of their sovereigns or the magnitude
of the cause in which they were engaged could inspire. At length the
imperial troops gained the advantage, but in the very moment of
victory the life of him on whom all depended was exposed to the most
imminent danger.

Several knights of superior strength and courage, animated by the
rewards and promises of Ottocar, had confederated either to kill or
take the King of the Romans. They rushed forward to the place where
Rudolph, riding among the foremost ranks, was encouraging and leading
his troops, and Herbot of Fullenstein, a Polish knight, giving spurs
to his horse, made the first charge. Rudolph, accustomed to this
species of combat, eluded the stroke, and, piercing his antagonist
under his beaver, threw him dead to the ground. The rest followed the
example of the Polish warrior, but were all slain, except Valens, a
Thuringian knight of gigantic stature and strength, who, reaching the
person of Rudolph, pierced his horse in the shoulder, and threw him
wounded to the ground. The helmet of the King was beaten off by the
shock, and being unable to rise under the weight of his armor he
covered his head with his shield, till he was rescued by Berchtold
Capillar, the commander of the corps of reserve, who, cutting his way
through the enemy, flew to his assistance. Rudolph mounted another
horse, and, heading the corps of reserve, renewed the charge with
fresh courage, and his troops, animated by his presence and exertions,
completed the victory.

Ottocar himself fought with no less intrepidity than his great
competitor. On the total rout of his troops he disdained to quit the
field, and, after performing incredible feats of valor, was
overpowered by numbers, dismounted, and taken prisoner. He was
instantly stripped of his armor, and killed by some Austrian and
Styrian nobles whose relations he had put to death. The discomfited
remains of his army, pursued by the victors, were either taken
prisoners, cut to pieces, or drowned in their attempts to pass the
March; and above fourteen thousand perished in this decisive
engagement.

Rudolph continued on the field till the enemy were totally routed and
dispersed. He endeavored to restrain the carnage, and sent messengers
to save the life of Ottocar, but his orders arrived too late, and when
he received an account of his death he generously lamented his fate.
He did ample justice to the valor and spirit of Ottocar; in his letter
to the Pop