Einhard looked down at the ground and thought furiously. He had no idea what had gone wrong. What was he to tell the king? He gathered himself together and replied thoughtfully.
“My Lord, I have no idea why the Moor failed to keep his promise. I can only suppose that he fears the Caliph of Cordova more than he fears you. However, we will do all in our power to bring you intelligence of why this has happened and in the meantime we will gather intelligence on what Moorish forces are to be expected to come to reinforce the city.”
Einhard glanced at Charlemagne. Had the trick worked and diverted his attention away from him towards a possible coming danger? He could not tell. The king was looking at him with his cold, hard, blue eyes.
“That is not good enough, Einhard. I expect better of you and I demand results.” Charlemagne spoke the words menacingly. “Have you intelligence of a Moorish force coming our way?”
“Yes,” the monk lied, a cold sweat breaking on his brow.
“How many?” asked Charlemagne quizzically.
“We are not sure, My Lord. The intelligence is too fresh. There is also another possibility.” Einhard was now thinking very fast on his feet. He must draw the king’s attention on to other matters.
“We could re-open negotiations. Now that he has seen the strength of our forces, My Lord, the governor may consider us a more worthwhile ally than the caliph and with your powers of persuasion, I am sure that any offer you made would be irresistible.”
Einhard sat back, hardly daring to breathe. He could see that the thought interested Charlemagne. He knew from past experience that Charlemagne had always succeeded by using a mixture of diplomacy and force and when the mix was right he had achieved his most famous victories. It was a method that Charlemagne was an expert exponent at. Had he managed to draw the poison and put Charlemagne’s mind on other more important matters? The king’s next sentence would tell. He held his breath and felt the cold perspiration under his arms.
After what seemed an eternity, the king spoke.
“We will open negotiations,” Charlemagne said slowly and thoughtfully. “But only for a few days. We cannot afford to remain here while the enemy prepares to march against us. If need be we will retreat and return another time, stronger, better prepared,” he paused, “and with accurate intelligence.” He emphasised the last two words.
With that, Charlemagne rose from his seat. The noblemen stood, bowed and began to leave the tent. Charlemagne signalled Roland and his youngest son, Ludovic, to remain behind. When they were alone he turned to Roland.
“I want you to make sure that no one leaves or enters Zaragoza. Furthermore, I want patrols sent out at dawn towards the south to warn us of any approaching army. We will not be caught with our pants around our ankles and our arses in the air. Send a company of men north and make sure that our retreat through the mountain pass is covered.”
“It will be done, My Lord,” Roland replied.
Charlemagne looked at his son. “This was to be your kingdom. It maybe that you will have to wait a while longer. If it is not to be this year, we will return next year with an even greater force. You will have to show the patience and the restraint of a future king. Time, I fear, is not on our side. We may have to go with nothing.”
“I can do that, Father.”
“Good. Now another matter. Our friend Einhard. He will target you as the future king. Beware and report to me anything he does or suggests to you. He has his uses but you must always be in control of him and, more importantly, the Church. Do you understand me?”
“Yes Father.”
“Then let us retire. We have business to conclude with the governor of Zaragoza in the morning.”
Roland and Ludovic pushed their chairs back and stood. They bowed to their king and left the tent together. When they were outside, Ludovic turned and spoke quietly to Roland.
“Cousin, do you think we can take Zaragoza?”
“Not a chance,” was the short reply.
The next day, Einhard was summoned to the king. He found Charlemagne engrossed with two of his administrators, issuing various edicts.
“Ah, my dear Abbot.” Charlemagne had looked at Einhard as he entered.
“You will start to negotiate immediately with the King of Asturias. You will expertly and forcefully point out our common interest in defeating the Moors and our common faith. You will declare it our duty as Christian kings to join and banish the heathen Moors from Spain and you will offer a pact blessed by Holy Mother Church. You will not fail. Is that understood?” Charlemagne’s words and meaning were not lost to Einhard. He gave a little shudder that Charlemagne was pleased to notice.
