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The Deeds of Wiprecht

1080


In the year of the Lord 1080. King Vratislav of Bohemia, getting set to invade the Saxons, passed through the district of Nisen with Wiprecht as guide. The Czech made a sudden incursion from Wurzen to Leipzig and laid waste to everything. He received advice from Wiprecht that he ought to wait for his coming at [Hohen]wussen, until Wiprecht had ravaged the places around Belgern. As these things were happening, news of their invasion suddenly became known to everyone in the neighborhood. Immediately giving the call to arms, many thousands quickly joined together. They approached the Czechs, who were placed in an uneasy position. Struggling against the enemy with all his men, the Czech nearly lost the vanguard. But when Wiprecht came up, they turned the Saxons to flight and killed very many of them. Thus was the returning man's skill with a sword made plain to the Czechs. Meanwhile, the emperor returned from Italy and announced to the Czech his court at Regensburg. There, he gathered an army. The Bavarians, along with the Czechs and the rest of the peoples from Germany, crossed through the territory of the town of Weida and arrived at a fortification by the name of Mölsen near the Elster River. There, the Saxons with King Rudolf, elected three years before, met the emperor. The battle was engaged, and did not drag on long. The emperor’s army began to flee and was cut down everywhere from Mölsen all the way to the village of Weiderau. While the Saxons were pursuing them zealously, King Rudolf was gravely wounded in the right arm and carried off to Merseburg. He died three days later, with great penance for so much rebellion and slaughter committed on his account. He was honourably buried in that same place. With the emperor’s army scattered everywhere, each returned home, having abandoned the king. Vratislav and Wiprecht, who had been present at the same battle, led the emperor away with a few men through Bohemia. They had not yet learned of King Rudolf’s ruin.

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