Frederick II of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, was a pretender to the title of King of the Romans from 1212 and unopposed holder of that monarchy from 1215. As such, he was King of Germany, of Italy, and of Burgundy. He was Holy Roman Emperor from his papal coronation in 1220 until his death. His original title was King of Sicily, which he held as Frederick I from 1198 to his death. His other royal titles, accrued for a brief period of his life, were King of Cyprus and Jerusalem by virtue of marriage and his connection with the Crusades.

He was raised and lived most of his life in Sicily, his mother, Constance, being the daughter of Roger II of Sicily. His empire was frequently at war with the Papal States, so it is unsurprising that he was excommunicated twice and often vilified in chronicles of the time. Pope Gregory IX went so far as to call him the Antichrist. After his death the idea of his second coming where he would rule a 1,000-year reich took hold, possibly in part because of this.

He was known in his own time as Stupor mundi ("wonder of the world"), and was said to speak nine languages and be literate in seven [Armstrong 2001, p. 415] (at a time when some monarchs and nobles were not literate at all). By contemporary standards, Frederick was a ruler very much ahead of his time, being an avid patron of science and the arts.... More • http://en.wikipedia. ... an_Emperor View • Books • Images • Videos • Search Related • Crusaders • Holy Roman Emperors • Polymaths • Royalty • 6th Crusade • Capricorn • Crusades • Cyprus • December 26 • Germany • Hohenstaufen • Israel • Italy • Jerusalem • Middle Ages • Normans • Sicily • Vikings • 12th Century • 13th Century • People