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The Second Battle of Beruna is a part of The War of Deliverence as mentioned in The Last Battle.

History

Following High King Peter's victorious conquest of Narnia from the White Witch, he and his siblings reigned as rulers for several years. About fifty years after their victory, Narnia was invaded by a race of men from the country of Telmar, under the command of Caspian I, and fell to them shortly after. The Telmarines brutally killed off most of the Narnians, forcing them into hiding.

Many centuries later, a young Telmarine Prince, Caspian X, was chased from his father's castle by his murderous uncle, Miraz. He was eventually rescued by a trio of Narnians, a badger named Trufflehunter, a Black Dwarf named Nikabrik, and a Red Dwarf named Trumpkin. These three aided Caspian in gathering a small army of Narnian survivors together, and they began to wage war on the Telmarines and Miraz.

However, the war's fortune quickly turned against the young prince and his army, losing battle after battle, until finally nearly a third of the army was lost in a battle led by Caspian and Giant Wimbleweather. Following this failed battle, Caspian winded the Horn of Queen Susan, calling her and her siblings from their world. They were soon found by Trumpkin, who led them back to Caspian's command center at Aslan's How.

High King Peter and Prince Caspian knew their army was weak and losing morale. However Susan and Lucy realized that the great Lion, Aslan, had once again returned to Narnia and was preparing to awaken the trees and rivers of Narnia to fight alongside them. The two commanders realized that all of their plans now depended on time and patience. Edmund was sent to Miraz's camp, to give him a challenge by Peter to fight to the death in Single combat for control of Narnia. Realizing that refusing to fight a boy half his age would diminish his image in the hearts of his people, Miraz accepts the challenge, and names Glozelle, Sopespian, and an unnamed Telmarine baron as his marshals, while Peter names Glenstorm the Centaur, Giant Wimbleweather, and the eldest Bulgy Bear as his. The fight goes well for Peter until Miraz slips on a tussock. Sopespian declares treachery stating that Peter slashed Miraz in the back while he was on the ground thus beginning the Battle.

The Battle

After the supposed "illegal move" from Peter during the duel, Lord Gergiore and Sopespian led the Telmarine charge at the Old Narnians. During the stampede and the confusion, Miraz was quietly murdered by General Glozelle (who quoted "and this for that insult this morning), unnoticed by any others. During the battle, Reepicheep's tail is cut off by a Telmarine and Peter manages to slay Sopespian. The Telmarine army quickly breaks ranks and flees to Beruna as soon as the Dryads awaken. The remaining Telmarines couldn't retreat due to the fact that Bacchus had destroyed the bridge that "trapped" the River God.

Aftermath

Following this victory, the Telmarine Throne was now Caspian's for the claiming. Aslan offers the Telmarines who do not wish to stay in Narnia a chance to travel to a new land in the world of High King Peter. Peter and his siblings, along with General Glozelle, Miraz's widow Prunaprismia, her newborn son, and many other Telmarines, travel through a door summoned by Aslan and return to their world. Caspian stayed in Narnia, building a new nation of Narnians and Telmarines, and ruling well until his death.

Depictions

BBC Serial

During Miraz's duel with Peter, he was tripped by Peter's sword. When Glozelle rushes to Miraz seeing if he's OK, he secretly pulled out his dagger quoting to Miraz "and this is for that insult this morning" and stabs Miraz. After Glozelle did his part, Sopespian quoted "King Miraz is dead" and the fight begins. Peter manages to slay Glozelle and the unnamed Telmarine baron. Reepicheep's tail is cut off by a Telmarine who is then killed by Caspian. Aslan arrives and roars enough to disperse the battle.

Disney Film

In the movie, The Second Battle of Beruna was fought between the Telmarines and the Narnians. The Telmarines number several thousand infantry, approximately five hundred cavalry, and many trebuchets while the Narnians number a few hundred archers and a small army in front of the How, as well as a second, slightly smaller force inside it. Queen Susan had returned, and assumed command of the archers after being rescued from Telmarines by Caspian.

When Peter defeated Miraz and Caspian spared his life, Sopespian helped him to his feet as Miraz tells him that he will deal with him when it is over. Sopespian quotes "It is over" and secretly stabs Miraz with one of Susan's arrows. Sopespian then declares treachery stating that the archers murdered Miraz and rode off with Glozelle to have the Telmarine soldiers prepare for battle. Gergiore then charges toward Peter.

After Peter took out Gergiore, the Telmarines sent out their cavalry against the Old Narnians and activated their Trebuchets. The Narnians, who were expecting the Telmarines to dishonour the terms of the duel, are immediately ready for battle. After ten seconds however, Narnians who had been charging through recently dug caverns beneath the battle field destroyed the pillars which supported the ground the Telmarine cavalry was charging accoss, causing the cavalry to fall into a giant sink-hole. While Peter and Edmund led the above-ground army at the fallen cavalry, Caspian and his forces climb from the cistern via two ramps and encircle the Telmarine Cavalry, shortly after a volley of arrows from Susan and her archers. Sopespian and his army begin to advance in response, and force the vastly-outnumbered Narnians to retreat towards the How. The subsequent trebuchet attack scatters the Narnian archers and collapses the entrance to the How, trapping the Narnians aboveground. The Narnians are now trapped, outnumbered, and encircled by the Telmarines, thus leaving them with no hope, and so they charge the Telmarines in a last, desperate attempt.

However, Lucy finds Aslan who saves her from a Telmarine. Aslan reawakens the trees which rally to the Narnians and defeat the Telmarines, incapacitating Glozelle in the process.

The Telmarines attempt to reach the Bridge of Beruna, but arrive to find Aslan awakening the River God who destroys the Bridge and engulfs Sopespian. Leaderless and trapped the Telmarines surrender to the Narnians.

The creatures that fought for Aslan are Bears, Wolves, Foxes, Dogs, Jackals, Leopards, Panthers, Boars, Stags, Tigers, Fauns, Minotaurs, Centaurs, a Giant, Gryphons, Satyrs, Dwarves, Cheetahs, Mice, Badgers, Squirrels, and the trees that Aslan had awakened.

See also

Narnia portal

• First Battle of Beruna

Notes