y took all possible measures to secure
his precious life. One of their number, Simon Kemeny, who bore a
striking resemblance to Huniades, determined to sacrifice himself for
his leader. He announced that he would put on Huniades' clothes and
armor. The Turks would then attack him under the belief that he was
the celebrated chief, and while they were thus engaged the real
Huniades would fall upon them unexpectedly and put them to flight. At
first Huniades would by no means consent to this plan, as he did not
wish to expose Kemeny to such mortal danger; but at last seeing the
great military advantages likely to accrue from it he consented.

And so indeed it fell out. As soon as the battle began, the Turks,
perceiving Simon Kemeny in the garb of Huniades, directed all their
force against him. Kemeny, after a stout defence, fell together with a
great number of his followers, and the Turks, seeing him fall, set up
a general cry of triumph and exultation. Just at this critical moment
they were hotly attacked in the flank by the genuine Huniades. Thus
attacked in the very moment when they imagined that they had already
gained the day, the Turks were thrown into confusion and took wildly
to flight. Twenty thousand corpses were left on the battle-field;
among them were Mezid Bey himself, together with his sons.

Fearful was the rage of the Turkish sultan when he heard of the defeat
and death of Mezid Bey, and he at once despatched another army against
Huniades, which like the first numbered 80,000 men. This time,
however, Huniades did not let them enter Transylvania, but waited for
them at the pass, known as the Iron Gate, among the high mountains on
the southern boundary of Hungary.

The Hungarian army was not more than 15,000 men, so that the Turks
were at least five times as strong. But the military genius of
Huniades made up for the small number of his followers. He posted them
in a strong position in the rough pass, and attacked the enemy in
places where it was impossible for him to make use of his strength.
Thus more than half the Turkish army perished miserably in the battle.
Again their commander-in-chief fell on the field together with six
subordinate commanders, while two hundred horse-tail standards fell
into Huniades' hands as trophies of his victory.

These two splendid victories filled all Europe with joy and
admiration. Christendom again breathed freely; for she felt that a
champion, sent by a special Providen