Frederick Barbarossa was one of the most powerful rulers of the Middle Ages. He served as Holy Roman Emperor and King of Germany for nearly four decades and worked to unite the many fragmented states of his empire. His nickname, Barbarossa, means “red beard” in Italian, a reference to his distinctive reddish beard.
Frederick Barbarossa – Early Life
Frederick Barbarossa was born in December of 1122 CE in the region of Swabia, in what is now southern Germany. His father was Frederick II, Duke of Swabia, and his mother was Judith of Bavaria. His family background was particularly important because it connected him by blood to both of the great rival dynasties of medieval Germany. His father was from the Hohenstaufen dynasty and his mother was from the Welf dynasty. This gave Frederick connections to both powerful factions in a Germany that had long been divided by rivalry between the two families.
Very little is known about Frederick’s childhood. He grew up learning the skills expected of a noble, including riding, hunting and fighting. He also participated in several political assemblies organized by his uncle, King Conrad III of Germany, from the early 1140s. These assemblies gave him valuable experience in the political life of the empire from a young age. When his father died, Frederick inherited the Duchy of Swabia. As such, he came to the position of emperor already experienced in both warfare and politics.
Frederick Barbarossa – Second Crusade
Shortly after inheriting the Duchy of Swabia, Frederick joined his uncle King Conrad III on the Second Crusade in 1147 CE. The Second Crusade was a major crusading expedition launched in response to the fall of the County of Edessa to Turkish forces in 1144 CE. The crusade proved to be a disaster for the European forces, as they suffered significant defeats and failed to achieve any of their main goals. With that said, Frederick distinguished himself as a brave and capable fighter during the campaign. As a result, Conrad III nominated Frederick as his successor to the German crown rather than his own son. As such, the Second Crusade was an important step in Frederick’s rise to power.
Frederick Barbarossa – Holy Roman Emperor
Following the death of Conrad III in 1152 CE, Frederick was elected King of Germany on March 4th, 1152 CE in Frankfurt. He was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV in Rome on June 18th, 1155 CE. His election was welcomed by many German nobles because his dual family background gave him the potential to unite the two rival factions within the empire.
As emperor, Frederick sought to restore the authority and prestige of the Holy Roman Empire, which had been weakened by decades of conflict between the papacy and the emperors. He viewed himself as the rightful heir of the ancient Roman emperors. For instance, it was during his reign that the word “holy” was first officially added to the name of his empire, as he sought to emphasize the divine nature of his authority. Frederick is considered by historians to be one of the greatest Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages.
Frederick Barbarossa – Italian Campaigns
One of the defining features of Frederick’s reign was his long struggle to assert imperial control over northern Italy. Frederick launched six major military campaigns into northern Italy during his reign. The campaigns were driven by his desire to bring the wealthy and increasingly independent cities of northern Italy, such as Milan, back under his control. As well, he sought to limit the power of the papacy in Rome.
The Italian campaigns proved extremely difficult. For instance, after forcing the submission of Milan and other cities in his early campaigns, Frederick faced a major defeat at the Battle of Legnano on May 29th, 1176 CE. This defeat was at the hands of the Lombard League, which was an alliance of northern Italian cities supported by Pope Alexander III. The defeat at Legnano was a serious blow to Frederick and forced him to negotiate. In the Peace of Venice in 1177 CE, Frederick formally recognized Alexander III as the legitimate Pope. He also reached a settlement with the Lombard cities in the Peace of Constance in 1183 CE, which gave the cities greater independence while still acknowledging his overall authority. As such, the Italian campaigns were a defining feature of Frederick’s reign, even if they did not produce the results he had hoped for.
Frederick Barbarossa – Henry the Lion
Another major conflict of Frederick’s reign was his struggle with his cousin Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony and Bavaria. Henry the Lion was one of the most powerful nobles in the empire and had been an important ally of Frederick for much of his reign. With that said, their relationship broke down in 1176 CE when Henry refused to send military support to Frederick during a critical campaign in Italy. This decision contributed directly to Frederick’s defeat at Legnano. Frederick never forgave Henry for this. In 1180 CE, Frederick stripped Henry of his titles and lands and sent him into exile. As such, the fall of Henry the Lion showed Frederick’s willingness to act decisively against even the most powerful of his nobles.
Frederick Barbarossa – Third Crusade
In 1187 CE, news reached Europe that the Muslim leader Saladin had captured Jerusalem. This shocked the Christian world and prompted Pope Gregory VIII to call for a new crusade. Frederick, along with King Philip II of France and King Richard I of England, known as Richard the Lionheart, pledged to lead their forces to the Holy Land. The Crusades were a series of religious wars carried out by Christian crusaders from Europe during the timeframe of the Middle Ages. Beginning in 1095 CE, the Crusades saw European knights and noblemen travel to the Middle East in an attempt to capture the Holy Land from Muslim control.
Frederick set out from Regensburg on May 11th, 1189 CE at the head of a large army estimated at between 12,000 and 15,000 men. He chose to travel overland through Hungary, the Byzantine Empire and Turkey rather than by sea. The journey was long and difficult, and his forces faced constant attacks from Turkish forces as they crossed through Anatolia. For instance, on May 18th, 1190 CE, Frederick’s forces won an important victory at the Battle of Iconium, defeating Turkish defenders and capturing the city. As such, by early summer of 1190 CE, Frederick’s army had fought its way through hostile territory and appeared to be making good progress toward the Holy Land.
Frederick Barbarossa – Death and Legacy
Frederick Barbarossa died on June 10th, 1190 CE while crossing the Saleph River in what is now southern Turkey. The exact circumstances of his death are not fully known. Some accounts state that he drowned when he was swept away by the fast-moving current while crossing on horseback. Others suggest he suffered a seizure in the cold water. Regardless, his death was one of the most dramatic and significant events of the Third Crusade.
The loss of Frederick caused a large portion of the German crusading army to abandon the campaign and return home. Only a fraction of the original German force eventually reached the Holy Land. As such, Frederick’s death was a major setback for the Third Crusade.
Frederick Barbarossa is remembered as one of the greatest rulers of the Middle Ages and one of the most important figures in the history of medieval Germany. His long reign, his efforts to unite the fragmented states of the Holy Roman Empire and his leadership of the Third Crusade all made him a defining figure of the medieval period. In fact, he became so popular among the German people that a legend grew up after his death claiming he was not truly dead but sleeping in a mountain cavern, waiting to be awakened when Germany needed him again. As such, Frederick Barbarossa became not only one of the most significant rulers of the Middle Ages but also one of its most enduring legends.
