r the adjoining
countries; waxing towards still higher destinies. That is the epitome of
Conrad's history; history now become very great, but then no bigger
than its neighbors, and very meagrely recorded; of which the reflective
reader is to make what he can.

There is nothing clearly known of Conrad more than these three facts:
That he was a cadet of Hohenzollern (whose father's name, and some
forefathers' names are definitely known in the family archives, but
do not concern us); that he married the Heiress of the Vohburgs, whose
history is on record in like manner; and that he was appointed Burggraf
of Nurnberg, year not precisely known,--but before 1170, as would seem.
"In a REICHSTAG (Diet of the Empire) held at Regensburg in or about
1170," he formally complains, he and certain others, all stanch Kaiser's
friends (for in fact it was with the Kaiser's knowledge, or at his
instigation), of Henry the Lion's high procedures and malpractices; of
Henry's League with the Pope, League with the King of Denmark, and
so forth; the said Henry having indeed fallen into opposition, to a
dangerous degree;--and signs himself BURGGRAF OF NURNBERG, say the old
Chronicles. [Rentsch, p. 276 (who cites _Aventinus, Trittheim,_ &c.).]
The old Document itself has long since perished, I conclude: but the
Chronicles may be accepted as reporters of so conspicuous a thing; which
was the beginning of long strife in Germany, and proved the ruin of
Henry the Lion, supreme Welf grown over-big,--and cost our English Henry
II., whose daughter he had married, a world of trouble and expense, we
may remark withal. Conrad therefore is already Burggraf of Nurnberg,
and a man of mark, in 1170: and his marriage, still more his first sally
from the paternal Castle to seek his fortune, must all be dated earlier.

More is not known of Conrad: except indeed that he did not perish in
Barbarossa's grand final Crusade. For the antiquaries have again found
him signed to some contract, or otherwise insignificant document, A.D.
1200. Which is proof positive that he did not die in the Crusade;
and proof probable that he was not of it,--few, hardly any, of those
stalwart 150,000 champions of the Cross having ever got home again.
Conrad, by this time, might have sons come to age; fitter for arms and
fatigues than he: and indeed at Nurnberg, in Deutschland generally, as
Official Prince of the Empire, and man of weight and judgment, Conrad's
services might be still mor