Frederick I (Barbarossa)
The "Barbarossa" emperor, who contended with the Italian city-states and the pope and drowned on crusade.
Life
House of Hohenstaufen
Frederick, of the House of Hohenstaufen, was elected King of Germany in 1152 and crowned emperor in Rome in 1155. Because of his reddish beard, the Italians called him "Barbarossa."
Italian Wars
Seeking to restore imperial power in Italy, he led six expeditions there and destroyed Milan in 1162. The northern Italian cities formed the Lombard League and, with papal backing, defeated him at Legnano in 1176; he then made peace with the pope and recognized the cities' self-government. In Germany he weakened great princes such as Henry the Lion.
Drowned in the Saleph River
In 1189 he led a great army on the Third Crusade, and in 1190 he drowned while crossing the Saleph River in Asia Minor.
Legacy
Barbarossa is the most fondly remembered emperor of medieval Germany; folk legend holds that he sleeps inside the Kyffhäuser mountain, waiting to awaken when Germany needs him.
Did you know? Hitler named his plan to invade the Soviet Union "Operation Barbarossa," borrowing from this legend.
Key dates
- 1152Elected King of Germany
- 1155Crowned emperor in Rome
- 1162Destroys Milan
- 1176Defeated at Legnano
- 1180Strips Henry the Lion of his fiefs
- 1190Drowns on crusade