The Moon Worshippers (23 page)

“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, 15
th
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.

He angrily ordered his men to move on, and his escort began to urge and push men forward with their mounts. At that moment the men from Navarra, who had been hidden on the high side of the pass, let loose a hail of stones, rocks and arrows. At the same time, the thirty men who had been hidden amongst the sheep came charging down the slope and hit the column with a tremendous force. The result was that Charlemagne was taken totally by surprise and the column sent into confusion. At this point the fiercest hand-to-hand fighting ensued. Some Basques threw themselves from the high sides of the pass, landing in the midst of the Franks and adding to their confusion. Olabarri and some of his men were a stones throw from Charlemagne and would have reached him if it had not been for the quick thinking of Roland, who, seeing his king in danger brought the rearguard rushing to his rescue. These mounted men rode hell bent towards their king and sent bodies spinning in all directions, crushing those that were not quick enough to get out of their path as they drove forward at the gallop. Under Ronald’s protection, Charlemagne moved further into the Roncesvalles pass.

At this point Roland would have destroyed the few Basque warriors who had launched the attack, but unforeseen to all, a large force of Moorish cavalry appeared and prepared to attack the rear of Charlemagne’s troops. Roland was forced to turn his rearguard and face this new and unexpected threat. Olabarri and his remaining few men took this opportunity to scramble up the slopes to safety and moved into the pass along the high ravine sides. First blood had gone to the Basques with the entrance to Roncesvalles littered with dead and injured Franks.

The Moors had formed lines. It was a form of attack well known to Roland. His king safely away into the pass, he formed his mounted troops into lines to counter the attack. At the same time he ordered some foot soldiers under Valson, a commander who did not panic, up the slopes; placing these troops on the slopes that the sheep had occupied. From there they could launch a counterattack on the Moorish cavalry’s flank, giving Charlemagne time to escape along the pass to France and safety. The first wave of Moorish cavalry attacked. When they were one hundred paces from the Franks they stopped and fired their bows. A hail of arrows filled the sky. The Franks immediately raised their large round shields and covered themselves. Instantaneously, the next wave struck with another volley of arrows. Then the next wave was launched, but this time they were spearmen and did not stop, but came on hitting the front rank of Ronald’s troops just after the arrows struck. The effect was devastating. The Frankish Cavalry had been holding their shields high to protect themselves from the hail of arrows. Consequently, many did not have time to protect themselves from the spears that were thrown at them at close range. This caused part of the frontline to collapse. Roland drove his horse into the gap. His personal guard followed. Swinging his great sword, he cut off a man’s arm and sunk the great sword into the next man’s head. Roland fought hard and for a moment his men responded and filled the line. But it was impossible to hold the position. The next wave of Moors drove into his centre and forced Roland to turn his men and retreat into the pass. Valson tried valiantly to counter-attack. He had some success and stemmed the attack for a while, but was eventually overcome and captured by the Moors. Most of his men had been cut down. The rest retreated with Roland into the pass.

The Basques watched in amazement as their enemies engaged in bloody conflict at the entrance of the pass. As Roland was forced further and further into the pass, they let loose with anything that came to hand. Rocks, arrows, spears, javelins and boulders rained down on Moor and Frank alike. The result was heavy losses. Ronald’s men were suffering the most and in desperation, Roland placed his great horn to his lips and blew a long, plaintive note. The note echoed and bounced down the pass. Halfway down the Roncesvalles pass, Charlemagne reined his horse to an abrupt halt. He listened intently. The note came again. Roland was in desperate trouble. He was being hit from all sides and needed help. Charlemagne turned his horse around. He ordered his men to turn and go to Roland’s rescue. Just as they began to turn and organise the rescue, the whole of one side of the gorge erupted into a mass of falling boulders. When the noise and the dust had subsided, Charlemagne could see that the pass was blocked not only by rocks but by Basque warriors as well. Roland and a third of his army were cut off.

Roland brought his horn Oliphant to his lips for the last time. Gathering all his strength for a third time, he blew a long and lingering note.

“Where is Charlemagne?” he shouted as he brought the horn down from his lips. Surely his kinsman and king would not desert him in his hour of need. He could not see that the gorge was blocked. He felt deserted and betrayed. Half his men lay dead or dying before him. The Moors retreated, having suffered as much as the Franks from the Basque onslaught. They carried away their dead and wounded. They never left their dead thus depriving the victor of any knowledge of how total their defeat had been or how many they had killed. Roland now faced the Basques alone.

He retreated further into the gorge, gathering his remaining men around him. An eerie silence descended. As they retreated, the horses slipped and trampled on the dead and dying until twenty paces to the rear they left a mound of bodies destroyed by a host of rocks, spears and arrows. The silence was broken by the sound of the deep tenor voice of Olabarri, chanting: