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...
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...