Charles Morris
speaker
7,961 appearances
2 recordings
1 series
first heard Jul 2026
last heard 18 Aug
Charles Morris’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.
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recordings per month · last 12 monthsRecordings per month over the last 12 months — 2 in all, peaking in Aug 2026 with 1.
Appearances
The Muslims held the ground and occupied in force the pass of Losa, nature's highway to the plain.
What was to be done?
The past could be won, if at all, only at great cost in life.
No other pass was known.
To retire would be to inspirate the enemy and dispirit the Christian host.
No easy way out of the quandary at first appeared, but a way was found, by miracle, the writers of that time say.
But it hardly seems a miracle that a shepherd of the region knew of another mountain pass.
This man, Martin Halaika, had grazed his flocks in that vicinity for years.
He told the king of a pass unknown to the enemy by which the army might reach the tableland, and to prove his words, led Lopez de Haro and another through this little known mountain byway.
It was difficult, but passable.
The army was put in motion and traversed it all night long, and on the morning of the fourteenth of july the astonished eyes of the Mohammedans gazed on the Christian host, holding in force the borders of the plateau, and momentarily increasing in numbers and strength.
Ten miles before the eyes of Alfonso and his men stretched the plain, level in the centre, in the distance rising in gentle slopes to its border of hills, like a vast, natural amphitheatre.
The soldiers filled with hope and enthusiasm spread through their ranks the story that the shepherd who had led them was an angel, sent by the Almighty to lead his people to victory over the infidel.
Mohammed and his men had been told on the previous day by their scouts that the camp of the Christians was breaking up, and rejoiced in what seemed a victory without a blow.
But when they saw these same Christians defiling in thousands before them on the plain, ranged in battle array under their various standards, their joy was changed to rage and consternation.
Against the embattled front their wild riders rode.
Threatening the steady troops with brandished lances and taunting them with cowardice.
But Alfonso held his male clad battalions firm, and the light armed moorish horsemen hesitated to attack.
Word was brought to Muhammad that the Christians would not fight, and in hasty gratulation he sent off letters to cities in the rear to that effect.
He little dreamed that he was soon to follow his messengers in swifter speed.
Showing 1221–1240 of 7,961 · page 62 of 399
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