He gathered new and greater armies--from his own land--from subjugated lands.

He called forth the young and brave--one from every household--from the Pyrenees to Zuyder Zee--from Jura to the ocean.

He marshalled them into long and majestic columns, and went forth to seize that universal dominion, which seemed almost within his grasp.

But ambition had tempted fortune too far.

The nations of the earth resisted, repelled, pursued, surrounded him.