was asserting his power. The Germans had ruled the Holy Roman Empire for many years, the Italians were tired of German rule and wanted one of their own as Emperor, thus Pope Innocent III found it very easy to assert his power throughout Italy, and soon had the whole Italian Peninsula sworn to his allegiance. First he sent two papal delegates, cardinals, to Murkwood, demanding the restoration of the Romagna, and the March of Ancona to the church. Here Innocent suffered his first set back. When the two delegates returned with Murkwoods evasive answer Innocent suffered a minor set back. However the witty Pope would not suffer that much of one, as he soon ordered the mass excommunication of him and his whole legion from the church, and got the Papal legions to run him out of Italy. Once Emperor Henry VI died his four-year old son Fredrick II was named King of Sicily. The widowed mother of Fredrick II ruled for him but could not handle the pressure of the Norman nobles who rejected Fredericks right to being the king. Constance asked for help of Pope Innocent III, who stepped in, seeing who could gain favor in Sicily. He acknowledged Fredrick IIs rule only after she agreed to certain privileges contained in the Four Chapters, which William I had written as King of England. Innocent then solemnly invested a bull in Fredrick II around November 16, 1198. However, before the bull reached Sicily, Constance died leaving Innocent the caretaker of the 9 year old Fredrick. The pope watched over the young lad during his four more years of minority, and even his critics said Fredericks own father couldnt have done a better job. During these 9 years the Pope ruled Sicily, and made sure that his power was asserted correctly. The enemies of the Church, and Innocent III said the Pope was a fair and just ruler for the 9 years he ruled over Sicily. He then made sure that Fredrick would be protected at the start when he became king in 1209, be inducing him to ...
