He could hear nothing but the clamor of a large army of men and animals on the move, and the dust that now obscured most of the route ahead did not help his confidence. The bellowing of the oxen pulling the carts and the crack of the drover’s whips prevented him from hearing anything that might be of use, but his eyes never left the steep hillsides and the clumps of trees high above them. Nearby several soldiers were trying to hold in check some fighting mastiffs who strained at their leashes, pulling their masters along. Occasionally these would join in the general din by barking and growling. They were huge dogs and he did not like the thought of one of them coming after him. Their tawny coats were streaked with the saliva coming from their open jaws.
“They look as though they could kill in an instant,” he remarked to Max.
He noticed Max watching the dogs too. As if understanding what was going on in his head Max gave a tense grin through gritted teeth and said, “If the arrows begins to fly then stay close, Talon. Those dogs will be useless in a battle other than as a distraction.”
Talon nodded as he cast a glance at Alexios, who was slumped on his horse as though he was contemplating his future with no optimism at all. He should not be blamed for trying to do his duty, Talon thought. But he was already beginning to understand that the emperor, while a brave man, was also impetuous and frowned upon caution as a weakness.
“I put him in a bad position where his courage was called into question and now he could be disgraced,” he said to Max.
“No, you did not, Talon. He was trying to do his duty but no one was paying any attention.”
Talon nudged Alexios and indicated his shield. “Be ready, Alex. We cannot help what has been done but we must prepare for what is to come.”
Alexios nodded and hitched his shield round and looked to his armor and his weapons. He began to pay attention to what was going on around him again. Talon felt relieved.
Meanwhile the Emperor and his staff continued about a hundred yards ahead of them, talking and laughing amongst themselves, giving all the appearance of being quite content with the progress of the army.
If things went badly he was going to make sure that the three of them worked together, Talon decided. He was thus preoccupied when he became aware of a lot of activity about half a mile ahead of them just before the road turned around a bend that hid the rest of the army. The long column of men up front had halted and he heard the distant sound of trumpets baring the alarm.
__________
Then the dark raven with horned beak,
and the livid toad, the eagle and kite,
the hound and wolf in mottled hue,
were long refreshed by these delicacies.
In this land no greater war was ever waged,
nor did such a slaughter ever surpass that one.
Henry of Huntingdon
Chapter 13
The Battle of Myriokephalon
Talon stared ahead and saw something that made his blood run cold. High above the men in front there was now activity on the slopes. To his horror he saw a group of Turks heaving at a huge boulder until it finally came loose and began to trundle down the slopes gathering speed as it went. More followed until there was an avalanche of rocks and boulders thundering down the hillside straight at the men on the road. The luckless horsemen and infantry could see what was hurtling downwards but despite their frantic efforts to get off the road the boulders and rocks crashed into their massed ranks and wrought awful destruction. Horses and men were either crushed immediately under the weight of the avalanche or thrown in all directions, many falling into the river down the steep banks to lie broken and maimed in the fast flowing waters.
The yells and screams came clearly to the ears of those behind witnessing the moment with horror. At first the sight left men numb and unable to move with shock. Then they began to shout and point. But it soon became apparent that this was just the beginning. There was a startled cry from nearby as a man pointed up at the hills directly across the river above them.
“They are here too! Dear God, we are lost!”
There was a rumble from above and every eye turned in that direction. To his horror Talon saw a mass of boulders roaring down slopes of the gorge directly at them.
There was only one place where they might be safe. Across the stream was a high bank, which might just protect anyone sheltering under its lee from the avalanche hurling down the slopes. If they could make it, then the rocks would pass over head.
“Come on Max, Alexios!” Talon shouted as he spun his horse to the right and spurred it down the short bank straight into the river, heading for the other bank. The river was not deep here, so his horse had no difficulty crossing it. Alex and Max realized in the instant what he was about and were right behind him. They slammed their horses into the cover of the other bank, hauling them to a stop. Just as they did so, a rain of rocks and larger boulders careered overhead with a roar, bouncing, whirling just over their heads to smash into the wagons and men still clustered on the trail beyond.
Talon watched appalled as, once again, the missiles wreaked havoc. The avalanche destroyed a whole wagon train of oxen, crushing them where they stood, their flesh and bones mingling with that of the men and their mounts. The air became full of shrieks and cries of maimed men and horses but no help could be provided. Everyone was desperate to escape the carnage. It became a scene of utter panic as men and loose horses milled about among the crushed remains of their former comrades.
Miraculously the Emperor and his generals were unhurt, as they had been just far enough forward to avoid being crushed. But then it became complete chaos on the trail. Men on their horses fought to stay mounted as their screaming horses either tried to bolt or climb straight up into the air. Everyone cast fearful looks up the hillside while footmen and drovers who had survived the first avalanche ran about calling on God to help them. Some were hiding under the wagons from smaller stones still hailing down upon them, while others fled into the river bed.
Some had the sense to join Talon and his companions but they were horribly exposed to anything that came from the other side, and indeed Talon could see men on the hill across from them launching more rocks. One of the dogs, which appeared to have escaped its master, huddled with them as though hoping that these humans might know where safety lay.
