owing commercial importance of the
county, while Gruyere is still the little feudal city of the middle
ages, precious historically as it is picturesque, but crystalized in a
permanent immobility. Forty marks, scarcely more than the worth of the
mess of pottage for which Esau sold his heritage, was the price accepted
by Count Rodolphe for the commercial existence of Gruyere.

[Illustration: GATEWAY]

Rodolphe's far more virile successors, Pierre I and Rodolphe II and
III, attempted with the support of the people to defy the power of the
bishop, and in disregard of the act of their predecessor, to keep up the
marche at Gruyere. But the power which could excommunicate an emperor
did not hesitate to launch the same formidable curse upon the princes of
Gruyere and they were forced to yield. The foundation of the church of
St. Theodule at Gruyere and of the rich and venerated convent of the
Part Dieu by his daughter-in-law, Guillemette de Grandson (widow of his
eldest son Pierre) attested the unabated devotion of the Gruyere house
to the Catholic religion.

CHAPTER III

SOVEREIGNTY OF THE HOUSE OF SAVOY

In the middle of the thirteenth century the counts of Gruyere--who had
so long been oppressed by the grasping prelates of the Church--came
within the orbit of another power, that of the rising house of Savoy.

Fortifying their influence by alliances with the kingdoms of Europe,
extending its domains over occidental Switzerland and far into Italy,
the counts of Savoy were already in a position to dispute the power of
the bishops, when Count Pierre took his place at the head of his house.
Although he had occupied for two years the bishopric of Lausanne, which
had so long been inimical to the counts of Gruyere, the spiritual
overlordship of the country of Vaud did not satisfy the genius or the
ambition of the ablest personage in a family which numbered five
reigning queens, and who, himself was marquis in Italy, earl of
Richmond in England and uncle and adviser to King Henry III of England
and of his brother the Emperor Richard. Although he lived by preference
in England where his lightest word could control the tumults of the
populace, the wisdom of Count Pierre's choice of delegates greatly
extended his Savoyard domain. "Proud, firm and terrible as a lion," "the
little Charlemagne" as his contemporaries called him, was wise also and
affable with his subjects. Brilliant in intellect, master of happy and
courteous