Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-02
BY HAROLD LAMB.

-O understand what now happened, 1t
is necessary to look at Europe for
moment. For two generations the
~ Greek emperors of Constantinople-
no more than the ghosts OF the old
Roman emperors-had seen their power pass
10 the Turks who had emerged from ASIA Minor,
&nd were now overrunning the Balkans, and the
shores of the Black Sea-
At the field of Kossova the new conquerors,
the Gilman Turks, crushed the stalwart
Serbians and thereafter penetrated into Hum
gary They were dour and disciplined fighters
full Of fire and doglike in their devotion to tner
'emperors. Their cavalry, especially the slpahls
was more than good, but their massed infantry
formed around the janissaries was superb.
They had intermarried with all the Levant.
and out of their Christian slaves-Greeks and
Elavs-they were forming a new race. Bayaz1d,
burnamed the Thunder Emperor OF the Turks,
had the virtues and faults of his people, He was
turbulent and courageous able and cruel upon
his accession his first act had been to strange
his brother.
'sF>tIE march of Islam up from Mecca had gone
IN around the imperial CITY, Constantinople,
which was still protected by its lofty walls and
the war galleys of the European powers. Bus
Bayazid was about ready to take possession
when the call to a crusade resounded through
Europe. It was to be q crusade against the
Turks Sigismund Of Hungary, being most
menaced by the approach of the Thunder, was
'peneaIogy of all Europe. Some 10000 chevaliers,
Including their squires and men-at-arms, rode
10 the west and Joined the host OF Slg1smuno,
nearly a hundred thousand in all. So great
was the multitude that the chevaliers boosted
that if the sky were to fall they would hold 1t
up by their spears.
The chevaliers themSelves-the French, Eng
fish and German knights-seem to have had
only hazy idea as to what lay before them.
Moving down the Danube at ease' they were
Joned by Venetian galleys that came up the
river. They encamped in fair country, 10
besege Nicopolis and here they heard that
Bayazid with formidable army was approach
ing rapidly.
'a-HE battle line was drawn up, and sigismund
o. who knew the strength Of the Turks
urged the chevalierS to form in the rear and
let his sturdy infantry, the Hungarians, Wal
;lachians and CroatS, bear the shock OF the
'NToSlen attack.
This enraged the MOBILES, and the dispute
grew violent when Bayazds skirmishers ap-
!peared. 1t seemed to the French and Germans
That Sigismund was trucking them into idleness
while he himself cleaned the glory Of the day.
FINALLY Philip of Artois, high constable Of
France, cried out:
1.-THE King of Hungary would have the honor
OF the day. Whoever agrees with him, shall
not We have the advance guard and the first
battle belongs to u.s." Whereupon he gave COM
nand to lift his banner. Forward, In the name
OF God and st. George!"
In a mass the other lords followed him, with
their squadronS of mailed riders. Streamers
fiuttering from their lance tips, shields erect,
their heavy barded chargers laundering into a
gallop the chivalry of Europe charged Princes,
knights and men t-arms they scattered the
skirmishers, forced their way up a long slope,
cut to pieces the ranks of foot archers they
found there and reformed to assan the regi-
Ihents Of sipahis who now appeared.