In 1152 Federico of Swabia, known as Barbarossa, ascended the throne of the Sacred Roman Germanic Empire. His program of government was similar to that of Carlo Magno and Ottone I that is tomake people respect their duties towards the emperor and claim the lost or fallen rights. Therefore Federico Barbarossa took paens to restore his authority on bishops and communes.

And  this iswhat happens to Ivrea, whose feudatoryl Umberto III of Savoia is not very favourable to the empire. Since Barbarossa can count neither on Umberto nor on the Arduinics, he addresses himself to Ranieri of Biandrate. He can be considered of the Arduinic stock, being descendant of Viberto of Pombia, Arduino’ s brother. The emperor deposes Umberto and puts in his place Ranieri, granting him the possession of the castle of St.Maurizio (more known as the Castellazzo). With this action he closed the period of the mild Episcopal domination that had allowed the evelopment of the town liberties during the twelfth century. Biandrate is a vassal hated by the people: this is shown by  the reaction to his request, put forward in 1193 to the imperial judges of Pavia, to get from the consuls and from the citizens of Ivrea the same homage that they gave the emperor. The Commune refuses to accept the wish of the marquis; a little time later the revolt of the eporedians burst out, they assaulted the castle of St.Maurizio in 1194 and in 1195 they definitely chase Ranieri of Biandrate from the city.