Max noticed the danger on the opposite slope above as well. “We must leave, now!” he yelled and put spurs to his horse. They splashed downhill along the riverbed and away from the mob of men and animals and rode through a thin stand of trees that gave them a small amount of shelter. Looking back Talon saw the rocks they had just escaped sweep more men and horses in a tangled mass of wrecked bodies into the river. Most lay where they had been tossed; few moved among the pile of mangled flesh blood and bone.
Talon’s mouth was dry and his stomach tightened into a knot; he felt sick. The Turks had planned this carefully and he had no doubt that the pass was now sealed because he heard a roar from downstream. Looking in the direction of the sound he could see a lot of commotion in the rear. Kontostephanos was busy with his own problems. Talon looked for the Emperor and was stunned to see that he and his officers were still on the trail almost where they had been at the commencement of the engagement. He wondered at their inactivity. Why were they not hastening to the front to lead the army out of this terrible predicament? It was as though they were paralyzed.
Then the arrows came whispering down upon the survivors and suddenly there were Turkish archers darting all over the hillsides. They had appeared as if from nowhere. Talon lifted his bow aiming at a small group of men splashing along the river toward them. They were clearly Turks from the distinctive tall colorful felt hats they wore despite the heat, and they wore a mixture of plated and leather protection. Some even had undressed skins covering their upper bodies by way of armor. They shouted battle cries and waved their swords and spears menacingly.
“They have placed ambushes all along the gorge!” Talon called to his co
mpanions. “Stay close.”
He loosed three arrows with deadly effect, but then the enemy was too close for more and he was forced to draw his sword. With Max and Alexios close behind he spurred his horse into the remainder of the Turks. It was a small well armed party, but they were no match for mounted men. And now the war dog had joined in and was worrying a man into the river, tearing at his throat and growling ferociously. The engagement was brief and savage; after four more Turks were taken down, the rest lost heart and ran back up the steep slopes to get out of the way. Talon was shocked to notice that the river was beginning to run red with the blood of man and beast. Max whistled to the dog to come back and he was surprised that it did.
“By God, did you see that?” he exclaimed astonished. “It killed one of them!”
“I saw it!” Alexios shouted, even though he was close by. He was exhilarated from the fight.
He then shouted that he was returning for the Emperor and wheeled his horse to spur it up the bank. With a glance at each other and a shrug Max and Talon did the same. Once they had regained the road, stepping over bodies and other shattered obstacles, they hurried along the short distance to where they had last seen the staff officers. In passing Talon thought he saw the broken body of one of the young men who had sneered at Alexios earlier. The young man’s frozen features bore a look of stark terror.
The dog for its own reasons decided to accompany them and kept pace as they approached the Emperor’s men. The situation had changed. The rain of rocks had stopped, but now there were Turks all over the slopes raining arrows down upon the dense mass of men and animals still struggling to escape along the trail. The Emperor’s guard had moved up the trail another hundred yards and was clustered about a small knoll near the road.
The Emperor’s men were holding off an attack by a ferocious band of Turks who were screaming and brandishing spears and swords as they charged with reckless courage at the personal guards surrounding the monarch. The Varangian Guard greeted them with fierce battle cries of their own, meeting the attackers with equal ferocity. The fight raged back and forth as the Anglo and Norsemen men hacked at the Turks with bloodied axes and the Turks fought back with bloodied spears and curved swords of their own. Soon the ground was slippery and the screams of the wounded drowned out all other sounds. Some Latin knights joined in from the sidelines with maces and axes to assist the Varangians in the center.
It was an uneven match and the Turks were soon driven off to seek easier pickings than these berserk blond men with huge axes. But arrows still flew and men still fell, including the Varangians, who were not archers. Talon and Alexios, with Max right behind them, galloped up to the group and Talon began to return the Turkish fire with his own arrows. The mercenaries shouted their appreciation of his shooting in their own incomprehensible language, waving their weapons and yelling encouragement to him every time a Turk went down.
However it was clear to all they were in desperate trouble.
The Turks had sprung their trap well.
There was a brief respite in their particular area around the knoll, although the battle raged furiously elsewhere. Alexios called over to Talon to join him. He had dismounted and was kneeling next to a body that lay at the feet of a small cluster of men. Dismounting Talon tossed his reins to Max, who was already on foot making friends with the dog. Talon hurried over to join the men around the body.
Lying on the ground lay General John Kantakouzenos covered in blood. He was dead, having taken many wounds. “He was caught by a band of Turks and slain. He fought and died as a soldier should,” someone muttered as Talon approached
He glanced up past the group and saw General Mavrozomes, himself appearing to be lightly wounded, talking intensely to the Emperor. The Emperor was sitting on a rock with his head in his hands.
“What is he planning to do?” Talon asked pointing with his chin at the seated man, Alexios stood up in his saddle to look.
“He is doing nothing, Talon. It…it is like he is frozen.” Alexios sounded disgusted.
