The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 06: (From Barbarossa to Dante)
Dante Alighieri · en
Naturally enough the disputed points were the most important ones, and
had to be referred to the consuls of Cremona. But the rage and
disappointment of the Lombards went beyond bounds when the different
decisions, which, indeed, were remarkably fair, at last were made
known. The Emperor was to exercise no prerogatives in Northern Italy
that had not been exercised in the time of Henry V; he was also to
sanction the continuance of the league. But no arrangement was made
for a peace between the heads of Christendom, although the league had
made this its first demand. Then, too, Alessandria, which Frederick
considered to have been founded in scorn of himself, was to cease to
exist, and its inhabitants were to return to their former homes.
The report of the consuls roused a storm of indignation; in many cases
the document embodying it was torn in shreds by the mob. The Lombards
altogether refused to be bound by the terms of the treaty, and
reopened hostilities. Frederick hastily gathered what forces he could
and sent a pressing call to Germany for aid.
It was now that the greatest vassal of the Crown, Henry the Lion,
rewarded twenty years of trustfulness and favor by deserting Frederick
in his hour of need. The only cause that is known, a strangely
insufficient one, was a dispute concerning the town of Goslar, which
the Emperor had withdrawn from Henry's jurisdiction. The details of
the meeting, which took place according to one chronicle at
Partenkirchen, to another at Chiavenna, are but vaguely known to us,
but Frederick is said to have prostrated himself at the feet of his
mighty subject and to have begged in vain for his support.
We have seen how Frederick, at the beginning of his reign, had caused
Henry, who was already in possession of Saxony, to be acknowledged
Duke of Bavaria in place of Henry Jasomirgott, who was conciliated by
the gift of the new duchy of Austria. From that moment Henry the
Lion's power had steadily grown. He increased his glory, and above all
his territory, by constant wars against the Wends, developing a
hitherto unheard-of activity in the matter of peopling Slavic lands
with German colonists. The bishoprics of Lubeck, Ratzeburg and
Schwerin owed to him their origin, while he it was who caused the
marshy lands around Bremen to be reclaimed and cultivated.
When, on various occasions, conspiracies were formed against Henry by
other Saxon nobles, the Emperor had boldly and successfully taken his
part, helping in person to quell the insurgents; in 1162 he had
prevented the Duke of Austria and the King of Bohemia from trying to
bring about their rival's downfall.
A marriage with Matilda, daughter of the King of England, had
increased the great Saxon's influence; and during the continued
absences of the Emperor in Italy his rule was kingly in all but name.
In 1171 he affianced his daughter to the son of King Waldemar of
Denmark, and by this alliance secured his new colonies from Danish
hostility.