Going to Canossa - a North Italian AAR

Federigo's Crusade



Young Federigo was by all accounts a successful ruler despite various difficulties he faced during his reign. Under his rule, Toscana flourished as new churches, monasteries, schools, roads, and castles were built. He was also considered a very pious ruler, giving many grants to the monasteries who in his reign achieved religious dominance. Federigo's piety also reflected onto his personal life, which he led in a chaste and temperate manner. However, despite his piety, his inborn pride from his ancient dynasty caused several disagreements with the Church and Papacy, and would eventually lead to events of pan-Christian significance.

Shortly after the death of his mother, Federigo set his sights on the Norman county of Capua. Ever since the Normans had arrived in the south, there was intense rivalry between them and the northern Italians. Federigo wanted to extend his power southwards, and demanded submission from count Jordan of Aversa, but this was rebuffed. So Federigo raised his forces and marched through Siena and Spoleto on Capua. The Norman army, supported only by the poor county, could not withstand Tuscan might and submitted to Federigo in April 1096. Indeed, the Normans had greatly mismanaged the county and it had wallowed in poverty, but under Federigo's rule the thieves plaguing it were driven out and trade and production were expanded. Several years later it was made a bishopric.

Federigo's mad sister, Stefania, was lacking suitors as understandably nobody wanted an insane wife. Eventually however, a husband was found for her. Chiaffredo the Jovial, a native Florentine merchant, agreed to marry Stefania as it would give him a way into nobility. Three months after the wedding, by what many considered a miracle, Stefania regained her sanity, going on to bear Chiaffredo a son and several daughters. Several years later, after old steward Thietmar died from worms in his stomach, Chiaffredo was made the new steward of Toscana, and administered its incomes successfully for many years.



But what God giveth, God taketh away, and a year later Federigo's second son Tibaldo was struck with leprosy. The boy was terribly depressed by his affliction, and took to killing small animals, gorging himself on food, and otherwise engaging in reckless behavior, until his death three years later.

As the century drew to a close, Federigo decided to heed the Pope's call to crusade. He gathered his armies and marched to Rome, from where he embarked upon ships to Sicily, at that time held by a patchwork of petty Arab sheikdoms. He first landed near Trapani, engaging the Saracens, and led his forced somewhat ineptly, though heroically. The battle was saved by the timely intervention of his brother, the dwarf Eugenio, and Trapani fell in December 1099. Federigo then advanced to Palermo, where Eugenio once again distinguished himself with valor, to the amazement of many who had once mocked his short stature. After that, Federigo shaped up as well, and led his forces with zeal and courage to take Agrigento and Siracusa. Sadly, during the siege of Siracusa old marshal Ruggiero died, but Federigo soon promoted Antonio di Tarantasia, a knight who was the first to go over the walls of the city, as his new marshal. On November 1st, 1100, Federigo was crowned Duke of Sicily by the new bishop of Agrigento with the Pope's blessings. His triumph was marred only by the news of the death of his sister Giovanna, who had borne five sons and three daughters to the count of La Marche.



Federigo's domains were now becoming quite wealthy, and to increase their prosperity he allowed many Jews to settle in Sicily. This earned him criticism by some clergymen, but he would not be swayed. Later he would rely on loans from the Jews to finance his building projects, and protected them against pogroms by local townsfolk and passing crusaders. Indeed, from that time Sicily grew in population and formed one of the richest parts of the Canossa domains.

In July 1104, Pope Gregory VII passed away, and the Cardinals elected an Englishman, the bishop of Devon Richard, son of the late William the Conqueror and brother of King Robert of England. Richard became known as Victor III; not surprisingly, his royal brother wielded great influence over him and soon Norman power was again on the rise. Dissatisfied, Federigo decided to weaken the Papacy by pressing his claims on Orvieto, for the insult once done to his brother Paolo. Little did he know that his pride would cause a catastrophe of world-shattering proportions...

Semi-Lobster said:

I have no idea what's going to happen next but when it comes to messing with the Pope I can assume this probably won't end well. Great update though, are you gunning for the title of the Duke of Sicily?

Click to expand...

Federigo is already Duke of Sicily, he claimed it as soon as he conquered the Muslims there.

As for what happened next, the next update will explain...

