bach, and the Archbishop Conrad of Salzburg, uncle to the
Emperor, protested loudly against this usurpation. They were at once
declared enemies of the Empire, deprived of their bishoprics, and
forced to seek safety in Italy.

These brutal examples, however, produced the desired results; and the
orders of the powerful monarch were henceforward obeyed literally and
implicitly.

The position assumed by Henry of England towards Pope Alexander, also
favored Frederic's projects. The cruel and despotic English King ruled
his Church according to his own caprices. The cloisters and monasteries
were, in his opinion, mere places whence to draw supplies for his
material wants; and many of the bishoprics were left unoccupied, while
their revenues were appropriated to the royal treasury. The celebrated
St. Thomas a Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, resisted, with all his
energy, the tyranny of the sovereign; but at the royal instigation, he
was slain on the steps of the altar, and all friendly relations between
Alexander and Henry were suspended.

These circumstances came very opportunely to the aid of Frederic's
projects. Rinaldo was sent to London to contract an alliance with
England, and in order to cement it, a daughter of the King was
affianced to the son of Barbarossa, and Henry the Lion to another
princess of the royal family of England. Italy was quiet, although the
people chafed under the Imperial yoke, and were silently preparing for
revolt. The fire smouldered amid the ashes, but since the terrible
chastisement inflicted upon Milan, no city dared to raise the standard
of liberty.

In the year 1167, Barbarossa entered Italy with a numerous army and
marched towards Rome, from which he wished to expel Alexander, who had
returned to the city aided by King William of Naples. The Lombards had
hoped that Frederic's justice would alleviate their distress, and an
enormous crowd came with complaints against his Imperial agents. The
complaints were listened to, but the grievances were not often
redressed, and so soon as he was fairly on his way to Rome, the Lombard
confederation was formed. It was at first weak and secret, but still it
served as a happy presage and an encouragement to the oppressed
inhabitants.

Guido of Castellamare, faithful to his plighted word, remained at his
home and abstained from any hostile act.

Hermengarde was now nineteen years of age; she seldom left the solitary
castle in the valley, where, sinc