CHAP.

XIII.

1239-1241.

apparatus required for throwing stones. Frederick sternly chid this Official for his frivolous subterfuges, and ordered the engine to be sent from the Castle of Antrodoco.

Amidst all these preparations for war, we catch every now and then a glimpse of the arts of peace. The Emperor had had some statues brought by sea to Naples; it is highly probable that these came from Pisa, the cradle of Italian sculpture. He ordered his stone treasures to be carried carefully on the necks of men to his Palace at Lucera. One of the great works of antiquity engaged his attention; the pipes which carried off the water from Lake Fucino stood much in need of opening and cleaning, owing to age and unworkmanlike repairs; the inhabitants of the district complained, and Frederick ordered the superfluous water of the lake to be drained off to the glory of his name and to the profit of his lieges.'

He

Other works were not equally favoured. ordered the Franciscan convent near the harbour of Palermo to be pulled down, and forbade it to be rebuilt. He wrote to the burghers of that city, whose loyalty he highly praised, assuring them that his bodily health was good, and that he was refreshing his weary limbs with the delightful rest of his Kingdom, although looking forward to another campaign against the rebels in Northern Italy. He once more appointed Andrew of Cicala and Roger of Amici Captains over the realm during his absence, laying down many rules for their guidance. He ordered his various Ministers at Court to hand in their accounts. But now the happy days, which he had spent at Foggia and Lucera with his, falcons and

leopards, were drawing to an end. The war in the North had been carried on without a moment's cessation during his absence, of which fact envoys from Pavia and Lodi had come to remind him. Late in May we find Frederick at Capua, where his army was to assemble, and where he had invited the Archbishops of Naples and Brindisi to meet him. He ravaged the lands of Benevento, the siege of which was to be prosecuted in his absence. The eighth of June had been appointed for the review of his troops. Each province was to send its picked contingent, the whole amounting to about two hundred and fifty knights, few of whom however brought their own harness. Each was allowed ten ounces of gold for two months' pay. The whole army marched by Teano to San Germano, where it halted for six days. Frederick was now about to enter the Campagna, the only province belonging to Rome which was heartily opposed to the claims of the Empire. He had long before forbidden all intercourse between this district and the Kingdom, and had been very angry on hearing that some of his subjects had bartered goats and corn for salt, which might be had cheap in the Papal dominions.* Neither silver, nor gold, nor suffering,' says Gregory's biographer, 'could drive the Campagna to forsake the laws of its Father.' Certain it is that Frederick did not enter it; he himself says in a letter that he refrained from invading it out of reverence to God and the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, from whose altar he had received his diadem.

* All these details, relating to Sicily during Frederick's visit, may be found in his Regesta for 1240, and in Richard of San Germano.

СНАР.

XIII. 1239-1241.

CHAP.
XIII.

1239-1241.

The truth was, that the new Master of the Teutonic Order had just come to Rome, armed with recommendations from almost every great Prince in Germany, and was striving hard to make a truce between the Pope and the Emperor. Frederick, as is plain from his letters, fully expected that peace would now be made. But Gregory, highly to his honour, insisted on the Lombard rebels being included in the treaty; and so the whole undertaking miscarried. The Emperor fell ill, overcome by the heat of July; but soon recovering, and taking credit to himself for exchanging his easy life in Apulia for the dust of a summer campaign, he led his army by way of Sora through the Abruzzi. On the 11th of July we find him besieging Ascoli to the North of the Tronto; and this town kept him before it for at least a week. The Pope, anxious for the safety of Spoleto, garrisoned it with two hundred knights, led by Thomas Count of Molise, the Apulian rebel.* Frederick wrote to his son Conrad in a lofty strain; Though the chief priests and Pharisees have taken counsel against Christ the Lord, though a blasphemer has arisen against the Roman Chief; yet, thanks to God who resisteth the proud, the high priest is begging for peace. But we shall march on with mighty hand and stretched-out arm, having procured abundance of resources from our Kingdom; and we shall compel him to repent and to respect the Holy Empire and our person.'

Before proceeding to describe Frederick's Romagnole Campaign, we must look back to the state of Lombardy at the end of 1239. As soon as the Em

Ric. San Germano.

CHAP.

XIII.

peror had quitted the stubborn walls of Milan and Piacenza, and had marched into Tuscany after disbanding his army, the Papal Legate in the North 1239–1241. prepared for offensive measures. In December, Montelongo held a grand council at Bologna, where all the Guelf confederates in the North attended him, and where Azzo of Este renewed his oath to the Church.* It is impossible to help admiring the stirring energy of Montelongo. In February he dealt the blow which he had long been aiming, and fastened upon Ferrara.

This city makes but little show in the wars of the age; but its annals being uninteresting, its prosperity was great. It had thriven for fifteen years under the mild rule of Salinguerra, a noble specimen of the Ghibelline aristocracy-wise, brave, merciful, powerful, and wealthy. He had succeeded to his father's authority long before this time; his great age had made him a connecting link between the days of Frederick the First and those of Frederick the Second, between Lignano and Cortenuova. He had maintained a fierce struggle with Azzo the elder at the beginning of the century, in the course of which thirty-two towers had been demolished, and one party had driven out the other at least ten times. But these evil days were now over; Salinguerra was one of the best rulers of the age. It is mentioned as a distinguishing mark of Ferrara, that none but criminals were there driven into banishment. It was plentifully supplied with provisions, brought up the Po. Its two great fairs, at Easter and Martinmas, each of which lasted a fortnight, were frequented by

Savioli.

CHAP.

XIII.

1239-1241.

merchants from all parts of Italy and France. The public treasury was so rich, that there was always a surplus to be divided among the citizens; and every man rated his income as high as he could, to get more out of the public purse. The rich, more especially Salinguerra himself, would sell their corn to the poor at a very low price in times of scarcity. The plebeians were naturally on the side of their benefactor, but most of the nobles were Guelfs. Salinguerra however contrived to keep on good terms both with the Emperor and with the Bolognese, who were staunch to the Church. He had been persuaded by Eccelin, his brother-in-law, to espouse Frederick's cause in 1236, and had afterwards appeared in the Ghibelline camp. He was therefore hated by Philip, the Bishop elect of Ferrara, a stirring politician. The Ferrarese and the Venetians had committed various acts of piracy upon each other, which made war imminent. But Salinguerra was now not far from fourscore; his only son was an idiot; and Ramberti, upon whom he most relied, was a traitor. The golden days of Ferrara were soon to pass away.

Pope Gregory had begged the Doge of Venice to join in the enterprise contemplated by the Guelfs of the North, and to help the Legate. Stephen Badoer, a brave and skilful soldier, was chosen Captain of the Venetian forces. He led eight galleys, besides other vessels, with which early in February he sailed up the Po, and met the Marquess of Este with the Ferrarese Guelfs, and Regnier Zeno, who was Podesta of Bologna. The allies began operations by attacking and burning Salinguerra's bridge over the Po, although it was stoutly defended. The Mantuans took a tower on the Southern bank and broke a chain