DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.63447#0250
234 ' THE HISTORICAL PAST OF ITALY.
tendering the oaths of allegiance, we must bear in mind
the force of long ages of traditionary recognition of the
“ Imperial Suzeranity,” and the fact, never to be lost
sight of in mediaeval history, that the mutual envies,
aggressions, cruelty, and savage inhumanity the com-
munes exercised one to another disposed many of the
highest citizens to acknowledge, nominally a superior
lord who would in some degree protect them from such
conduct as Milan had shown towards Lodi, and certainly
would have inflicted on Pavia, if the opportunity occurred.
Every city then believed the destruction, by any means
whatsoever, of a rival city was an act of lawful and
commendable municipal virtue and vigour; and with life,
honour, and property at the mercy of passions such as
these raging but a few miles asunder—without even
alluding to the private deeds of atrocious violence and
revenge which darken the annals of Italy during the
wars of the communes—we cannot feel surprised if
the latter embraced eagerly the chance of protection and
of tranquillity. Except in the case of Tortona (which
was severely treated as a warning) the power of Frederick
had, as yet, not been harshly exercised in Lombardy;
on the contrary, his magnanimity in saving so wealthy
a city as Milan from the ra.pacity of his innumerable
hosts deserved gratitude and respect from those com-
munes, who could not but reflect on the different measure
Milan (although rebellious to Caesar) would have dealt to
them if rebellious to Milan.
The fact, unobserved, but which five hundred and
more years has confirmed, was even then notable, that,
when power was in their own hands, the insupportable
maltreatment by the Italians of their fellow-countrymen
has invariably made a large party in the Peninsula
thankful to appeal to the “stranger,” to secure to them
the rights of life and of property.
At the Diet of Roncaglia, it is certain that Frederick
showed no desire to conceal in any obscurity his rights
or his assertions of prerogatives. Passing aside the
usual gross flatteries of mere courtiers as unworthy of
tendering the oaths of allegiance, we must bear in mind
the force of long ages of traditionary recognition of the
“ Imperial Suzeranity,” and the fact, never to be lost
sight of in mediaeval history, that the mutual envies,
aggressions, cruelty, and savage inhumanity the com-
munes exercised one to another disposed many of the
highest citizens to acknowledge, nominally a superior
lord who would in some degree protect them from such
conduct as Milan had shown towards Lodi, and certainly
would have inflicted on Pavia, if the opportunity occurred.
Every city then believed the destruction, by any means
whatsoever, of a rival city was an act of lawful and
commendable municipal virtue and vigour; and with life,
honour, and property at the mercy of passions such as
these raging but a few miles asunder—without even
alluding to the private deeds of atrocious violence and
revenge which darken the annals of Italy during the
wars of the communes—we cannot feel surprised if
the latter embraced eagerly the chance of protection and
of tranquillity. Except in the case of Tortona (which
was severely treated as a warning) the power of Frederick
had, as yet, not been harshly exercised in Lombardy;
on the contrary, his magnanimity in saving so wealthy
a city as Milan from the ra.pacity of his innumerable
hosts deserved gratitude and respect from those com-
munes, who could not but reflect on the different measure
Milan (although rebellious to Caesar) would have dealt to
them if rebellious to Milan.
The fact, unobserved, but which five hundred and
more years has confirmed, was even then notable, that,
when power was in their own hands, the insupportable
maltreatment by the Italians of their fellow-countrymen
has invariably made a large party in the Peninsula
thankful to appeal to the “stranger,” to secure to them
the rights of life and of property.
At the Diet of Roncaglia, it is certain that Frederick
showed no desire to conceal in any obscurity his rights
or his assertions of prerogatives. Passing aside the
usual gross flatteries of mere courtiers as unworthy of