One of the most famous medieval rulers comes to the throne
On 4 March 1152, Frederick of Swabia became the second Hohenstaufen to be elected as the King of Germany. Frederick II, who was crowned Emperor soon after, later acquired the soubriquet Barbarossa (Red Beard). Rarely backing down from a fight and assiduous in organizing courtly festivities and tournaments, Barbarossa has since enjoyed a long afterlife as the archetype of the strong medieval ruler.
Indeed, it is this afterlife for which he is probably best remembered. According to legend, he did not really die whilst on crusade, but is currently asleep under the Kyffhäuser Mountains, waiting to return to save the empire from peril. This medieval legend was revived in the 19th century; the nascent nationalist movement played up the myth of Barbarossa as a strong, chivalrous and assertive ruler in order to stimulate a longing for the return of old glories. A more balanced interpretation of Frederick Barbarossa stresses the princely checks on royal power and his need to rule by consensus.
About the Deutschlandmuseum
An immersive and innovative experience museum about 2000 years of German history
The whole year at a glance
