Editing Matilda of Tuscany (section)

==== Final defeat of Henry IV and new room for maneuvers for Matilda ====
With the ''de facto'' end of Matilda's marriage, Henry IV regained his capacity to act. Welf IV switched to the imperial side. The emperor locked in [[Verona]] was finally able to return to the north of the Alps in 1097. After that he never returned to Italy, and it would be 13 years before his son and namesake set foot on Italian soil for the first time. With the assistance of the French armies heading off to the [[First Crusade]], Matilda was finally able to restore [[Pope Urban II]] to [[Rome]].{{sfn|Peters|1971|p=34}} She ordered or led successful expeditions against [[Ferrara]] (1101), [[Parma]] (1104), [[Prato]] (1107), and [[Mantua]] (1114).

In eleventh century Italy, the rise of the cities began, in interaction with the overarching conflict. They soon succeeded in establishing their own territories. In Lucca, Pavia, and Pisa, [[consul]]s appeared as early as the 1080s, which are considered to be signs of the legal independence of the "communities". Pisa sought its advantage in changing alliances with the Salian dynasty and the House of Canossa.{{sfn|Goez|2010|p=125}} Lucca remained completely closed to the Margravine from 1081. It was not until Allucione de Luca's marriage to the daughter of the royal judge Flaipert that she gained new opportunities to influence. Flaipert had already been one of the most important advisors of the House of Canossa since the times of Matilda's mother. Allucione was a vassal of Count Guidi, with whom Matilda worked closely.{{sfn|Goez|2006b|p=326}}{{sfn|Goez|2012|p=150}} Mantua had to make considerable concessions in June 1090; the inhabitants of the city and the suburbs were freed from all "unjustified" oppression and all rights and property in Sacca, [[Sustinente|Sustante]] and Corte Carpaneta were confirmed.{{sfn|Goez|Goez|1998|loc=n° 43}}

After 1096 the balance of power slowly began to change again in favor of the Margravine. Matilda resumed her donations to ecclesiastical and social institutions in Lombardy, Emilia, and Tuscany.{{sfn|Goez|Goez|1998|loc=n° 49–51}} In the summer of 1099 and 1100 her route first led to Lucca and Pisa. There it can be detected again in the summer of 1105, 1107, and 1111.<ref name=goez1999/> In early summer of 1099 she gave the [[San Ponziano, Lucca|Monastery of San Ponziano]] a piece of land for the establishment of a hospital. With this donation, Matilda resumed her relations with Lucca.<ref>Katrin Dort, "Adlige Armenfürsorge im Bistum Lucca bis zum Ausgang des 12. Jahrhunderts". (in German) In: Lukas Clemens, Katrin Dort, Felix Schumacher (ed.): ''Laienadel und Armenfürsorge im Mittelalter''. Trier 2015, p. 30.</ref>{{sfn|Goez|Goez|1998|loc=n° 51}}

After 1090 Matilda accentuated the consensual rule. After the profound crises, she was no longer able to make political decisions on her own. She held meetings with spiritual and secular nobles in Tuscany and also in her home countries of Emilia. She had to take into account the ideas of her loyal friends and come to an agreement with them.{{sfn|Goez|2012|p=148}} In her role as the most important guarantor of the law, she increasingly lost importance in relation to the bishops. They repeatedly asked the Margravine to put an end to grievances.{{sfn|Goez|Goez|1998|loc=n° 65, 101, 109, 132}} As a result, the bishops expanded their position within the episcopal cities and in the surrounding area.{{sfn|Goez|2006b|p=326}}{{sfn|Goez|2012|p=330, note 57}} After 1100 Matilda had to repeatedly protect churches from her own subjects. The accommodation requirements had also been reduced.