Hello and welcome to the history of the Germans, Episode 60 Lignano.

This week we'll talk about the next leg in this the fifth Italian campaign Barberosa undertakes.

It involves an aborted battle, attempts at peace, a mediation award, a refusal of support,

and the most significant battle of not just his reign, but one that reverberates into the present day.

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Last week we ended with Barbarossa abandoning the siege of Alessandria, leaving behind the burning

embers of the exceedingly expensive siege engines and the graves of Alessandria. Leaving behind the burning embers of the exceedingly

expensive siege engines and the graves of the soldiers who had burned to death inside them, he headed back to Pavia to lick his wounds.

Going back to Pavia is all fine, but not a way to defeat the Lombard League. The Lombard League that Bab Ross is up against 1176

had evolved quite a bit from the purely defensive alliance formed in 1167.

You remember that in 1167 the Lombard cities had come together

to protect each other against the ever-increasing appeal demands for taxes,

soldiers and ultimate direct control of the cities.

Its members had been arch enemies who had been tied up in an incessant internal fighting

ever since the communes been created in the 11th century.

But the resistance against the laws of Roncalia had unified them.

...