“It will be done, My Lord.”
“Good and just so that we understand each other completely, you will provide a full report on this fiasco by the time we return to France and I want a curse put on this city and all inside it. Now go. You have much work to do.”
Einhard had turned pale. He bowed and left rapidly. When Charlemagne was in this kind of mood, heads rolled, no matter how noble or Christian.
The siege of Zaragoza lasted forty-five days. In that time Charlemagne built great earthworks around the city and attacked it constantly. He had learnt two things: one was that the city could not be entirely cut off. The river was too wide and provided a constant avenue of communication with the outside world. It provided food and a barrier that they could not penetrate; it was too wide. Also, the city could not be taken. Charlemagne was not a man who would waste his time trying to accomplish the impossible. The siege had lasted over a month and his probing attacks had cost many lives, when suddenly the scouts had brought news of a Moorish army in the west. That was the final turn of events for Charlemagne. He decided that Spain was not for the taking, yet. But, no matter. He would return and be better prepared next time. Now his priority was to get back without incurring any unnecessary losses. He ordered that they would withdraw under cover of dark, thereby the defenders of the city would not know that they had gone till morning, by which time he hoped to be some distance away. By the time that they had stopped rejoicing, he would be even further away and by then they would think twice before attacking his rear. He ordered great fires to be lit and left burning so that the city would not know they were departing that night. A few days later he lay siege to Pamplona; took it and razed it to the ground. It was an act of frustration and revenge for his failure at Zaragoza. But it was to cost him dear. The siege of Pamplona allowed the Moorish forces to close in on him and it set the whole Basque nation against him, baying for revenge.
All had gone to plan, except that he miscalculated the speed with which the Caliph of Cordova could put an army in the field. His scouts reported an army, estimated at 15,000, mainly horse and approaching fast. By the next day his troops were in the grip of a fierce rearguard action with the advance cavalry units of the Moorish army. The Moors employing hit and run tactics had slowed down his progress considerably and any strugglers were being mercilessly butchered. Consequently, his army had been forced to adopt the speed of the slowest and his own cavalry had been kept extremely busy trying to fend off the lightning Moorish attacks. They were taking their toll of both men and supplies. He had to reach Roncesvalles quickly or stand and fight. The Moors for their part had no intention of forcing Charlemagne into battle, until their main force could arrive, so after the first day, when they had had the element of surprise, their attacks became less frequent and they became a distant escort to the retreating army. And that’s how things stood as Charlemagne approached Roncesvalles on the morning of the 15 August, 778 AD.
Chapter Sixteen
The Battle of Roncesvalles
Inaki and his Moorish escort had been seen by the Basque lookouts, long before they reached the foothills of the Pyreneans. Messages had been sent of their approach and a group of fifty warriors watched their coming with distrust and suspicion. They saw the men dismount and their escorts leave. Not until the Moorish cavalry
was well into the distance did they make their presence known to Inaki, and their welcome was not friendly. In fact, if it were not for Aguirre who knew some of the men, they would have been in a fight, as they had been taken for spies or traitors.
Inaki found that much had happened since they had left their beloved mountain country. Men had gathered from far and wide. The men of Alava had fought and won a battle with the Visigoths. They had returned full of their great victory and this, together with a great desire to revenge the sacking of Pamplona, had united the clans in their determination to oppose Charlemagne. The main body was already well into the mountains around Roncesvalles and he was to join them. They travelled for ten days and reached the Basque main camp at nightfall. All the Basque captains were there and the first thing that Inaki was made to do was repeat his story over and over again. He was questioned over the events around Zaragoza time and again. Finally, they agreed that it was probable that the city had resisted in which case they could expect Charlemagne at anytime within the next few weeks. This caused tremendous excitement among the Basques who, in the absence of action, had taken to quarrelling amongst themselves and settling old feuds. Inaki’s arrival had been just in time and his account settled them once more into a coherent fighting force.
