Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/305

 Conflict .between Gregory VII and Henry IV 269 directed against the king's followers. This was, however, suppressed through the intervention of the heavenly as well as the earthly majesty, for his castles of Beichlingen and Burgsheidungen were destroyed by the king; his son, like- wise a warrior, was killed by some of his servants, and he himself soon died a natural death. In the year of our Lord 1071, Duke Otto lost the duchy of Bavaria. He was a Saxon by origin, a man of excellent rank, to whom few could be compared in insight and mili- tary power. He enjoyed such respect among all the princes that the king, who was already an object of suspicion and hate to the Saxons, was fearful lest this Otto might, should the king's influence decline, attempt to win the royal throne itself. A certain Egino, of mean origin and insignificant re- sources, took advantage of the situation for his evil ends. Although well known for his impudence and shameless conduct, he managed to slip into the court under the pro- tection of certain of the king's adherents. He lied to the king, saying that that great hero, Otto, who in reality had never known him, had conspired with him to murder the king. He offered himself, as was the custom, as a hostage until the truth of what he had said should be settled by a duel between him and the duke. What more need be said ? After royal councils had been announced, one at Mayence and the other at Goslar, Otto disdained to fight with Egino, the duke with the rogue, the prince with the com- mon man, nevertheless his innocence and Egino's shame- lessness remained by no means concealed. So Otto, guilty of leze majesty, lost the duchy of Bavaria, which a certain Welf received, a. distinguished, brave, war- like person, a Swabian by birth. From this seed, alas, did great dissension spring, which grew into the wretched fruit of continuous battles, of rebelliousness, robbery, and de- struction, division in the Church, heresy, and many deaths. How the duchy of Bavaria was taken from Duke Otto. The duchy of Bavaria given to Welf. In the year of our Lord 1072, the king followed Otto everywhere, destroyed as many of his fortresses as he could,