new justiciar, Geoffrey Fitz Peter, Earl of Essex, who had no such scruples of conscience and no such ecclesiastical embarrassments, but who began his administration with a severe forest assize, and by his general sternness taught the nation how good a friend, with all his short-comings, Archbishop Hubert had been. Geoffrey Fitz Peter retained his office for life, dying, as will be seen, at a critical period in the next reign. [Sidenote: Richard’s last years. ] [Sidenote: Otho of Saxony, emperor. ] During this time Richard was engaged in foiling the projects of Philip, and drawing together the strings of a great Continental alliance against him. Alternate interviews, battles, treaties, or projects of treaties, truces and truce-breakings, form the history of years, interesting only to those who care to follow the military and geographical side of the history. Philip gains strength on the whole; it would not be true to say that Richard loses strength, and he would probably, if he had lived, have completely overwhelmed his enemy. But still they were more on an equality than they had been, Philip gaining experience which was far more valuable to him than any mere access of force. In 1198 Richard made a great step, by securing the crown of Germany for his nephew, the son of Henry, the Lion of Saxony, who had been brought up at the English court, and was, of course, in the closest alliance with his benefactor. With Otho’s aid he drew in all the Flemish nobles and the Low Country Germans, who hated the Hohenstaufen, and so hated their ally the King of France not only as a bad neighbor but as an ally of the Emperor. This confederation might ultimately have been successful if Richard had lived to guide it. He had at last by patient and forgiving kindness drawn John from Philip’s side; he had got the King of Scots also safe under his influence. [Sidenote: Death of Richard, 1199. ]