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298 From Italy had come the news of the Norman victory over Leo IX at Civitate (18 June 1053) which left the Pope an honoured captive in Norman hands; then, when he was eagerly looking for help from the Emperors of both East and West, he died, having reached Rome. Henry, influenced by Gebhard of Eichstedt, had been slow to help the great Pope. But he was to make one more expedition to Italy, not because of Norman successes but because of a new move by his inveterate enemy, Godfrey of Lorraine. The exiled duke had married Beatrice, like himself from Upper Lorraine, foster sister of Henry, and widow of the late Marquess Boniface of Tuscany, whose lands she held. On the side of Flanders the two Baldwins were in rebellion and attacking episcopal territories, and so, after having the young Henry crowned at Aix-la-Chapelle (July 17), the Emperor went to Maestricht. John of Arras had long coveted the castle of Cambray, but was kept out by the bishops, first Gerard and then Liutpert. When Liutpert had gone to Rheims for consecration, John seized the city, ejected the canons, and made himself at home in the bishop's palace. On his return Liutpert found himself shut out not only from his bed but from his city. But Baldwin of Flanders led him home in triumph, and the angry John of Arras turned to the Emperor for help. He offered to lead Henry to Flanders itself, if the Emperor would induce Liutpert, a prelate of his own appointment, to recognise him as holder of the castle of Cambrai. This was the reason why Henry now took the offensive against Baldwin. He invaded Flanders, systematically ravaging it bit by bit; he got as far as Lille, and there the city forced him to halt; siege and hunger made the citizens capitulate and so the Emperor could go home "with glory" as we are told, but with little solid gain. John of Arras, despite Henry's appeal to the bishop, did not gain his longed-for castle. To the South-East there were still Hungarian raids in Carinthia, and in Bavaria Kuno was still ravaging. But the men of Austria (under their old Margrave Adalbert of Babenberg until his death in May 1055) successfully withstood him. Earlier in the year died Břatislav, who had, according to one account, regained Silesia from Casimir of Poland.

Christmas was spent by Henry at Goslar; a little later at Ratisbon in another diet, Gebhard of Eichstedt consented to become Pope, although earlier, when an embassy from Rome had asked for a Pontiff, he had refused. His words "to Caesar" were significant. "Lo, my whole self, body and soul, I devote to St Peter; and though I know myself unworthy the holiness of such a seat, yet I obey your command: but, on this condition, that you also render to St Peter those things which rightfully are his." At the same diet Henry invested Spitignev, son of Břatislav, formerly a hostage at his court, with Bohemia, and received his homage. Then he passed to Italy and by Easter was at Mantua.

In North Italy the Emperor tried to introduce order by holding many royal courts, including one at Roncaglia (afterwards so famous), and