76 HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



Enzius taken captive, his heart being overwhelmed with grief, especiallj 

 at the proscription of the church resting on him, he died in 1250. 



His son, Conrad lY., had to contend with the opposition of his rival, 

 William of Holland. He died, probably by poison, in 1254, the year of 

 Pope Innocent's decease. 



A sadder fate was awaiting his son Conradin. In his efforts to recover 

 from Prince Charles of Anjou his hereditary provinces of IsTaples and 

 Sicily, which the pope had given to the latter, himself and his friend 

 Frederic of Austria were taken prisoners. On the scaffold at ISTaples, the 

 royal youth, the last of the Hohenstaufen, fell under the executioner's 

 axe. 



During an interregnum of eighteen years, anarchy prevailed in Germany, 

 which was during that period ruled mostly by foreigners. At length Rudolph 

 of Hapsburg was elected by the German princes, 1273. He gained great 

 popularity by the evident capacity which he exhibited for government. A 

 true father of his people, he had nothing more at heart than to restore tran- 

 quillity to the empire. 



Ottokar II., king of Bohemia, having refused to recognise the authority 

 of Pudolph, was deprived of his dominions, and proscribed, 1277 ; he then 

 commenced a war, but perished in the unfortunate battle of March feld, 

 1278. His son, Wenceslaus II., retained Bohemia and Moravia ; but 

 Austria, Styria, and Carniola, the former fiefs of Ottokar by marriage, were 

 transferred to Eudolph's sons, Rudolph and Albert, 1282. Rudolph 

 managed to preserve friendly relations with the popes, and confirmed them 

 in their right to the papal states ; , but no persuasion could induce him to visit 

 Italy, in order to be crowned emperor. He failed in procuring the succession 

 for his son Albert, though he rendered his family strong and popular. He 

 died in 1291, and his body was deposited in the cathedral at Spire. 



After a brief interregnum^ Adolphus, Count of I^assau, was raised to the 

 dignity of emperor, 1291. He was, however, soon deposed, but not without 

 resistance. He lost both crown and life in the battle of Worms, 1298. 



The princes now supported the proud, imperious, and gloomy Albert I. 

 This emperor aimed only at personal aggrandizement ; but his ambitiou? 

 progress was boldly arrested by the free inhabitants of Switzerland. 

 Hitherto, the Swiss Cantons on the Yierwaldstadt Lake had recognised the 

 German rulers merely as liege lords, but Albert earnestly strove to attach 

 them to his empire. The Swiss rejected the interference of his wicked 

 governors, and drove them from the country, after the brave archer. Tell, 

 had killed Gessler, to which deed he had been provoked in a private but 

 just cause. 



Impelled by his courageous spirit, Albert again endeavored to subdue the 

 brave Swiss, but he fell, 1308, by the hands of his cousin John of Suabia, 

 whom he had despoiled of his patrimony. The Cantons of Switzerland now 

 formed the mutual alliance known as the Swiss Confederation, and bravely 

 fought for their liberties at Morgarten (1385), Sembach (1386), and IS'aefels 

 (1388). It was at Sembach that the celebrated Arnold of Winkelried so 

 nobly sacrificed himself for the good of his country, by burying in his own 

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