On November 27, 1237, a bloody clash occurred at Cortenuova, Lombardy, between Frederick II and the forces of the Lombard League. This military coalition, composed of Lombard municipalities of Guelphs, aimed to limit the emperor's power in northern Italy, sharing Pope Gregory IX's concerns about Frederick's supposed threat to ecclesiastical authority. Frederick II's victory was overwhelming: deploying a force of fifteen thousand, he made his triumphant entry into Cremona, bringing with him the carroccio of his adversaries (that is, a four-wheeled wagon typical of Northern Italian municipalities), the symbol of the Lombard alliance, pulled by an elephant. The boldest of the Emperor's condottieri was undoubtedly Ezzelino III da Romano, Lord of the Marca di Treviso, to whom Selvaggia (Frederick's natural daughter) was married after the victory at Cortenuova. To this day, Ezzelino is remembered as "the tyrant" because of his violent raids and menacing presence in battle. Upon his death, he was subjected to an unprecedented damnatio memoriae (i.e., censure) by the anti-Ghibelline powers and the cities that divided up his wealth. It must be said, however, that Ezzelino was by no means crueler than the other lords of his time.