Go to indexA furious Emperor Frederick Barbarossa per sonally ordered the atrocity. Horror was piled on horror as the German emperor sought to end Crema's status as one of the many powerful independent Italian city states. Shocked by the sight of the heads of decapitated prisoners being thrown around by Barbarossa 's troops, the Cremans retaliated by tearing their prisoners literally limb from limb on the city walls. Bar barossa ordered the mass hanging of prisoners, only to see German soldiers swinging from gallows. It was then that the emperor ordered the child hostages to be brought to the front line.
When Crema finally opened its gates, the inhabitants watched as their city was razed to the ground. Now it is the turn of another defiantcity, Milan, Crema's ally, to face Barbarossa's wrath.