Page "Charles Martel" Paragraph 8

At this juncture, however, events turned in favour of Charles.

Having made the proper preparations, he fell upon the triumphant army near Malmedy as it was returning to its own province, and, in the ensuing Battle of Amblève, routed it.

The few troops who were not killed or captured, fled.

Several things were notable about this battle, in which Charles set the pattern for the remainder of his military career: first, he appeared where his enemies least expected him, while they were marching triumphantly home and far outnumbered him.

He also attacked when least expected, at midday, when armies of that era traditionally were resting.

Finally, he attacked them how they least expected it, by feigning a retreat to draw his opponents into a trap.

The feigned retreat, next to unknown in Western Europe at that time — it was a traditionally eastern tactic — required both extraordinary discipline on the part of the troops and exact timing on the part of their commander.

Charles, in this battle, had begun demonstrating the military genius that would mark his rule.

The result was an unbroken victory streak that lasted until his death.