Only a small minority of the princes obeyed the summons; but the real object of the king became evident when he made them swear to exalt, upon his own death, Conrad his son, a minor, to the throne.

In the meantime, the news of the nomination of Hidolph, as successor to the sainted Anno, had spread to Rome.

The Pope beheld with profound sorrow the obstinacy and ambition of the king.

Henry was not to be driven from his purpose by the universal contempt this nomination excited, and he replied to the repeated remonstrances of the citizens of Cologne, that they must content themselves with Hidolph or with a vacant see.

And his firmness triumphed over the popular indignation; for Hidolph was invested by the king with the crozier and the ring, and finally consecrated Archbishop of Cologne.
But his victory was not complete.