his Burgundian realm by dispatching Bishop Bruno to woo for him Agnes of Poitou. A few months he spent in comparative quiet, probably with his mother, in Thuringia and Saxony; then later, in August 1042, he entered Bavaria and started, early in September, on the Hungarian expedition.
It was a success. Henry overcame, not Obo himself, who retired to inaccessible fastnesses, but at least the Western Magyars. He set up a new king, not Peter, but an unnamed cousin of his, and then returned fairly well satisfied to Germany. Directly his back was turned, Obo emerged from his fastness, and the reign of Henry's candidate came to an abrupt end. Yet a lesson against raiding had undoubtedly been given to "the over-daring Kinglet."
The king spent the Christmas of 1042 at Goslar; whither in January came envoys from the princes of the northern peoples. Břatislav of Bohemia came in person, bearing and receiving gifts. The Russians, though they bore back to their distant lord far more magnificent presents than they could have offered, departed in chagrin, for Henry had rejected their offer of a Russian bride. Casimir of Poland also sent his envoys; they were not received, since he himself did not come in person. Lastly Obo too, who had just ejected his second rival king, sent to propose peace. His messengers received an answer ominously evasive.
Early in the following month, at Goslar, the Empress-Mother died. That there had been some measure of alienation between Henry and Gisela is suggested by Wipo's exhortation to Henry to "remember the sweetness of a mother's name," and by his recording in his Tetralogus the many benefits conferred by Gisela on her son; as well as by Herman of Reichenau's acid comment. Yet there is no evidence that the alienation was serious. Henry's grants and charters on his mother's petition are numerous. In all probability he spent with her the only long interval of comparative leisure (1042) that he had enjoyed since his accession; she died whilst with him at Goslar.
Soon after the funeral ceremonies were over, Henry had his first meeting with the King of France, Henry I. Its place and object are obscure; but probably it was on the frontier at Ivois, and it may very well have been in connexion with Henry's approaching marriage with Agnes of Poitou.
The king's mind was now bent on the preparations for yet another Hungarian expedition. Twice Obo sought to evade the conflict. Obo did not, it is true, shew much tact, if indeed he really desired peace; for in his second embassy he demanded that Henry should himself swear to any terms agreed upon, instead of merely giving the oath in kingly fashion by proxy; this request was deemed an insult.
The blow when it came was effective. Henry in the space of four weeks brought Obo to a promise of humble satisfaction, a satisfaction never made effectual, because the promises of Obo were not fulfilled.