Many of them had witnessed Charlemagne and his troops pass through Roncesvalles. It had taken Charlemagne’s column two days to come through the pass and they had managed to get very close to the column, making an exact count of men, horses and equipment. A council of war was declared and Inaki could, at last, take a rest. His peace did not last very long. Two Nagusi came to talk to him. Slowly, they covered the events in the cavern again, interrupting him with many questions. At last they asked one final question, which was later to trouble Inaki. Had he left any article of his behind in the caverns? Inaki did not believe that he had and answered that he had not. When he had finished, they thanked him and left without comment. That night Inaki could not sleep. His men came to his campfire and talked until some hours before dawn. The talk centred on Charlemagne and his army. It was too large to destroy. Their only hope was to damage it. But how could they so damage such a force, so that Charlemagne would not return? The question vexed them. They knew that they could not defeat Charlemagne. They were too few and too poorly armed.
“Do you think the captains will think of something?” asked Elexoste.
“If they do, it will be the first time ever!” said Arient.
“The problem is not just killing a few. That is easily done by dropping a few rocks on their heads as they go through the pass, and really hurting them,” Aguirre said and then added, “Whatever we do must make them fear us forever.”
“And how do you propose we do that? Turn us into demons?” said Arturo angrily.
“You’re one already,” said Inaki and the men laughed, because Arturo was short and ugly. “But my faith is in Zumalacarrequi. He is an experienced and wise warrior. He will have a plan. Now let me rest in the name of the Gods!”
The men settled down for the few remaining hours before dawn. At midday, an assembly was called of all the men and when they were all gathered, Zumalacarrequi spoke.
“We, your captains, have pondered the question of how we are to rid ourselves of this evil that has come into our land for all time. There is, to our mind, only one lasting solution.” Zumalacarrequi paused. “We must kill Charlemagne.”
There was a gasp and a murmuring from the gathering. Zumalacarrequi held up his hand for silence.
“We realise it will not be an easy task and it will be dangerous. Many could die. Our plan calls for surprise, daring and courage. We will not put our hopes on only one attempt at his life, but many along the whole course of the Roncesvalles pass. Thereby, if the first group does not succeed, then the second or third or fourth will!”
A great shout rose from the multitude of Basque warriors.
“Death to Charlemagne! Long life to Zumalacarrequi!”
Zumalacarrequi smiled and raised his hand for silence once more.
“Now join your clans and your captains. Each clan has a specific job and a specific place to go to. Your captains have the details. Heed them well and act only on their orders. If we are to succeed, we must act as one. Discipline must at all times be maintained.” He slammed his fist into his open hand to emphasise the point.
As Zumalacarrequi finished and the men began to gather in different places around their captains, he stood in wonder at their zeal and courage. Would the captains be able to hold their men in check once the enemy was in sight? He doubted it. He knew his countrymen too well. These hot-headed mountain men would descend on Charlemagne and his troops like 10,000 devils. The plan would soon be forgotten and they would slay all in their wake. With luck, one of the many killed would be Charlemagne. To guard against the natural aggression of his comrades, the plan had been divided amongst the clans. In this way, if one group lost their head’s and attacked, the spaces between them would keep them back and not jeopardise the whole plan. It was now in the hands of the Gods. He turned to join his own clan and take up his position at the far end of the pass.
The plan that Zumalacarrequi and the captains had devised was based on a series of surprise and rolling attacks along the whole of the Roncesvalles pass, aimed at isolating Charlemagne and then killing him. The pass gave them the topography that the plan required. From a large open pass, it rose and rose, then fell into a long and twisting gorge with steep, wooded sides and as deep as a ravine. It was a scar, cut out by nature, running west to east through the Pyrenees. Its shape and structure allowed the Basques to bombard Charlemagne’s forces with rocks, stones, arrows and spears, for most of its entire length with impunity. The best slingshots had been strategically placed with piles of stones at their feet. Each stone was as large as a man’s fist and especially gathered from stream beds so that they were smooth and round. The best of the slingshots could hit a man full in the face at fifty paces. It was a deadly weapon in the right hands. However, there were only certain places where an attacking force could get close enough to engage the enemy in hand-to-hand fighting. The plan depended on Charlemagne entering, or he had to be driven, into one of these two killing zones. Isolating him from his main force and escort would not be easy. Two captains and their men had been specially chosen for this task which would be risky and would depend on timing, surprise and luck.
