Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume V.djvu/268

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CONRAD CONRING father as king of Germany in 1250. With great energy he contended against the intrigues of the pope and the usurpations of his tools among the German princes, repulsed the Mon- gols who had invaded the empire, and suc- ceeded in putting down his father's rival, Henry Raspe of Thuringia, set up by the pope (1247). But both before and after his accession he had to contend with a new rival king, William, count of Holland ; and though in spite of defeat he maintained himself upon the throne, the pres- tige of his power was lost. Embarrassed by the increasing anarchy in Germany, he went to Italy in order to save at least the Apulian king- dom (1251). He subdued it once more, and conquered Naples ; but the enmity of the pope, who had excommunicated him, foiled his ef- forts to reestablish the imperial authority. He fell a victim to a lingering disease, occasioned as was supposed by poison, leaving only an in- fant two years of age (Conradin) as the last heir of the dynasty of Hohenstaufen. CONRAD, Karl Immannel, a German architec- tural painter, born in Berlin, March 30, 1810. He studied in Berlin, and was a teacher of his art as early as 1830, soon producing many fine works. He subsequently applied himself, un- der the direction of Schadow at Dtisseldorf, to the Romanesque and Gothic styles of art, and has executed many pictures of churches and other edifices. His masterpiece, representing the cathedral of Cologne, was painted in 1842 at the request of the king, and he made an en- larged copy of it, which was presented by the diocese of Cologne to Pius IX. on the 50th an- niversary of his ordination as priest. He visit- ed Belgium and France in 1845, England in 1851, and Italy in 1869. He has painted views of London, Windsor castle, Rome from the Pincio, and a picture of the pope's private apartments in the Vatican. In 1871 he was employed on a painting of the interior of the cathedral of Cologne. He excels in etching. CONRAD, Robert T., an American jurist and author, born in Philadelphia, June 10, 1810, died June 27, 1858. While studying law, he wrote his first tragedy, " Conrad of Naples," which was produced successfully in the princi- pal theatres of the country. Admitted to the bar at an early age, he became connected with the press, and after other editorial labors began in 1832 the publication of the " Daily Intelli- gencer " newspaper, wnich was subsequently merged in the "Philadelphia Gazette." He was obliged by ill health to abandon the labors of daily editorship, resumed the practice of law in 1834, and was appointed recorder of the re- corder's court in 1835, judge of the court of criminal sessions in 1838, and of the court of general sessions in 1 840. He afterward resumed practice as an advocate, and was editor of " Gra- ham's^ Magazine," contributor to the " North American," president of a railroad company, and mayor of Philadelphia. While attending to his duties on the bench, he wrote the tra- gedy of " Aylmere," the hero of which is Jack Cade, who takes the name of Aylmere while in exile in Italy, and is represented as a demo- cratic patriot. He wrote another tragedy, " The Heretic," which has not been acted or published. A volume appeared from him in 1852, under the title of " Aylmere, or the Bond- man of Kent, and other Poems." The princi- pal of the additional poems are " The Sons of the Wilderness," composed of reflections on the fate of the Indians, and a series of sonnets on the Lord's prayer. CONRADIN, the son of Conrad IV., duke of Swabia, and the last of the Hohenstaufen, born in 1252, beheaded Oct. 29, 1268. His father dying while he was an infant, he resided some- times in the court of Louis of Bavaria, and at other periods under his protection at the castle of Ravensburg. He formed an intimate friend- ship with Frederick, son of the margrave of Baden, and, on the death of Manfred, who had acted as his regent and subsequently usurped the crown in the Apulian posses- sions, accepted the invitation of the Italian Ghibellines to place himself at their head. The greater part of the possessions of the Ho- henstaufen had been swept away, and his step- father, Meinhard II. count of Gorz, watched every opportunity to seize the remaining in- heritance of the family ; for Conradin was yet duke of Swabia, and held the ancient Franco- nian possessions of the Salic emperors. He was aided in his determination by Meinhard and Louis of Bavaria, who accompanied him into Italy to further their own selfish designs. The sale of a large portion of his possessions to these men enabled him to raise troops. In the au- tumn of 1267 he crossed the Alps with 10,000 men, and at Verona was warmly received by the Scala family, the chief of the Ghibelline party. His relatives here, persuading him to part with his remaining possessions at a low price, deserted him with their followers, leav- ing but 3,000 men. The Ghibellines, however, remained true to him. Verona raised a large army, Pisa a fleet, and Rome, whose pontiff was forced to flee to Viterbo, opened its gates to him. Conradin entered lower Italy, and at Tagliacozzo met the French army under Charles of Anjou, on whom the crown of Naples had been bestowed by the see of Rome. He beat Charles back, and his men, supposing the vic- tory won, dispersed in search of plunder, when they were attacked by the French and utterly routed, Aug. 23, 1268. Conradin escaped, but was betrayed into the hands of Charles, who caused him to be beheaded in the market place of Naples, he being only 16 years of age. CONRING, Hermann, a German philosopher and author, born at Norden, East Friesland, Nov. 9, 1606, died at Helmstedt, Dec. 12, 1681. He was the son of a clergyman, studied at Leyden, and was professor of philosophy, medi- cine, jurisprudence, and political science at Helmstedt, privy councillor to the duke of Brunswick, adviser of the emperor of Germany, and author of more than 100 works on Ger-