“What in God’s name? We have to fight our way out or we are surely dead men!” Talon exclaimed.
Evidently this was what Mavrozomes was saying too, as he added with a shout, “Your Majesty, we cannot stay here! We can marshal our troops and fight our way to the end of the pass. We must! Your Majesty!” he bellowed, ignoring the startled looks from the men all around him. “We must leave. Now!”
Manuel roused himself long enough to take his hands away from his face and to look up at his general.
“What do you suggest, my general?” he whispered. His helmet was gone and his long black hair, streaked with gray, was plastered to his dark features, which wore a look of defeat.
“Stay with your bodyguard!” Mavrozomes said as he waved his arm around him at the wolfish crowd of bloodied Varangian soldiers. “I shall collect others to form a wedge, then we shall fight our way forward. I had word from Kontostephanos that the way back is blocked completely. He is trying to join us as I speak. We do not have such a clear picture of what is happening to the front, but I think the van and Baldwin’s men might have managed to get through.” The general turned to his men. “Stay together, do not get cut off, because we cannot stop for either the wounded or anyone who is left behind.”
His words were greeted with a growl of acceptance from the Varangians. The eunuchs said nothing. Manuel shuddered and tried to stand. Alexios stepped in quickly and helped him. The Emperor stood, dazed and bewildered by the awful turn of events, and then became aware that all around him were battle torn men, most bloody from their own wounds or others’ blood, who surrounded him in a protective circle. Everyone was staring at him.
With a loud sigh he appeared to pull himself together and stood erect to gaze up the road. Fighting was raging all along the track as Turkish soldiers hurled themselves with mad bravery onto the massed ranks of the Byzantine army, who still put up a stiff resistance if not a cohesive one. There appeared to be heavy casualties on both sides as the Turks, determined to finish off the Byzantine army, attacked recklessly and the Byzantine troops fought for their very survival.
The Emperor nodded and to a collective sigh of relief from all around motioned for his horse to be brought to him. It took a few minutes to gather enough men and add them to the ranks of the Varangians, before they pushed off the low knoll and back into the cluttered trail. It was slow going, as they had to negotiate the wreckage of baggage wagons and enormous siege engines that were now abandoned and get past the carnage all around them. The mangled bodies of oxen, which had died in the traces from the arrows and flying boulders, were mixed with those of horses and men. The ground was slippery with blood from animals and men alike and the stink of blood and disemboweled men and animals made many retch. Their newfound friend the dog sniffed at a mangled mess and whined over what had once been another dog still tied to its dead master, but when Max whistled it lifted its head and looked as though it understood. It followed him closely as they moved off. Talon glanced down at the splintered wreckage of one wagon and noticed sheaves of arrows tied in bundles.
“You!” he called to one of the eunuchs. “Do you see those arrows? Take as many of them as you and your companions can carry! We will need them.”
The eunuch nodded agreement and, reaching into the jumble of equipment, took hold of one sheaf and tossed it to Talon, who caught it in midair, nodding his thanks. The other archers saw what he was doing and called for more.
The Turks were everywhere, so the Varangians, who knew how to make a formidable shield wall, led the way with a hard wedge of men with axes and spears to the front. They shouted as they stamped each foot forward and stabbed and hacked to some kind of awful rhythm, cutting a swathe of death that moved forward without being overwhelmed by the smaller groups of Turks. The light infantry, eunuchs and other servants walked right behind the front ranks and finished off any of the wounded enemy with long knives or even thrust past the Varangians at the enemy with long spears.
Talon, Max, and Alexios, with several other men who had obtained bows and scavenged arrows, rode behind on horseback, which gave them the height to see over the heads of the front ranks and to support them with arrows. The Emperor, his guards, and his general with some of his own men closely followed. A rag-tag of soldiers, once they saw that this group was making progress, attached themselves to the back of the column where they were shoved into the ranks by the more experienced soldiers to help to fend off attacks from the flanks and the rear. Alexios was one of the most energetic of the officers. He would stop by an exhausted man who was seated on the side of the track and seize him by the shoulders, shout words of encouragement, then haul him to his feet and push him into the ranks of fighters. Men were gasping and stumbling with exhaustion and thirst brought on by the heat of the sun burning down upon them. Talon wiped his eyes free of sweat with a rag he had around his neck and concentrated his gaze forward.
They finally made it past the last of the great baggage wagons only to find a large group of Turkish cavalry and footmen blocking their way forward. This group had slipped into a gap between the two divisions and, having seen the emperor’s entourage, or what was left of it, were now preparing to attack.
Without being asked Talon and the other bowmen loosed arrow after arrow at the Turks and had the satisfaction of seeing men go down. Undaunted, the Turks responded with their own arrows and inflicted yet more casualties upon the group. Men went down with strangled cries as arrows found their mark.
“Keep your shields up! Stay in a crouch and move forward!” Alexios shouted, his voice hoarse. Another man bellowed orders to the Varangians. He was an officer of the elite infantry, but Talon could not see his face as it was covered by the helmet that protected his head, leaving only his deep blue eyes uncovered.
Greek Fire Page 26