Sempach

Sempach, a small town of Switzerland, 9 miles by rail NW. of Lucerne, on the east shore of the lake of Sempach. Under its walls Leopold, Duke of Austria, with 4000 men, was met on 9th July 1386 by the confederated Swiss to the number of 1500. The nature of the ground being unfitted for the action of cavalry, the horsemen (1400 in number) dismounted, and formed themselves into a solid and compact body, which was at once charged by the Lucerners; but the wall of steel was impenetrable, and not a man of the Austrians was even wounded, while many of the bravest of the Swiss fell. But, as the legend runs, Arnold von Winkelried, a knight of Unterwalden, seized with a noble inspiration, rushed forward, grasped with outstretched arms as many pikes as he could reach, buried them in his bosom, and bore them by his weight to the earth. His companions rushed over his body into the breach thus made, slaughtered the armour-encumbered Austrian knights like sheep, and threw the remainder into the utmost confusion and dismay. The result was a decisive victory for the Swiss, who thus asserted their independence, and finally broke the efforts of the Austrian dukes to subdue them. The anniversary of this great victory is still celebrated by religious solemnities on the field of battle.