His greatest military campaign, his grand expedition against the Turkish Sultanate of Iconium, ended in humiliating defeat, and his greatest diplomatic effort apparently collapsed, when Pope Alexander III became reconciled to the German emperor Frederick Barbarossa at the Peace of Venice.
Hans største felttog, den store ekspedition mod det tyrkiske sultanat i Iconium, endte med et ydmygende nederlag og hans største diplomatiske indsats brød tilsyneladende sammen da pave Alexander 3. blev forsonet med den tyske kejser Frederik Barbarossa ved Freden i Venedig.