We venture to bespeak for BARBAROSSA a kind and gracious reception from the American public. It is a well told tale, which will afford real instruction, as well as pleasant amusement. It will serve to give true ideas about medieval history, and to make Catholics more interested in learning the truth about those real Pontiffs, who did battle for religion and the rights of man against the Kings and rulers of the day. We consider it a valuable contribution to our lighter literature, and we hope to see it followed by many others of the same purpose and object. The translator has done his work well, and we trust BARBAROSSA in its English dress will become a universal favorite.
J. K. PHILADELPHIA, _Ascension Day_, 1867.
I. INTRODUCTORY II. THE AMBUSCADE III. CHANCELLOR RINALDO IV. THE BATTLE V. AFTER THE VICTORY VI. THE COURT FOOL VII. FATHER AND DAUGHTER VIII. THE ABBOT CONRAD IX. FILIAL DEVOTION X. THE TEMPTER XI. THE JOURNEY XII. THE TOLL XIII. CASTELLAMARE XIV. THE SIEGE XV. THE ANTIPOPE XVI. THE EMPEROR'S SLAVE XVII. AN EVIL SPIRIT XVIII. CONFIDENTIAL SECRETS XIX. THE CONSULS XX. THE ASSAULT XXI. THE EMPEROR'S POLICY XXII. VANITY XXIII. THE MEETING XXIV. THE WALK XXV. THE CAPTURE XXVI. TREACHERY XXVII. THE BETROTHAL XXVIII. THE POPULACE IN THE TWELFTH CENTURY XXIX. HUMILIATION XXX. AMUSEMENTS XXXI. AT RIVOLI XXXII. ALEXANDER'S AMBASSADOR XXXIII. A WARNING XXXIV. THE DIVORCED DUCHESS XXXV. LAON XXXVI. KNAVERY XXXVII. THE SPY XXXVIII. THE QUEEN OF FRANCE XXXIX. UNDER THE OAKS XL. A TRUE BISHOP XLI. A HARDENED SINNER XLII. THE ABBEY OF CLUNY XLIII. IN THE CLOISTER XLIV. POPE ALEXANDER III. XLV. A KNAVE'S STRATAGEM XLVI. THE SERMON XLVII. THE DUEL XLVIII. THE TRIUMPH OF FORCE XLIX. HERMENGARDE'S CONSTANCY L. THE CONSPIRATORS LI. THE TRIBUNE LII. SEDITION LIII. BARBAROSSA IN ROME LIV. THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY LV. THE HAND OF GOD LVI. CONCLUSION
Towards the middle of the 12th century, Milan had conquered for herself a powerful supremacy throughout all of Upper Italy, and with the exception of the proud Genoa and the maritime Venetian republic, all the cities of Lombardy acknowledged her sovereignty. Lodi, Pavia, and some few of the neighboring towns, had made bold attempts to assert their rights, but all their efforts were unsuccessful; and had only resulted in riveting more tightly their fetters, while the pride of the Milanese, and a desire for more extended power, increased in proportion to the failing strength of their adversaries. The majority bore in silence the yoke which they could not shake off preferring the advantages secured to them by prompt submission to the danger of losing in the unequal struggle every vestige of their former independence.