Federigo's Pride

In October 1104, Federigo marched on Orvieto, seeking to oust Iacopo Orsini. Predictably, Pope Victor III came to his vassal's defense, for the Orsini were an important Roman family that held great influence. Soon, German King Heinrich IV was marching across the Alps to interfere in the struggle. What was worse, the Roman Emperor Constantine XI (also known as Gagik Diogenes) joined his ally Germany in the attack.

Undaunted, Federigo arrived with his army at the walls of Orvieto in December. There, news reached him that Pope Victor had passed away, and Saumai de Toulouse, the bishop of Narbonne, was now elected as Sylvester IV. Rome was in chaos after a Papal reign of less than six months, and Federigo was able to take Orvieto virtually unopposed. Then he marched on Rome, and the new Pope had no choice but to allow Federigo to enter the city with his army. Sylvester formally blessed Federigo and confirmed his possession of Orvieto, which was granted to Ercole, eldest son of Paolo. Many in the Christian world were unhappy with such humiliation of the Vicar of Christ, however.

But that was not the worst yet. After Federigo left, in July 1105 also King Heinrich entered Rome with his army. To the horror of many, the Germans pillaged the city, and Heinrich forced the Pope to perform Imperial coronation. Many of Heinrich's vassals were outraged at his actions, and a civil war started when the Duke of Swabia led the rebellion against him.

All this was for nought as in November, the Roman Emperor arrived at the gates of Rome. He promptly declared the Pope deposed and took possession of the City of Saint Peter. Sylvester fled to his brother's court in Toulouse, while the Catholic world stood in shock at what had just happened. The clergy issued calls for a crusade to liberate Rome, but nobody could match Roman strength and the city remained in the Emperor's hands. Thus it was that Federigo's family pride destroyed the Papacy.

The next year, Federigo's mad brother Paolo died of pneumonia and depression. Federigo, meanwhile, continued to expand his domains. Late summer and early fall of 1106 saw the conquest of Corsica, whose local ruler was deposed. Soon Federigo made his nephew, Paolo's second son Cataldo, the bishop of Corsica. A short time later, an old local Corsican lord died, willing his small fief to Federigo; but along with that fief came a claim on Arborea, a county in neighboring Sardinia.

Meanwhile, Federigo's eldest son Sante had come of age. He was much unlike his father, a weak, mild, and poor-skilled man. Nonetheless, Federigo set about seeking a wife for him. A few years before, he had inherited a tract of land in Romagna that included a claim on Ancona. Ancona was at that time ruled by the German margraves of the von Lenzburg family. The margrave at the time, Otto, had only daughters, and so it was agreed that Sante would marry his eldest daughter Helene and their children would inherit Ancona. Old Otto, who could not expect to sire sons anymore, accepted this arrangement. Sante was then given Spoleto to learn the ways of rulership.

Federigo steadily continued to expand his influence. In 1108, the bishop of Orbetello, formerly a Papal vassal, accepted Federigo's offer of protection, not wanting to lose his bishopric to the Romans. In late 1109, Federigo marched south, defeating the Greek count of Napoli and adding that wealthy city to his personal demesne. In early 1110, the Duke sailed to Sardinia, where he pressed his claim on Arborea, fighting heroically to take the city. A few years later, in late 1113, he also took Cagliari, and was crowned Duke of Sardinia. At that time, Federigo also began to seriously think about retaking Rome for Catholicism, though he was yet not strong enough to directly challenge the Romans, now ruled by Alexios I Komnenos.

As Federigo's expansionist wars went on, he honored his distinguished marshal, Antonio di Tarantasia, with the hand of his eldest daughter Flora. Shortly afterwards he gave the county of Arborea to the couple. He then promoted Gregorio Segni, a knight of exceptional wisdom for his youth, to the marshal position, and gave him his second daughter Francesca in marriage.



