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Return to Italy

Henry began negotiations with his Bavarian and Swabian opponents. They were willing to surrender, but they demanded the deposition of Antipope Clement III. Henry was inclined to accept their offer, but his bishops dissuaded him, fearing they would also be dismissed after the Antipope's fall. To prevent further negotiations between the Emperor and his opponents, Pope Urban II mediated a marriage alliance between Welf I of Bavaria's 18-year-old son, Welf the Fat, and the 43-year-old Matilda of Tuscany in the autumn of 1089. Henry decided to launch a new invasion of Matilda's domains. The Jews of Speyer approached him around this time for the confirmation of their rights that had been granted by Bishop Rüdiger Huzmann. He summarised their liberties in a diploma, protecting them against physical assaults and prohibiting their forced baptism. He issued a similar document for the Jews of Worms. Henry was often in need of cash and according to Robinson, both communities had probably paid a significant sum of money in return for his protection.

Henry invaded Matilda's domains in March 1090, forcing her to seek refuge in the mountains in April. The retainers of Henry's sister, Abbess Adelaide of Quedlinburg, killed Egbert of Brunswick on 3 July 1090. Henry made Egbert's brother-in-law, Henry of Nordheim, his principal representative in Saxony. Egbert's death put an end to Saxon opposition to the Emperor's rule, because he had secured Nordheim's loyalty with land grants. Henry continued his Italian campaign and captured Matilda's fortresses north of the river Po at the end of 1091. In June 1092, Henry crossed the Po and forced Matilda to begin negotiations for her surrender, but she and her vassals refused to acknowledge Clement III as the lawful pope. Henry laid siege to Canossa, but the garrison made a surprise attack on his army, forcing him to abandon the siege in October.

Henry's Swabian opponents elected the late Berthold of Rheinfelden's brother-in-law, Berthold II of Zähringen, to be their duke and he proclaimed himself the "vassal of St Peter" (that is of the Holy See). Henry had to send his German troops back to Germany to fight in Swabia and Bavaria. He began negotiations with King Ladislaus I of Hungary about an alliance, but Welf I prevented their meeting. Henry was forced to retreat to Pavia and Matilda's troops recaptured her fortresses.