Later on he took two large towns with their citadels, and in three engagements triumphed over three separate divisions of the enemy.  Learning that a still larger body of Turks was attempting to cut off his communications with the King’s army, he attacked that also and put it to flight.  After that he joined his corps with the main army under the King, and, indeed, none too soon.  Sultan Amurath suddenly arrived with the main body of his forces, which he strongly intrenched in the narrowest passes of the Balkans.  Hunyady saw that these intrenchments could not be forced, and did all he could to entice his enemy down into the plain.  This he succeeded in doing.  In the battle that ensued the King, too, played a conspicuous part and received a wound.  In the end, however, the Hungarians gained the victory, and the younger brother of the Grand Vizier was taken prisoner.  So much success was sufficient for Hunyady for the time, especially as the natural obstacles had proved insurmountable.  The Hungarian army returned home in good order, and the young King made a triumphal entry into his capital, preceded by a crowd of Turkish prisoners and captured Turkish ensigns.  These last trophies of victory were deposited in the Coronation Church in the fortress of Buda.

And now something happened which had hitherto been deemed incredible:  the Sultan sued for peace—­a true believer and a sovereign, from an “unbelieving giaour.”  The peace was concluded, and Hungary again became possessed of those dependent (South Slavonic) provinces which lay between the territories of the Sultan and the kingdom of Hungary in the narrower sense of the word.  In three short years Hunyady had undone the work of years on the part of the Turks.  The Sultan, however, soon repented of what he had done, and continually delayed the fulfilment of his promise to evacuate certain frontier fortresses.  For this cause the young King, especially incited thereto by the Pope, determined to renew the war.  Hunyady at first opposed the King’s resolution, and wished to wait; later on he was gained over to the King’s view, and took up the matter with his whole soul.  The opportunity was inviting, for the Sultan with his main army was engaged somewhere in Asia, and the Venetians promised to prevent with their fleet his return to Europe across the narrow seas in the neighborhood of Constantinople.

The Hungarian army, indeed, set out (1444) on its expedition, and, continually expecting the arrival of the troops of their allies—­the Emperor of Constantinople and the princes of Albania—­penetrated ever farther and farther into the hostile territory.  They were to be joined by their allies at the town of Varna on the shores of the Black Sea.  When, however, the Hungarians had arrived at that town, they found no trace of their expected allies, but on the contrary learned with certainty that the Sultan had succeeded in eluding the vigilance of the Venetians, had brought his army in small boats over into Europe, and was now following fast on their track.