Show A THE WORLDS GREAT EVENTS I 1 i ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE 1 T t by dodd boid company Comp tny barbarossa A GERMAN lad nearly eight hana bana dred years ngo ago made charlemagne his model in life find resolved to duplicate the french kings feats end win the same power and glory like ranny many another historical celebrity the german youth was rod red haired from this fact his italian enemies later nicknamed him barbarossa red beard ills his Christl christian name nama was frederick anil and he was nephew of conrad emperor of germany charlemagne had one erly early advantage over barbarossa for he heir to the throne while virile conrad had a son of his own yet so cleverly did the young barbarossa arrange matters that he and not this rightful heir was chosen by conrad as his successor the people ratified the choice and on conrads death in 1152 barbarossa then twenty nine years yeara old came to the throne lie ile found germany in no enviable condition disputes lad had arisen among the petty principalities of the country and under conrads easy rule the ties of allegiance had weakened moreover germanys germanas Germ anys claims to suzerainty in italy and other lands had been allowed to lapse laps altogether barbarossa had a very poor start in his plat plas of rivaling Charle magnes greatness in no way discouraged at the gloomy prospect the tha young king set to work at once reconciling the differences among the home principalities and making decidedly advantageous alliances and treaties for himself at home and abroad unlike most medieval heroes he was arn more re than a mere warrior lie he was also a shrewd politician and an adept in the art of cajoling when coercion failed in this way he proceeded to strengthen and consolidate germany into a compact contented nation he then made municipal 11 and civic reforms promoted the cause of education and culture and started germany once more upon the path of progress having accomplished these tremendous tasks barbarossa turned busat his attention to the italians who had shaken off germanys germanas Germ anys yoke the milanese who ruled much of the northern part of italy had maltreated mal treated german subjects barbarossa at the head of an army marched against these rebels conquered them and laid waste northern italy having thus avenged hla his subjects rent real or fancied wrongs lie marched over the apennines upon rome and there on june 38 8 1155 he was crowned holy roman emperor tile the resemblance to charlemagne being thus far carried out lie hurried back bach to germany whence tidings had come of 0 robber knights and barons abo ft ho taking advantage of their emperors absence had set out on a highhanded course of misrule barbarossa wasted little eme in crush crushing lug these oppressors lie ile then resumed ills plans of conquest cy by diplomacy more than by force he won abe he allegiance of poland of hungary of bohemia and the powerful french nc of burgundy lie he then went back to italy and besieged and captured miln milan the pope noting this rapid acquisition of power demanded that barbarossa become a papal vassal barbarossa calmly refused defused refused and showed himself himsel fable able and ready to enforce ills hla refusal the pope for the time withdrew ills demands but it was soon a after tills this that barbarossa scandalized christendom by practically declaring war on the vatican the dispute was purely political and cast no reflection on the emperors I 1 religious faith alexander ill III was pope barbarossa Bai Bail barossa iarossa favored an antl anti popes claims alexander promptly excommunicated him barbarossa in retaliation stormed rome arid and took possession of the vatican italy held bet its breath at sueh such sacrilege but even while the world looked on spellbound a pestilence swept the german army at rome sent ns as alexander declared in punishment for blasphemous conduct and of all that vast host only a scattered remnant returned alive to germany at sight bight of this weakening of their dreaded ala matters forces the cities of lombardy italy formed a confederation cra against giai barossa utterly routing him in battle at lignano the emperor was crushed under ills his f falling ailing horle hore an aind left fr on oil the field tor for dead rut cut within three days lie reappeared miraculously it was thought at the head of ills his surviving troops at it pavla pavia ills plans were vere defeated ills his great for power cr apparently gone knottier another man mail would have despaired cut but barbarossa merely exchanged war once more for diplomacy lie ile alexander as the true pope arid and by various crafty maneuvers of wire ware pull ing frig and statesmanship regained political control of italy not content with this it set forth to capture the holy bioly land from the turks he won two fIe victories in asia aia minor but before ho he could reach palestine itself lie was drowned in 1100 fiille alle trying to cross a river an inglorious death for the hero here who had find conquered and ruled the greater part of the continent ot of europe I 1 Carba Barba rossas achievement sIn behalf of ills his native land marked a distinct epoch in history lie ile helped on tt if cause of tile the people by lly granting right reglita ana franchises to cities and set a world example of model and gilve ive government civilization and the throve under his wise reign |