THE WESTERl'\ MEDITERRA!\'EAN KINGDOMS 1200-1500GUELFS, GHIBELLINES AND KING ROBERTRobert of Anjou's initiation into Italian politics was marked
also by another conflict: the crusade launched against Venice
in 1309, and the struggle between Pope Clement V and the
Venetians for suzerainty over Ferrara. Ferrara had been be-
queathed by its ruler Azzo VII d'Este (who was also Robert's
brother-in-law) to an illegitimate son, Fresco, rather than to
his legitimate heirs. Fresco invited the Venetians to accept
suzerainty over Ferrara, a city they had long coveted, if they
would maintain him as its lord. The pope maintained Ferrara
was an unredeemed part of the papal state. He preached
a crusade against the Venetians, and aroused the wrath of
King Robert against the Venetians. Their goods were con-
fiscated in the trading cities of Apulia, where previously they
had benefited from royal favours. Robert was keen to estab-
lish harmony with the papacy over common o~jectives in
northern Italy. He was ready to do Clement considerable
favours in return for support in vigorous new 'crusades'
against Sicily and other o~jectives. He was confident that,
with the support of other allies, Venetian political support
was superfluous.^11
The first experiences of Robert as king seemed to urge
him into more decisive action against the Ghibellines and
their allies in Sicily. He realised that southern Italy was in
danger of being trapped between two anti-Angevin forces:
the resurgent Ghibellines who had drawn encouragement
from Henry VII's brief career, and Frederick III of Sicily (as
he now called himself in disregard of the treaty of 1302).
Robert's first assault on Sicily, in 1314, achieved nothing, but
promised more trouble in the future. In the north of Italy he
did acquire titles: the death of the Emperor Henry left Pope
Clement free to dispose of imperial offices in northern Italy,
according to the debatable position that, var:ante imperio, dur-
ing an imperial vacancy, the pope assumed temporary author-
ity over the empire. Robert became imperial vicar in Italy at
papal behest (1314), and was encouraged to turn against the
- Abulafta, 'Venice and the Kingdom of Naples', pp. 187-8; cf. NJ.
Housley, 'Pope Clement V and the crusades of 1309-1 0', Journal of
Medieval History, 8 (1982), pp. 29-43.