famous has done it outside of Hollywood -Last Samurai/Butch and Sundance...

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Originally Posted by Patron

hm.. I wonder if anything like that really happenned.

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In Croatian history a man named Nikola Šubić Zrinski marched out of his fort Siget to attack the Turks in 1566. He was greately outnumbered and he died in that battle, but he's a national hero now.

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Originally Posted by miho

In Croatian history a man named Nikola Šubić Zrinski marched out of his fort Siget to attack the Turks in 1566. He was greately outnumbered and he died in that battle, but he's a national hero now.

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Maybe the AI is not as stupid as we think..............

Good narrative. Thanks Nickerson.

*lump in throat*

:knight:

The AI is pretty ballzy sometimes.

Nice. Thanks for sharing. It happened to me once playing historical battle Loire Valley. It was a happy ending for him though as my general lady ran like a little girl. Well, she's a girl but still....

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Originally Posted by Roark

Good narrative. Thanks Nickerson.

*lump in throat*

:knight:

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Agreed, good writing.:bow:

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Originally Posted by Patron

hm.. I wonder if anything like that really happenned.

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Constantine XI Dragases, the last Basileus of the Roman Empire, ended his life when the Turks had finally breached the walls, by throwing off his regalia and wading into the fray.

Nice little story you have there. Reminds me of an assault I had to withstand, where my Emperor killed almost all of the enemy before falling himself. :)

Well it seems there were lots of people who threw their lives away when faced with certain defeat, but most of these people threw them away for despotism, because they thought they would be greeted with paradise or for religions which used torture rather than persuasion so they literally threw them away. Nikola Šubić Zrinski was an interesting character, but no one can say whether he trusted the Turks or not and made that honourable decision to never surrender to save Croatia from Turkish rule or because he thought they would execute him on the spot. However he certainly sent a clear message to Sultan Magnificent.

Indeed... the history of many a nation knows such cases of heroism. Polish history in particular knows quite a handful of these...
I have always wondered what higher ideal commands these people to do such great deeds in the face of certain death. Is it some oath of loyalty? Is it honour? Is it recklessness? Or is it just a plain vengeful "die-hard" attitude shown by the men who had realized that they were to die anyway?
I cannot resist admiring such acts, though. On the battlefield, there have always been too many people who had abandoned their honour prior to abandoning their lives... Those fighing to the death, dying with weapons drawn, taking as many foes with them as they could, truly deserve to be admired and remembered as heroes, for their deeds become the very essence of the legends.
A great :bow: to m52nickerson for writing this story ~:) It proves our national skill at noticing and commemorating these acts of bravery ~:)

Marvellous, evocative story!

Though it was the right thing to do, perhaps it would have been more sitting for such a brave man to die to a sword thrust rather than a hail of bolts. But of course, the glory of war can only be written by the winner - had he managed to rout your troops in a glorious last charge because you were chivalrous, the bards would have sung something else than a fond lament..