XIII - RAINALD OF COLOGNE

Summary

In 1162 Frederick sent Rainald, Archbishop of Cologne, with the title of Italiae archicancellarius et imperatoriae maiestatis legatus, to re-order the administration of Tuscany on a new plan. The dissolution of the Margravate was accepted as an inevitable fact, and it was resolved to reassume the direct government of its various parts by means of German Counts or Potesta, as had already been done in Lombardy. Many fortresses were garrisoned by German troops and others were constructed. S. Miniato al Tedesco, with its tower on the hill-top and the unwalled village of S. Genesio below, became the centre of the new administration. At the same time, an attempt was made to reconcile the rights of the Empire with the jurisdiction which the communes had so long exercised in their respective contadi. None of them denied the right of the Emperor to demand the oath of fealty, to confirm in their offices the magistrates freely elected by the citizens, to levy tribute and to raise troops. The cause of their discontent lay in the difficulties which the Imperial potesta interposed to the exercise of civic jurisdiction over the entire territory of the contado and diocese of each city. Legally speaking, the potesta were in the right. In every case, except that of Pisa, the jurisdiction exercised by the communes was abusive.