In late 1111 Federigo had a falling out with his nephew Ercole, the count of Orvieto. It seemed that Ercole married a daughter of the Duke of Toulouse, who himself had no sons. Thus in time, Ercole's sons would inherit Toulouse, and naturally come under the lordship of the King of France. Federigo could not allow even the poor Orvieto to slip from his grasp, and thus he deposed Ercole and gave the city as a bishopric to his brother, Eugenio the Dwarf. Furious, Ercole and his children left for Toulouse, and there would be bad blood between the two branches of the family for years afterwards; this was exacerbated by the fact that Pope Sylvester IV had been an uncle of Ercole's wife. Ercole died a few years later, before his father-in-law the Duke of Toulouse; his only surviving son Ausonio, heir-apparent to Toulouse, was afflicted with split personality, and contact was lost for a time. Only Ercole's brother Cataldo, bishop of Corsica, remained loyal to Federigo.



In the meantime Federigo's second living son Gerardo became infamous for his uncontrolled spending of money. Disappointed that both his sons were so poor, Federigo sent Gerardo away to be the count of Palermo. In the meantime Sante had had two sons, of whom the elder, Rafaello, seemed to be as poor as his father, while the younger, Orlando, showed more promise. Knowing that with the primogeniture laws of his land Rafaello would eventually inherit, Federigo decided to take matters into his own hands. A nurse foolishly left young Rafaello unattended near the stables, and returned to find the boy's skull shattered by a kick from a stallion. The nurse soon regretted and confessed that she had been paid by Federigo's men to leave the boy so. The tale spread, and Federigo's actions were condemned greatly; but Sante was too terrified of his father to take revenge. Federigo's wife Alisia, however, was greatly depressed by her husband's actions, and died of broken heart in December 1116. Sante's own wife, Helene von Lenzburg, died of childbirth that same year, and he soon married Flora, a daughter of the count of Monferrato.

It was Federigo's nephew Giacinto, son of his sister Stefania and the steward Chiaffredo, who made him most happy. It was said of Giacinto that he possessed a touch of gold, and could squeeze florins from a pile of manure. Soon, Chiaffredo was allowed to retire and was made the count of Cagliari, while Giacinto assumed his father's duties as steward. Indeed, under the Borromeo stewards, Firenze flourished; this time saw the building of new schools, the Monastery of San Marco, the Church of San Lorenzo, and a chapterhouse for the Knights Templar. New settlers were also invited from Germany, and were settled in Sicily where they soon congregated in Siracusa. Feasts held in the Ducal Palace were a regular occurence as well. Indeed, Federigo even considered naming Giacinto his successor, despite the rights of his own sons.



In spring 1118, Federigo decided to strike against Norman power in southern Italy. He advanced on the bishopric of Benevento, and predictably Duke Osmond of Apulia marched to defend his vassal. On the last day of April, Federigo's forces stormed Benevento though day and night. The next day, the bad news hit the army - the Duke was captured by the Norman defenders, and was held in the city for ransom. A parley was called and marshal Gregorio Segni started negotiating the ransom amount. A sum was eventually agreed on and the ransom was set for the next day. But something went wrong. The men sent to deliver the ransom somehow disappeared, and soon news came that Federigo was killed in an escape attempt. The Tuscans resumed their assault of the city, and took it by the end of May, only to find their Duke dead. Osmond of Apulia, beleaguered by Roman and German attacks, acknowledged the city's loss and did not press the matter further.

But the mystery of Federigo's death was still unresolved. Nobody knew what monstrous betrayal could have achieved such a thing, nor who had orchestrated it. The duke's son Sante was hastily called from Spoleto, and arrived with his family in July to claim his father's titles, adding to them the Ducal title of Benevento. Federigo's body was laid to rest in the Church of San Lorenzo which he had built.

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Canossa genealogy updated to Sante's ascension.

Nikolai said:

Hmmm... I guess many people could be responsible with such a enemy-infested man in charge... Is Sante of good stats?

Click to expand...

As the storyteller I know who is responsible, of course... all will be revealed in time. As for Sante, he is the "hero" of the next update, you will surely see him in action there.

A trooper: Per the genealogy file, he is about 33 (born 1085, crowned 1118).

Henry v. Keiper:

Restoration of the Papacy





At Sante's ducal coronation, Toscana controlled a vast domain spread all over Italy. Yet the new Duke was not up to the task of ruling it. He was weak and unskilled, and in practice the duchy was ruled by his wife, Flora of Monferrato, who controlled the realm's spy network. Above all, the duchess hated her stepson Orlando, son of Sante's first, German wife. Flora wanted the duchy passed to her own children, and for a while it was a source of great frustration for her that she gave her husband no living sons, after her eldest, Bernabo, had died in infancy. In December 1120, however, she gave birth to a healthier boy, Giorgio, and three years later another son, Cosma, was born.



