IT was stated on a previous page of this work that, with the approach of the thirteenth century, the amount of material available for the history of the Popes becomes so great that it is impossible to treat, within reasonable limits, of their relations with all the different countries with which they came in contact. It was, therefore, further stated that, apart from special circumstances, attention would in the future have, for the most part, to be confined to the unfolding of papal intercourse with the Empire and with the British Isles.