Frederick Barbarossa

A fresh account of the life and legacy of the legendary Holy Roman emperor. Frederick Barbarossa—also known as Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor from 1155—was a dominant figure in late-twelfth-century European history. He is remembered as one of the greatest German emperors, for some even as a hero. He brought peace to Germany, fought to maintain control over Italian cities, and engaged in a lengthy dispute with the papacy before his death on a crusade in the Holy Land. Despite his achievements, F