Friedrich Barbarossa: The emperor who sleeps in the Kyffhäuser!

Learn more about Friedrich I. Barbarossa: his rule, the crusade and the legend of his sleep in the Kyffhäuser.
Learn more about Friedrich I. Barbarossa: his rule, the crusade and the legend of his sleep in the Kyffhäuser. (Symbolbild/NAG)

Friedrich Barbarossa: The emperor who sleeps in the Kyffhäuser!

Kyffhäuser, Deutschland - Friedrich I. Barbarossa, one of the most formative emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, died on June 10, 1190 in the Saleph River in Anatolia. According to legend, he is supposed to rest in Kyffhäuser and return one day to help Germany. This mythological aspect is only part of the complex history of a ruler who entered the history book with the nickname Barbarossa (Rotbart), a name that was originally used as a derogatory name by his enemies in Milan. Today the story is reminiscent of his remarkable rule and the traces that he left in Europe. As reported Compact , Friedrich was elected king in Frankfurt on March 4, 1152 and followed his uncle Konrad III. in the royal dignity.

his climb began in the middle of the 12th century when he was elected king at the age of 30 and crowned in Aachen on March 9, 1152. Friedrich was the first emperor from the gender of the Staufer and competed with the aim of enforcing imperial authority in Italy. His father, Konrad III, had already climbed the throne in 1138 and was a central figure that introduced benefits for women in besieged cities, such as in Weinsberg, where women were allowed to save their men.

political ambitions and conflicts

Friedrich's rule was characterized by numerous conflicts, especially with the Lombard cities, which merged in 1176 in the Lombard Unit. In this context, Friedrich sought to achieve control over these cities and enforce imperial rights in Italy, which led to violent clashes. In his crowning glory in 1155, the Romans, which he knocked down by violence, and in 1162 he conquered Milan, which was quickly rebuilt. A crucial turning point was the defeat in the Battle of Legnano 1176, which not only shook its military authority, but also led to a ceasefire with the Lombards, followed by a final peace in 1183.

Another important aspect of his rule was the relationship with Heinrich the Löwen, Duke of Saxony and Bavaria. Despite the initial alliance, there was a break in 1176, since Heinrich Friedrichs did not support military help in Italy. Despite these setbacks, Friedrich remained an important ruler who further strengthened his household of the Staufer and consolidated the empire in its entirety, while at the same time stabilizing the political structures in Germany.

a legacy of the Staufer and the last few days

During the highlight of his power, a magnificent hope of Pentecost took place in Mainz in 1184, where he struck his sons. In autumn 1187 he then opened the third crusade, motivated by the desire to recapture Jerusalem. The preparation for this crusade was intense, and in May 1189 his army of Regensburg opened. But tragically, he drowned on Saleph on June 10, 1190 while he wanted to refresh himself in the river. As mentioned in the reports of wikipedia , there are about 13 sources that say something about his death.

After his death, his body was inserted into vinegar and his bones found separate resting places. Friedrich left a strong legacy, both in the form of his house good and regional stability he had created. His death led to great grief in Germany, and the legend of his return from the Kyffhäuser, as well as "https://www.planet-wissen.de/metchichte/die_staufer/pwiefriedrichibarbarossa100.html"> Planet Knowledge . Friedrich's ultimately undiscovered grave and the hope of his return are part of a fascinating history narrative that still shapes the German folklore.

Details
OrtKyffhäuser, Deutschland
Quellen