The retreat of Frederick from Italy in…
July 1158 CE
The retreat of Frederick from Italy in 1155 had forced Pope Adrian IV to come to terms with King William I of Sicily, granting to William I territories that Frederick views as his dominion.
This aggravates Frederick, and he is further displeased when Papal Legates choose to interpret a letter from Adrian to Frederick in a manner that seems to imply that the imperial crown is a gift from the Papacy and that in fact the Holy Roman Empire itself is a fief of the Papacy.
Disgusted with the pope, intent on reducing the autonomy of the communes of northern Italy, and still wishing to crush the Normans in the south of Italy, Frederick sets out in June 1158 upon his second Italian expedition, accompanied by Henry the Lion and his Saxon troops.
The newly crowned Bohemian king Vladislaus, a firm ally of Barbarossa, has duly accompanied him also.
Milan has prospered as a center of trade due to its command of the rich plain of the Po and routes from Italy across the Alps.
The main imperial ally, Cremona, is at this time quarreling with the nearby Crema about rights and privileges namely owed to the bishops of Cremona.
Crema is also allied to Milan, and this is seen as a menace of extension of the Milanese power towards Cremona and the Po River.
In a meeting held at Casale Monferrato, the Cremonese convince Frederick to attack Crema, an act that will also imply a menace against the rebellious Milan.
The Cremonese also pay fifteen thousand silver corone to Frederick in exchange of his help.