74 HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



Ba\^ria. Frederic also sought to re-establish the imperial power in Italy 

 bj many a hard battle ; after which, he was compelled to conclude an 

 armistice for six years, with his rebellious subjects in Italy, who had com- 

 pletely defeated him at Lignano, 1176. Henry the Lion having deserted 

 his cause in this decisive battle, and thereby principally caused his defeat, 

 Frederic, on his return to Germany, confiscated his duchies and other fiefs, 

 which he distribute*! to others, allotting Saxony to Count Bernard of Anhalt, 

 son of Albert the Bear, who gave the first impulse to the importance of 

 Brandenburg ; while Bavaria was assigned to Palatine Otto of Wittelsbach, 

 tlie progenitor of the yet reigning house of Bavaria. Henry the Lion com- 

 menced an armed resistance, but was very soon humbled, and compelled to 

 throw himself on the clemency of the emperor. Frederic, in remembrance 

 of his former friendship, pardoned him, and restored to Henry his allodial 

 possessions, Brunswick and Luneburg; but at the same time banished 

 him for three years. The oflender passed his exile in England. 



At the expiration of the six years' armistice with the Lombards, peace 

 was fully concluded by the treaty of Constance, 1183. Frederic also became 

 reconciled to the jS'orman king of Lower Italy, who had allied himself with 

 the party of the Welphs ; and married his son to the I^orman princess 

 Constantia, heiress to Xaples and Sicily, in order to enhance the glory 

 of the house of Hohenstaufen. 



The aged Frederic, leaving the government of his empire to his son, later 

 known as emperor Henry YL, undertook, in the evening of his life, a 

 crusade to Jerusalem. But he was not permitted to gaze upon the tomb of 

 the Bedeemer. He died 1190 A.D., near the borders of Syria, to which, 

 after many dangers, he had led his triumphant hosts. 



Henry YL was inferior to his father in talents and virtue; and, though 

 he ascended the throne under more favorable circumstances than his father, 

 he was less successful. Through his cruelty, avarice, and perfidy, he 

 alienated the affections of his subjects, and, after a brief reign, died unre- 

 gretted, 1196. 



The German princes did not feel bound to recognise the claims of 

 Henry's infant ; and wishing at the same time to terminate the supremacy 

 of the Hohenstaufen, they elected Otto of Brunswick, son of Henry the 

 Lion. The Hohenstaufen party, in the meantime, chose Philip of Suabia, 

 who already governed as regent of the empire. Philip proved too crafty 

 and powerful for his rival. His cause was also strongly supported by Philip 

 Augustus, king of France, and for some time by Ottokar I., king of 

 /Bohemia, upon whom he had conferred the hereditary royalty. And 

 although subsequently Ottokar deserted him, several cities following his 

 example, and Pope Innocent IH. excommunicated him, Philip, nevertheless, 

 retained the support of the majority of the princes, and at last compelled 

 Otto lY. to flee to England. 



The crafty and daring pope availed himself of these civil dissensions in 



Germany, in order to augment his own power in Italy. With the cities of 



Lombardy he concluded an advantageous treaty (League of the Guelphs) 



against the emperor. Afterwards, however, he became umpire between 



246 



