e (that is, the
band of Guelfs) cannot lose to-day"; and that was as much as to say
that if he gained the victory he would be the friend of the Florentine
Guelfs, seeing them to be so faithful to their leader and to their
party, and the foe of the Ghibellines.

Sec. 9.--_Concerning the battle between King Charles and King Manfred,
and how King Manfred was discomfited and slain._

[Sidenote: 1265 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Cf. Inf. xxviii. 16.]

[Sidenote: Purg. iii. 118, 119.]

[Sidenote: Purg. iii. 124-132.]

The troops of the two kings being set in order on the plain of
Grandella, after the aforesaid fashion, and each one of the said
leaders having admonished his people to do well, and King Charles
having given to his followers the cry, "Ho Knights, Monjoie!" and King
Manfred to his, "Ho, Knights, for Suabia!" the bishop of Alzurro as
papal legate absolved and blessed all the host of King Charles,
remitting sin and penalty, forasmuch as they were fighting in the
service of Holy Church. And this done, there began the fierce battle
between the two first troops of the Germans and of the French, and the
assault of the Germans was so strong that they evilly entreated the
French troop, and forced them to give much ground and they themselves
took ground. The good King Charles seeing his followers so
ill-bestead, did not keep to the order of the battle to defend himself
with the second troop, considering that if the first troop of the
French, in which he had full confidence, were routed, little hope of
safety was there from the others; but immediately with his troop he
went to succour the French troop, against that of the Germans, and
when the Florentine refugees and their troop beheld King Charles
strike into the battle, they followed boldly, and performed marvellous
feats of arms that day, always following the person of King Charles;
and the same did the good Giles le Brun, constable of France, with
Robert of Flanders and his troop; and on the other side Count Giordano
fought with his troop, wherefore the battle was fierce and hard, and
endured for a long space, no one knowing who was getting the
advantage, because the Germans by their valour and strength, smiting
with their swords, did much hurt to the French. But suddenly there
arose a great cry among the French troops, whosoever it was who began
it, saying: "To your daggers! To your daggers! Strike at the horses!"
And this was done, by the which thing in a short time th