"...an Alan's spear glided off the poitrail of a Catalan horse..." (p. 102)
"...helmets above and greaves below..." (pp. 102-103)
"Lucas saw a pike jab from his left." (p. 103)
"...[Michael Paleologus] couched lance and charged the middle of his foes." (. 104)
When the Byzantines retreat, the Catalans sing, "'Te Deum laudamus.'" (p. 105)
- but they are unable to take the castle.
2 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Too many of the East Roman leaders of that time were bungling fools, but I remember how valiantly the Co-Emperor Michael IX fought the Catalans! And was wounded and nearly captured or killed.
I can think of several reasons why the Grand Company did not capture this castle or Constantinople itself. First, the Company was probably never quite large enough to take on determinedly held fortresses or cities. Second, the Catalans lacked the siege engines an army would need for besieging cities or castles.
Even Mehmed II, with a huge army and siege train, still had to besiege New Rome for two months in 1453, when the dying Empire was at its last gasp. And that at a time when the last Emperor, Constantine XI, had only 10,000 men for defending the City.
Ad astra! Sean
Poul tended to use "pike" rather loosely.
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