Hello and welcome to the History of the Germans.

Episode 25, Conrad II, Construction of an Empire.

Now before we start, I want to just remind you that I've updated the History of the Germans.com website,

and you can find separate pages

for the Salians and for Conrad II, with transcripts, some interesting pictures and maps.

Take a look. It's worth it. You can also subscribe on the website, and I will email you every

time a new episode comes out. Last week, we followed Conrad's acquisition of Burgundy and his sometimes brutal pacification

of the eastern border.

Today we'll cast our eyes south.

First to the southeastern corner made up of Hungary, Croatia, the Duchy of Carinthia and

Venice, and then we shall look at core northern Italy, where Conrad will again shift the

focus of imperial policy.

We'll close with a look at the Kingdom of Conrad at the end of his 15-year reign, the

re-definition of kingship, the social changes that are now underway, and the acceleration

of construction activity that left us with the great cathedrals of Spire, Worms and Mines to name just a few.

But let us start in the southeast.

This is a place that has some significance to Conrad insofar as his family had traditionally held the Duchy of Carinthia,

which often included the March of Verona.

Carinthia is more or included the March of Verona.

Carinthia is more or less the eastern border of the Empire against Hungary and Croatia, stretching from Vienna to Trieste.

The march of Verona is then the northern Italian bit stretching from Aquilea to Verona, including the Brenner Passes.

There's a map on my website where you can see it. The Duchy

...