Almoravid policy in Spain has remained indecisive…

The German princes who oppose Henry IV had held a conference in Speyer in August 1087.

Ladislaus had sent envoys to their meeting and "promised that he would assist" them "with twenty thousand knights, if it became necessary", according to Bernold of St. Blasien.

This report also proves that Ladislaus recognized Victor III as legitimate pope against Clement III, who had been elected pope on Henry IV's initiative.

However, Ladislaus provided no support to the German anti-king Hermann of Salm after he was informed that Solomon had died in Bulgaria during a military action against Constantinople in 1087.

Even so, in 1090 Bishop Jaromír of Prague visit Ladislaus—who was "his old friend", according to Cosmas of Prague—after he had decided to submit a complaint at the Holy See against King Vratislaus II of Bohemia's decision of the division of his diocese.

Polish forces under Sieciech's command manage in 1090 to gain control of Gdańsk Pomerania, albeit for a short time.

Major towns are garrisoned by Polish troops, and the rest are burned in order to thwart future resistance.

Several months later, however, a rebellion of native elites leads to the restoration of the region’s independence from Poland.

The Poles organize a punitive expedition the following year in order to recover Gdańsk Pomerania.

The campaign is decided at the battle of the Wda River, where the Polish knights suffer a defeat despite the assistance of Bohemian troops.

Ibrahim, a great calligrapher who writes the Koran with his own pen, had succeeded his father Ma'sud I to become king of the Ghaznavids in 1058.

Ibrahim has reestablished a truncated empire on a firmer basis by arriving at a peace agreement with the Seljuqs and a restoration of cultural and political linkages.

Under Ibrahim and his successors, the Ghaznavid empire will enjoy a period of sustained tranquility.

Shorn of its western land, it will be increasingly sustained by riches accrued from raids across Northern India, where it faces stiff resistance from Indian rulers such as the Paramara of Malwa and the Gahadvala of Kannauj.

The decree of Gregory VII making the Bishops of Pisa the secular lords and perennial apostolic legates of Corsica had been confirmed by Urban II in 1190 and in 1092 is extended into a concession of full sovereignty.

Pisa now replaces the papal legates who are governing the island with judges (judices) of their own appointment.

Valuable chiefly as a source of timber for the Pisan fleet, but also as an important transit point for the slave trade, Corsica will flourish under Pisan sovereignty, but crises will soon arise.

The Corsican episcopate resents Pisan overlordship and the rival Republic of Genoa schemes to have Rome reverse the grant of 1077.

El Cid has set his sights over the past several years on the kingdom-city of Valencia, operating more or less independently of Alfonso while politically supporting the Banu Hud and other Muslim dynasties opposed to the Almoravids.

Around 1089-1090, El Cid, with a combined Christian and Moorish army, had begun maneuvering in order to create his own fiefdom in the Moorish Mediterranean coastal city of Valencia.

Several obstacles lie in his way.

First was Berenguer Ramón II, who rules nearby Barcelona.

In May 1090, El Cid defeats and captures Berenguer in the Battle of Tébar (nowadays Pinar de Tévar, near Monroyo, Teruel).

Berenguer will later be released and his nephew Ramón Berenguer III will marry El Cid's youngest daughter Maria to ward against future conflicts.

Along the way to Valencia, a prize also desired by the new Almoravid rulers of southern Spain, …

…El Cid also conquers other towns, many of which are near Valencia, such as El Puig and …

…Quart de Poblet.

…Málaga, respectively, to Aghmāt, in mid-southern Morocco.

The Rouen Rebellion and Henry’s Role in Conan Pilatus’ Execution (1090)

By late 1090, the conflict between William Rufus and Robert Curthose for control over Normandy and England continued. William Rufus, who had already consolidated his rule in England, was now working to undermine Robert’s position in Normandy, forming alliances with barons in Normandy and Ponthieu. Robert, in turn, allied with Philip I of France, hoping to resist his brother’s encroachments.

In this context, William Rufus encouraged a rebellion in Rouen, led by Conan Pilatus, a powerful burgher. The uprising led to brutal street fighting, in which Henry played a decisive role, gaining military renown but also alienating Robert, leading to his expulsion from Rouen.

The Rebellion in Rouen (Late 1090)

• William Rufus instigated Conan Pilatus, a prominent citizen of Rouen, to rise against Robert Curthose, taking advantage of discontent within the ducal capital.
• Conan was widely supported by the people of Rouen and sought to convince ducal garrisons to switch sides.
• Robert Curthose issued an appeal for aid from his barons, and Henry was the first to arrive in November 1090, demonstrating his ambition and military skill.

The Battle for Rouen

• Street fighting broke out, with both sides struggling to control key areas of the city.
• Robert and Henry led their forces out of the castle to engage the rebels, but Robert soon retreated, leaving Henry to continue the fight alone.
• Despite Robert’s absence from the battlefield, ducal forces gained the upper hand, and Henry ultimately captured Conan Pilatus.

The Execution of Conan Pilatus

• Henry viewed Conan as a traitor, as he had turned against his rightful feudal lord, Robert Curthose.
• Despite Conan’s offers of a massive ransom, Henry dragged him to the top of Rouen Castle and threw him to his death, making an example of him.
• Henry’s brutality was not condemned; rather, it was seen as an appropriate act of feudal justice, further enhancing his reputation.

Robert Expels Henry from Rouen

• Despite Henry’s heroic role in the battle, Robert forced him to leave Rouen soon after.
• The reasons for Robert’s actions are unclear, but possible motivations include:
  • Jealousy—Henry had taken a more active role in the fighting than Robert.
  • Henry’s request to be reinstated as Count of the Cotentin, which Robert likely refused.
• Once again, Henry found himself without a formal title or strong power base, though his military reputation had grown significantly.

Consequences and Significance

• The failure of the Rouen rebellion weakened Robert Curthose, proving that he lacked strong control over his own capital.
• Henry emerged as a rising military leader, with his ruthless justice against Conan reinforcing his reputation as a decisive, pragmatic ruler.
• William Rufus continued to undermine Robert’s position in Normandy, eventually leading to greater conflicts between the two brothers.

The rebellion in Rouen (1090) and Henry’s decisive actions set the stage for his eventual rise to power, even as he remained without lands or a formal title—for now.