With Flora's help, the duchy's marshal Gregorio Segni, Sante's brother-in-law, also became an important influence in ducal politics. There were even rumors that Flora and Gregorio were lovers, though nothing was ever proven. Through their influence, steward Giacinto Borromeo, the late Federigo's favorite, was forced to give up his position. His place was taken by an older man, Valerio Colleoni, who was completely in Flora's pocket.

In January 1121, two important deaths changed the politlcal landscape of Europe. The German king Konrad III died, leaving his realm split between his two sons, Ulrich inheriting the kingdoms of Germany and Italy and young Werner getting Burgundy. Moreover, the same month saw the death of Roman Emperor Andreas I Kabakes, who left the Empire to his son Nikolaos I. Nikolaos, unlike his father, was an extremely poor administrator and warrior, and soon faced rebellions in various parts of the Empire. Flora and Gregorio, eager to increase Toscana's influence, decided to take this opportunity.

In February, Toscana declared war on the Roman Empire, and the new king Ulrich soon joined in. Tuscan armies converged on Rome, and despite his wife's warnings, Sante decided to lead his forces himself. The month of May saw intense fighting on the outskirts of the city as more and more Greek armies disembarked. Sante displayed skills beyond the expectations of many, but it was not enough. The Greeks overwhelmed his forces and finally the Tuscans fled, having lost half their number.



Now down to less than ten thousand men, Toscana's situation looked grim. King Ulrich was fighting rebels in Germany and was unlikely to come to Italy's aid. In August Napoli was lost as the Greeks stormed its walls, while the Tuscans regrouped in Siena. But a stroke of luck saved them from total destructions. Faced with increasing rebellions at home, Emperor Nikolaos recalled the bulk of his forces to Bulgaria, where the fighting was hardest.

Marshal Gregorio quickly convinced Sante that he should stay home. The Duke did not need to be told twice and returned to his wife in Firenze, while Gregorio marched again on Rome. With no defenders left, the city surrendered in September, its Catholic inhabitants welcoming Tuscan armies as liberators. Marching south, Gregorio liberated Napoli in October and then took Salerno in December. Messages were dispatched to Constantinople with offers of truce, but Nikolaos refused them.

Seeing that he needed a more decisive victory to convince the Emperor, Gregorio crossed the Apennines and set sail from Bari, crossing the Adriatic and landing at Dyrrachion in April 1122. He then marched east across the Balkans, passing Ochrid and arriving at Thessalonica in July. With no Greek armies in sight, the city quickly surrendered, and Gregorio occupied Thessalia by the end of summer. Quickly crossing the Aegean on local ships, he landed at Kaliopolis, taking it in October. There, word reached him that the Emperor had returned from Bulgaria and was about to retake Thessalonica and Thessalia. Boldly, Gregorio marched east towards Constantinople with barely five thousand men left and laid siege to the city.

The marshal skillfully positioned archers and ballistae near the Golden Horn, preventing supplies from reaching the city. Finally, having exhausted the citizens after several months, he launched an assault across a weak spot in the wall, and his five thousand penetrated the city. The Tuscans quickly made their way to the Imperial Palace, where they took the Emperor's family hostage just days before he himself arrived at Constantinople. With his family in danger, Nikolaos agreed to grant safe passage to the Tuscan army and to give up Rome and Salerno, his remaining Italian possessions.

With Rome liberated, Toscana was hailed by the Catholic world. Though it was solely the achievement of Gregorio Segni, Sante was able to turn the situation to his own advantage, for though he was unskilled in other things, intrigue was one of his stronger points. Before the marshal returned to Italy, the Duke had recalled the exiled Pope Sylvester IV and bestowed Rome upon him. The Pope returned the favor by crowning Sante Duke of Campania. Understandably, upon his return Gregorio Segni was quite upset to discover that his campaign brought him no credit. Sante himself, however, was not able to enjoy the full fruits of victory either, for the Pope soon fell under the influence of his brother, Duke Nereu of Toulouse.



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Before anyone asks, yes, the recreation of the Papal States was done via editing.