Detail of an illumination from the Viennese Illuminated Chronicle depicting Ladislas, then a prince, engaged in battle with a Cuman warrior to save a Hungarian peasant girl.

Having completed their victorious foray into the country, Kapolcs and his army were already on the way home when Prince Ladislas—for at that time he was only a prince—caught up with them in the vicinity of Cserhalom in northeastern Hungary.

At first, Kapolcs did not take Ladislas’ threat seriously, for he thought that the Hungarians had only sent an army of children against him.  But he soon learned his lesson.  Although the Cumans had camped on top of a hill, Prince Ladislas attacked Kapolcs with his customary fury.  He also urged his men on by saying, “It is more noble to die in battle than to see your wives and children in Cuman captivity.”

Fighting in the front lines, Ladislas stood head and shoulders above his men.  He fought like a lion, and soon most of the Cumans were dead, including their leader, Kapolcs.  The rest were taken prisoner.  But there was one who escaped and took a young Hungarian peasant girl with him as a hostage.  Although he had been wounded by an arrow and was riding a third horse, Prince Ladislas did not hesitate to go after the Cuman.  Knowing that his horse would be unable to catch up with the enemy, he shouted to the girl to hang onto her captor and drag him to the ground.  The girl did just that, and Prince Ladislas promptly killed the dismounted Cuman with a swift stroke of his sword.  Thus did the future king of Hungary save a simple peasant girl from slavery, and thus did he liberate all the captured Hungarians.

King Ladislas waged many bloody battles against the pagan Cumans.  He won most of these battles, but at times he too had to flee.

It so happened that at one time he and his army were overpowered by the Cumans in the vicinity of Torda in Transylvania.  His army was in flight, and the king himself had to flee for his life.  He was pursued by hundreds of Cumans, all of whom wanted his head.  His horse was exhausted, and as King Ladislas glanced back, he saw that his pursuers were closing in on him.  They could almost touch him with their outstretched war axes.  At this critical moment the great king turned his eyes to the heavens and began to pray: “Please, dear God, help me to escape! I have always fought for your faith with your name on my lips!”