Get your own Free HomepageCaius surveyed his position at first light. The sun had just risen and gleamed magnificiently on his silver helmet, a gentle breeze caused his red plume of horse-hair to flutter. In spite of the weather, Caius was in a sombre mood. He was trapped between the hosts of Neustria and the sea. The smallish settlement of Verginetum lay to his left, by the sea. A road meandered from it´s eastern gates into the vast forest that lay a little to the north-east of Verginetum. To the east of Verginetum and to the south of the woods lay a pair of gentle, scrub-covered hills. A stream gurgled east of the forest, steadily widening as it approached the ocean.
He deployed the remnants of his shield-wall between Verginetum and the first of the two hills, with the majority of his cavalry, including himself, acting as a hinge between the infantry and the hill. In Verginetum lurked some 500 light archers, some light horsemen, a thousand spears andthe town´s cavalry levies. Caius had also placed a thousand-and-a-half cavalry, and some light horse behind the first hill on his right. The army´s baggage and the rest of the levies from Verginetum were placed by the sea-side, where they milled in a frightened, confused mass. All in all he had not more than 16000 men, most of those low quality levies and hastily drilled youths and old men. Only his cavalry and the core of his shield-wall did he trust.
Anxiously the Briton general scanned the horizon for the dreaded Franks. He did not need to wait long. Mauralf had drawn up most of his host west of the forest, with his massive shield-wall and their supporting archers behind his knights. His subgeneral, Orderic the Rash was deployed in a similar position to Mauralf´s right. The third Frankish commander Giseler, called the Goldenhair for his famous locks, had drawn up his knights on the other side of the forest, behind the stream in column of march.
As the towns churchbells rang the ninth hour of the day, the Frankish
host surged forward with a great cry. Steeling himself and shouting a few
words of encouragement to his men, Caius advanced to meet him, the footmen
keeping pace with the cavalry. As Orderic saw how the Franks outnumbered
the British, he threw caution to the winds and ordered his troops to charge,
despite Mauralf´s bellows of outrage. Seeing the reaction of his
king, Orderic halted his knights as his few remaining instincts of self
preservation kicked in. He was, however, unable to halt his spearmen, as
they surged towards Verginetum. Caius saw a glimmer of hope: Giseler was
still hanging back on the right and Orderic was concentrating on Verginetum.
This left Mauralf with no choice but to attack Caius´ center
unsupported. Caius sent the cavalry from Verginetum to harass and halt
the impetuos advance of Orderic´s foot. He also ordered the rest
of his light horse out from behind the hill and into the path of Mauralf´s
charging
knights, hoping their formation would be disrupted, and the shock of
their impact lessened.
Things were starting to look better for the Britons. Although the gallant
horsemen of Verginetum had been pushed into the sea, and the light horse
in front of the knights had succumbed to their charge, Mauralf had lost
control over his knights, who were charging forward in an uncontrolled
mass and Orderic and Giseler were still hanging back. With a great yell
and thunder of hooves the knights of Neustria crashed into Caius´
cavalry. Now the Britons showed their true skill with the horse. They gave
way before the knights, showering them with javelins and absorbing their
impetus. A confused melee ensued as both sides cavalry struggled by the
hill, the British slowly gaining the upper hand despite the Franks greater
numbers. Caius even came near to slaying the Frankish king, but before
the fatal blow could be struck, the swirl of the melee separated the two
commanders. In a cruel twist of fate the Britons success proved to be their
undoing. Caius found it impossible to issue orders to his forces while
having to fight for his very life. the light archers of Orderic cleared
Verginetum with ease, and threatened the shield-walls flank. Giseler had
finally commited his forces and attacked the cavalry lying in ambush behind
the hill, sweeping them aside in their fury. As there came a brief lull
in the cavalry melee, Caius saw that his position was hopeless. His shield-wall
was out-flanked and Giseler´s knights were about to charge him
in the flank, and some of them were headed for the baggage. Deciding it
would be better to live to fight another day, he ordered his men to lay
down their
arms. His picked cavalry gaped at him in astonsihment. They had just
slain most of the Frankish nobility, and could not believe their ears as
the ordered to surrender was passed on. Caius himself fled like the wind
to the coast, where he had a small fishing boat waiting for this eventuality.
As the rough waves carried him out to sea, he could see an orange glow
rivaling that of the dying sun on the coast of Bretagne. Verginetum was
burning.
Author's Note: The infamous Rapine of the Vergins is of course famous
to all history as the defining moment of Mauralf's accession: refer to
"The Last Keltic Saint: Caius against the manbeast Mauralf" for further
details, and live-action woodcuts.
Get your own Free Homepage