The first area that offered this opportunity was just inside the pass where the slopes were gentle and not too steep on one side. It was the area of most risk because the attacking force would have no escape. It was suicide and volunteers could only be accepted for such a mission. However, it was the place where success was most likely, because it had the element of most surprise, as it was the place where an attack would be least expected.
Of the captains that had volunteered for this attack, two had been chosen. One of these was Olabarri; not because he was the bravest, but because he had the best plan for the first ambush. The other captain who had volunteered, Leizaola, would have the glory of the second ambush, if the first did not succeed. Leizaola was young and brave, but did not have the experience of Olabarri and was prone to totally commit himself when caution was the better judgement. In the second ambush, however, this character fault might be his strength, for it would take a totally committed man to launch himself from the rocks onto the foe below and give an example to his men in so doing.
If this plan was unsuccessful, then they planned to block the pass in the middle, cutting the army in two and hopefully destroying Charlemagne with half his army in the middle of the pass. To this end, Inaki and his men were sent to the far end of the pass together with the men of Labourd and Soule of the French Basque provinces. These knew the French side of the pass well and could guide Inaki to the best place to block it when the order was given. They could not block it too soon or the bodyguard of Charlemagne would gather around him and it would be impossible for the ambushes to succeed. Only as a last resort
would they block the pass. However, they would kill as many as they could who went past their positions.
By the time Charlemagne reached Roncesvalles in the early afternoon of Saturday, 15th August, 778, the Basques were ready and waiting. Charlemagne retreat towards Roncesvalles had been troublesome and uncomfortable, due to the constant and probing attacks of the Moors. As they reached, what he believed to be the safety of the pass, the attacks had increased and the Moorish forces had become more determined and more aggressive. Consequently, Charlemagne had been forced to place his elite Scara, which would normally form his bodyguard, at the rear of his column. They were the best of his mounted troops, to protect his retreat. So as the early morning sun began to rise and to give forth its soft rays on that fateful day, the first thing that the Basque lookouts saw was the approach of Charlemagne’s scouts. These were followed by the foot soldiers. The baggage train came next. Charlemagne was in the middle with his nobles and escort. Finally, some way behind, was his rearguard, the elite Scara cavalry.
It was an army in full retreat and did not strike the fear it had brought with it when they had first entered Spain. Roncesvalles had a peaceful air about it. On the side slopes of the pass, as you entered it, around a hundred sheep were grazing in the warm early afternoon sun, moving gently towards the foot of the pass. As the troops moved into the pass, followed by the baggage train, all was peaceful and quiet. And so it remained as the troops and baggage train moved deeper into the pass under the watchful eyes of the Basque warriors, who observed from their hidden positions along the high wooded sides of the pass. Next came more foot soldiers chatting and in good humour as they reached the final stage of their journey home. The sheep moved imperceptively closer, urged forward and downward by the thirty warriors covered in sheepskins who crawled amongst them under the command of Olabarri. Nearer and nearer they came, timing their arrival with that of Charlemagne’s at the foot of the pass. When the sheep were 1000 paces from the column, some of Charlemagne’s troops stopped and became interested in them. To the Frankish troops who had obtained little but sore feet from their expedition into Spain, a large flock of sheep represented fresh meat and some return for what had, for many, been a disappointing enterprise. To their minds these sheep would provide some compensation for their past disappointments and so they waited for them to approach with their backs to the high side of the pass. As more and smaller groups of men stopped to look at the approaching sheep, the effect on the column was to bring it to a halt some way into the pass. Charlemagne approached the pass and found his way blocked by men watching sheep halfway up a slope.
The Moon Worshippers Page 17