 Henry fled to Verona whose margrave, Henry of Eppenstein, and Eppenstein's brother, Patriarch Udalric of Aquileia, were his last supporters in Italy.Henry's authority remained limited to north-eastern Italy, and Matilda and Welf I's troops prevented his return to Germany.Empress Eupraxia decided to desert Henry and sought Matilda's assistance to rescue her from her house arrest early in 1094.