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Henry VI (1165-1197) was the second son of Emperor Frederick I, and married the daughter of the late Norman king Roger II of Sicily, Constance of Sicily, in 1186. When his father died in 1190, he became King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor in 1191.<br/><br/>

In 1193, Henry had a stroke of good fortune when he was handed a prominent prisoner by Duke Leopold V of Austria, none other than King Richard the Lionheart of England himself, on his way back from the Third Crusade. Richard had supported the claims of Tancred of Lecce, a rival claimant to the crown of Sicily, which had infuriated Henry. He ransomed the king for a hefty price and used him as a bargaining chip against his rival princes, making him a vassal and ally as well as making the Holy Roman Empire a mediating voice between England and France.
Henry VI (1165-1197) was the second son of Emperor Frederick I, and married the daughter of the late Norman king Roger II of Sicily, Constance of Sicily, in 1186. When his father died in 1190, he became King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor in 1191.
Frederick I (1122-1190), also known as Frederick Barbarossa, was the nephew of German king Conrad III, and became Duke of Swabia in 1147. When Conrad died in 1152, he named Frederick as his successor on his deathbed, rather than his own son, Frederick IV of Swabia. He was later crowned King of Italy and Holy Roman emperor in 1155, as well as being proclaimed King of Burgundy in 1178.<br/><br/>

Frederick was given the name Barbarossa ('red beard') by the northern Italian cities he attempted to conquer, waging six campaigns in all to subsume Italy, struggling constantly with the various popes and interference from the Byzantine Empire. Frederick embarked on the Third Crusade in 1189, after his sixth and final Italian expedition ended in success, a massive campaign in conjunction with the French King Philip Augustus and the English King Richard the Lionheart.<br/><br/> 

Before Frederick even arrived in Jerusalem however, he drowned in the Saleph river in 1190, leaving the German army in a state of chaos and ultimately leading to the dissolution of the Crusader army. He was considered an exceptionally charismatic leader and one of the Holy Roman Empire's greatest mediaeval emperors, with his contributions including the reestablishment of the 'Corpus Juris Civilis' (Roman rule of law). His qualities were considered almost superhuman by some, his ambition, longevity, organisational skills, battlefield acumen and political perspicuity all adding to his reputation.
Frederick I (1122-1190), also known as Frederick Barbarossa, was the nephew of German king Conrad III, and became Duke of Swabia in 1147. When Conrad died in 1152, he named Frederick as his successor on his deathbed, rather than his own son, Frederick IV of Swabia. He was later crowned King of Italy and Holy Roman emperor in 1155, as well as being proclaimed King of Burgundy in 1178.<br/><br/>

Frederick was given the name Barbarossa ('red beard') by the northern Italian cities he attempted to conquer, waging six campaigns in all to subsume Italy, struggling constantly with the various popes and interference from the Byzantine Empire. Frederick embarked on the Third Crusade in 1189, after his sixth and final Italian expedition ended in success, a massive campaign in conjunction with the French King Philip Augustus and the English King Richard the Lionheart.<br/><br/> 

Before Frederick arrived in Jerusalem however, he drowned in the Saleph river in 1190, leaving the German army in a state of chaos and ultimately leading to the dissolution of the Crusader army. He was considered an exceptionally charismatic leader and one of the Holy Roman Empire's greatest mediaeval emperors, with his contributions including the reestablishment of the 'Corpus Juris Civilis' (Roman rule of law). His qualities were considered almost superhuman by some, his ambition, longevity, organisational skills, battlefield acumen and political perspicuity all adding to his reputation.
Henry VI (1165-1197) was the second son of Emperor Frederick I, and married the daughter of the late Norman king Roger II of Sicily, Constance of Sicily, in 1186. When his father died in 1190, he became King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor in 1191.
Henry VI (1165-1197) was the second son of Emperor Frederick I, and married the daughter of the late Norman king Roger II of Sicily, Constance of Sicily, in 1186. When his father died in 1190, he became King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor in 1191.
The Talbot Shrewsbury Book (London, British Library Royal 15 E vi) is a very large richly-illuminated manuscript made in Rouen (Normandy) in 1444/5. It was presented by John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury (d. 1453) to the French princess, Margaret of Anjou (1430 - 1482), in honour of her betrothal to King Henry VI (r. 1422-1461).<br/><br/>

It contains a unique collection of fifteen texts in French, including <i>chansons de geste</i>, chivalric romances, treatises on warfare and chivalry, and finally the Statues of the Order of the Garter. The work is an excellent example of book production in Rouen in the mid-fifteenth century and provides a rare insight into the political views of the English military leader and close confidant of the crown, John Talbot.
Frederick I Barbarossa (1122 – 10 June 1190) was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March 1152. He became King of Italy in 1155 and was finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV on 18 June 1155.<br/><br/>

Two years later, the term 'sacrum' (i.e. 'holy') first appeared in a document in connection with his Empire. He was then also formally crowned King of Burgundy at Arles on 30 June 1178. He got the name Barbarossa from the northern Italian cities he attempted to rule. Barbarossa is 'red beard' in Italian—a mark of both their fear and respect.  In German, he was known as Kaiser Rotbart which has the same meaning.