ABSTRACT
The return of the duke from England. Meanwhile, as this expedition or pilgrimage was taking place, there was no lack of new events in Saxony. Indeed, in that same year in which the lord emperor departed in May, along with those others who went on pilgrimage with him for love of God – among whom was Count Adolf – the lord Hartwig, Archbishop of Bremen, welcomed back the lord duke Henry, along with his son of the same name, who returned from England round about the feast of St Michael. 1 He hoped that he might, through the duke, recover his former position – for he was now held almost in contempt by everyone because of the men of Dittmarsch, whom he was unable to win over – and so he made an alliance with him, welcomed him in Stade and granted him the county. On hearing this, the better men among the Holsteiners and Sturmarii went to him, greeted him peacefully and offered him entry to the land. He was overjoyed and promised to exalt them, if he could have entry through them. They immediately occupied the places held by the count: Hamburg, Plön and Itzehoe, and drove his men from the land. Seeing this, Adolf of Dassel, who was then ruling the land on behalf of his nephew, Matilda, the mother of the Count of Schauenberg, and his wife Adalheid, daughter of lord Burchard of Querenvorde, took refuge in Lübeck.
