These two splendid victories filled all Europe with joy and admiration.  Christendom again breathed freely; for she felt that a champion sent by a special providence had appeared, who had both the courage and the ability to meet and to repel the haughty and formidable foe.  But Hunyady was not content with doing so much.  He thought that by this time he might carry the war into the enemy’s country.  The plan of operations was exceptionally daring, yet Hunyady had not resolved on it without careful consideration.  In the mean time, through Hunyady’s exertions, Wladislaw III, the young King of Poland, had been elected king of Hungary.  Hunyady gained the new King over to his plans, and by this means secured the cooeperation of the higher aristocracy and the armed bands which they were bound to lead into the field at the King’s summons.  Hunyady counted besides on the assistance of Europe; in the first place on the popes, who were zealous advocates of the war against the Mahometans; next on Venice, which, as the first commercial city and state at that time, had suffered severe losses owing to the spread of Turkish dominions; on the gallant Poles, whose King now wore the Hungarian crown; and lastly upon the peoples of Christendom in general, whose enthusiasm for a war against the infidels had been quickened by the report of Hunyady’s victories.  And, indeed, at his request the Pope sent some small sums of money, the Poles furnished an auxiliary force, while numerous volunteers from the rest of Europe flocked to serve under his banner.

Although the assistance thus furnished was comparatively unimportant, it nevertheless served to increase his zeal for the daring undertaking.  He and his heroic companions were not only proud of defending their own native country, but felt that they were the champions of all Christendom against Ottoman aggression, and their religious enthusiasm kept pace with their patriotism.  If they did not get regiments sent to their aid, they felt that the eyes of all Europe were upon them, ready to grieve at their possible ill-success, while their victories would be celebrated with the Te Deum in the cathedrals of every capital in Europe.

The aggressive campaign was commenced without delay; Hunyady’s resolves were at once translated into fact; he would not allow the beaten foe time to recover breath.  His plan was to cross the Danube, and penetrate through the passes of the Balkan to Philippopolis, at that time the capital of the Sultan’s dominions, where he kept the main body of his army.  About Christmas, a season in which the Turk does not like to fight, amid heavy snow and severe cold, the Hungarian army of about thirty thousand men pressed forward.  Hunyady marched in advance with the vanguard of twelve thousand picked men; after him the King and the Pope’s legate, with the rest of the army.  The Sultan, however, with a large body of men had occupied the passes of the Balkans and prevented their further advance.  This impediment, coupled with the cold and severe weather, depressed the spirits of the troops, worn out with fatigue.  Hunyady, however, raised their spirits by gaining a victory; lighting one night upon a body of the enemy, twenty thousand in number, he attacked them at once and after a few hours’ struggle succeeded in dispersing them.