Part IIIc Row, row, row, your boat…
1097 AD –
(Early January) After months of negotiation Matilda reached a tentative deal with the great cities of Northern Italy. This charter will become known as the Ovatio Pactio (The lesser bargain or lesser contract) but is generally known as the City Charter. The Charter agreed to the following.
All cities that agreed to this charter:
Are exempted from their feudal obligations toward the feudatories on their territory
Allowed to establish trade fairs
Create a government to run their respective cities as the citizens of said cities see fit (Two slight amendments were added to this, the local bishop or their representative was to be represented in government if the bishop chose to do so, and an observer appointed by the King of Italy is allowed to be present at all official government meetings.) [This was important to get Pisa on board as it was a promise that Henry IV gave them in 1077 but was forced to withdraw to secure his freedom.]
Allowed to administer high justice (An amendment was added that allowed an accused person(s) to appeal to the King of Italy for clemency in the Court of Justice, in Pavia, if the accused is a citizen from a city different from the one administrating high justice, and that city has signed the Charter.)
In exchange for these rights the cities had to yield the following:
A set payment of gold/silver paid twice per year, in January and October (This set payment is different for each city and for some is just a lump sum for others it is a percentage.)
Agree to bring all issues between cities and their feudatories to the Court of Justice in Pavia.
In addition to the Charter several other agreements were handled. Matilda agreed to levy a uniform duty for those traveling across Canossa lands and provide safe passage for those travelers. Also the Court of Justice in Pavia was to be solely funded by House Canossa (much of it would actually be funded by Boniface from his Duchy of Lombardy since it was being built in his capital).
(Late February) Minor nobles throughout Northern Italy angered by Matilda’s agreement with the cities begin to plot against her.
(Early March) In an effort to not appear weak after his recent defeats Clement III launched an attack towards the city of Bologna from his stronghold in Ravenna. Clement’s forces successfully begin the siege of the city.
(Late March) Sensing an opportunity while the bulk of Clement’s forces are invested in the siege of Bologna Boniface decided to make a daring gamble. Gathering his army in Rimini Boniface marched north. That same day Boniface hired several Venetian ships that had docked in Rimini, loaded them with some of his men, and under the command of one of his trusted lieutenants set sail upon a critical mission. They, under the cloak of night, gained access to Ravenna’s harbor and opened the nearest gate allowing Boniface’s troops in (Historical documents say that they used tiny brass mirrors to signal to the ships during the day when they were ready for them to proceed into the harbor.). The cities defenders outnumbered and surprised were quickly subdued (many surrendered) only Clement’s personal guard gave up much of a fight.
With Clement secured, the city surrendered and his forces elsewhere melted away. Sinigaglia, Ancona, and Faenza within days of having heard Clement had been captured quickly disposed of the few diehards remaining and welcomed Boniface’s troops. Only Ferrara remained as a group of mercenaries, at the demise of Clement, had declared that their captain was now lord of the city. Godfrey, who had joined his brother in Ravenna, took a force north to rid Ferrara of these pests, but by the time he had arrived the citizens had risen up and at great cost cleansed their city of this false lord and his gang. (No direct documentation exists that corroborates a text written fifty years later that the people of Ferrara had risen up after it was rumored that these mercenaries had raped several nuns in a small church within the city. The actual reason is lost to history but the text previously mentioned is doubtful in that it is written after the Church reforms that heavily slant Clement III as being more an anti-Christ than and anti-pope. It also fails to take in account the time difference between when Clement III was captured and when the supposed actions of the mercenaries took place.)
(Early April) Guibert (Clement III) is taken to Rome to meet with Urban II.
(Late April) A broad but scattered rebellion of minor nobles began within the Canossa domains. Their main grievance is the effect the Charter had on them or the agreement to create a uniform duty which would be going solely to Canossa [and not them].
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Part IIId next week, same AH time, same AH channel. (As I have time of course.)
1097 AD –
(Early January) After months of negotiation Matilda reached a tentative deal with the great cities of Northern Italy. This charter will become known as the Ovatio Pactio (The lesser bargain or lesser contract) but is generally known as the City Charter. The Charter agreed to the following.
All cities that agreed to this charter:
Are exempted from their feudal obligations toward the feudatories on their territory
Allowed to establish trade fairs
Create a government to run their respective cities as the citizens of said cities see fit (Two slight amendments were added to this, the local bishop or their representative was to be represented in government if the bishop chose to do so, and an observer appointed by the King of Italy is allowed to be present at all official government meetings.) [This was important to get Pisa on board as it was a promise that Henry IV gave them in 1077 but was forced to withdraw to secure his freedom.]
Allowed to administer high justice (An amendment was added that allowed an accused person(s) to appeal to the King of Italy for clemency in the Court of Justice, in Pavia, if the accused is a citizen from a city different from the one administrating high justice, and that city has signed the Charter.)
In exchange for these rights the cities had to yield the following:
A set payment of gold/silver paid twice per year, in January and October (This set payment is different for each city and for some is just a lump sum for others it is a percentage.)
Agree to bring all issues between cities and their feudatories to the Court of Justice in Pavia.
In addition to the Charter several other agreements were handled. Matilda agreed to levy a uniform duty for those traveling across Canossa lands and provide safe passage for those travelers. Also the Court of Justice in Pavia was to be solely funded by House Canossa (much of it would actually be funded by Boniface from his Duchy of Lombardy since it was being built in his capital).
(Late February) Minor nobles throughout Northern Italy angered by Matilda’s agreement with the cities begin to plot against her.
(Early March) In an effort to not appear weak after his recent defeats Clement III launched an attack towards the city of Bologna from his stronghold in Ravenna. Clement’s forces successfully begin the siege of the city.
(Late March) Sensing an opportunity while the bulk of Clement’s forces are invested in the siege of Bologna Boniface decided to make a daring gamble. Gathering his army in Rimini Boniface marched north. That same day Boniface hired several Venetian ships that had docked in Rimini, loaded them with some of his men, and under the command of one of his trusted lieutenants set sail upon a critical mission. They, under the cloak of night, gained access to Ravenna’s harbor and opened the nearest gate allowing Boniface’s troops in (Historical documents say that they used tiny brass mirrors to signal to the ships during the day when they were ready for them to proceed into the harbor.). The cities defenders outnumbered and surprised were quickly subdued (many surrendered) only Clement’s personal guard gave up much of a fight.
With Clement secured, the city surrendered and his forces elsewhere melted away. Sinigaglia, Ancona, and Faenza within days of having heard Clement had been captured quickly disposed of the few diehards remaining and welcomed Boniface’s troops. Only Ferrara remained as a group of mercenaries, at the demise of Clement, had declared that their captain was now lord of the city. Godfrey, who had joined his brother in Ravenna, took a force north to rid Ferrara of these pests, but by the time he had arrived the citizens had risen up and at great cost cleansed their city of this false lord and his gang. (No direct documentation exists that corroborates a text written fifty years later that the people of Ferrara had risen up after it was rumored that these mercenaries had raped several nuns in a small church within the city. The actual reason is lost to history but the text previously mentioned is doubtful in that it is written after the Church reforms that heavily slant Clement III as being more an anti-Christ than and anti-pope. It also fails to take in account the time difference between when Clement III was captured and when the supposed actions of the mercenaries took place.)
(Early April) Guibert (Clement III) is taken to Rome to meet with Urban II.
(Late April) A broad but scattered rebellion of minor nobles began within the Canossa domains. Their main grievance is the effect the Charter had on them or the agreement to create a uniform duty which would be going solely to Canossa [and not them].
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Part IIId next week, same AH time, same AH channel. (As I have time of course.)
