He Was A Child King
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, started out young. They crowned him King of Sicily at the age of three, and he was married at 14. What followed was a wild and dangerous life both on the battlefield and in the political arena. As his astonishing victories accumulated, many saw him as a kind of messiah. Clearly, he was getting too powerful, and there was one man who could stand up to him: Pope Gregory IX.
This bitter feud would go from neutral to nasty in a heartbeat.
1. He Was Born Into Royalty
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, came into the world on December 26, 1194 in Jesi, Italy. Both of his parents were royalty. His father was Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI, and his mother was Queen Constance I of Sicily. The funny thing is, we’re not exactly sure if these two were his actual parents.
2. There Were Rumors
Around the time of Frederick’s birth, dark rumors began to swirl around the kingdom. You see, Frederick’s parents were a little old to be having a baby. Constance was already 40 at this time, and back then few believed it would be impossible for her to carry a pregnancy to term. Even her husband was suspicious of her pregnancy.
And when Constance was ready to give birth, she went to great pains to prove that it was a real pregnancy.
3. She Had To Prove Herself
Constance swore on the bible that Frederick was her own son. One report, which may or may not be true, has Constance actually giving birth right in the public square, so no one would doubt that she was the mom. To settle his mind, Dad consulted a theologian who confirmed that Frederick was legitimate. There was no DNA testing, so the theologian proved it using a prophecy from Merlin.
Once they’d determined who the parents were, they had to choose a name.
4. He Had Multiple Names
Frederick’s parents chose Constantine for the baby’s name because it linked him to his mother, who was Constance, and to his relative Constantine the Great. When he was two years old, he underwent baptism and received his grandfathers' names: Frederick and Roger. Once again, naming was all about connecting the dots so no one would forget that little Frederick was royal.
Obviously, Mom and Dad cared a great deal for their son. Well, that may not be totally true.
5. They Abandoned Him
Just over a year after his birth, Frederick's parents departed. His dad was on his way to become the king of Sicily, and Mom followed soon after. They left their dear child Frederick in Foligno under the care of the Duchess of Spoleto. Sadly, Frederick would never see his father alive again.
6. He Got Some Bad News
Just a few years later, in 1197, Frederick got some bad news. His father had passed due to malaria. Well, Frederick was still only a toddler, and he probably had little memory of dear old dad. The good news was that now, they would take him to Sicily to be reunited with his mom.
But there was another, more vital reason, for rushing him off to Sicily.
7. The Empire Needed Him
Since his father had been the king of Sicily, someone had to take his place. It seemed that the entire Roman Empire was suddenly vulnerable. Little Frederick was just three years old, but it didn't matter. He needed to be the next king of Sicily. On May 17, 1198, they crowned him.
But what kind of king would a toddler make?
8. He Was Too Young
Because Frederick was still an infant, his mother Constance took care of a lot of the matters of the state. But Constance could see that her son’s age was a problem. You see, little Frederick was also the king of Germany. Mom saw that was too much for her son and ditched the German title altogether.
Obviously, Frederick needed his mother around to call the shots until he got older. But she wouldn't be around for much long.
9. He Was All Alone
In November 1198, just a few months after they’d crowned Frederick king, his mother passed. She was only 44 years old, so this came as quite a shock. The problem now wasn't just that the king was a child, but now he was a parentless child. With no adult ruler, the empire fell into chaos.
And only one thing could save it.
10. He Tied The Knot
In December 1208, Frederick, who was just 14 at the time, took a big step. He was now an adult and ready to bring order back to the empire. One thing a teenage king needed was a queen. In 1209, they presented him with his bride-to-be. Like his mother, his bride’s name was Constance. And also like his mother…she was kind of old.
Though barely a teenager, Frederick was about to marry a 30-year-old woman.
11. He Did His Royal Duty
Frederick’s wife was much older and was actually on her second husband. You might think, due to the age difference, this was a marriage on paper only. Nope, by 1211, the 15-year-old Frederick and his wife had a baby boy they named Henry. But a son was only part of the benefit that Constance brought to the marriage.
She also brought other men.
12. He Was In Trouble
With his marriage to Constance, Frederick got his hands on some knights that he could use to gain control over an almost lawless Sicily. This worked, but then things took a turn for the worse when Otto IV began an invasion. Otto was heading to Sicily, and there was no telling what would happen when he got there.
13. He Became King
Otto’s attack on Sicily ended when German princes decided to get behind Frederick. In September 1211, they named him king of Germany. Frederick wanted to be in Germany to reap the rewards, but he didn’t want to leave Sicily without a leader. No matter. He left his one-year-old son in Sicily as the king.
Frederick was heading to bigger and better things.
14. He Got An Empire
In November of 1220, the pope himself crowned Frederick as Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor. He right away separated this empire from the Kingdom of Sicily, where his toddler son was residing as king. Frederick spent the next years bringing order back to Sicily and rebuilding his connection to the pope. He built castles and fortified the borders and built up a massive fleet of merchant ships.
It was a time of great growth, but there was heartache ahead.
15. He Married For Convenience
Just two years after he became the emperor, Frederick’s wife contracted malaria and passed on. Three years later, Frederick turned the tables. He married Isabella of Brienne, who was just nine years old at the time. His child bride was actually the Queen of Jerusalem, and Frederick saw an opportunity. He made himself the King of Jerusalem.
This aggressive move by Frederick brought down the wrath of his wife’s father.
16. He Took Advantage
By making such a drastic move, Frederick II had basically double-crossed Isabella’s father, John. He’d convinced John to let him marry his daughter and then proclaimed himself king of Jerusalem right after the wedding. This was not the bargain John had signed on for.
But Frederick was actually even worse.
17. He Was A Bad Husband
Not only had Frederick taken the Kingdom of Jerusalem from his father-in-law, but now he was misbehaving terribly. Not long after marrying Isabella, he turned around and seduced his wife’s cousin and friend. When Isabella finally got pregnant, she might have expected things to get better.
They actually got worse.
18. He Had A Terrible Temper
Not only was Frederick II cheating on his young wife, but he was also mistreating her. In 1226, a 14-year-old and very pregnant Isabella discovered her husband’s frightening rage. Her father had done something to anger Frederick, and he took this out on Isabella with a physical assault that almost made her miscarry.
Isabella recovered, but fate had other plans.
19. He Got What He Wanted
Isabella did manage to give birth, but baby Margaret passed in the summer of the following year. Then, in 1228, Isabella got pregnant again with another of Frederick’s children. On the delivery day, April 25, she gave birth to a son, Conrad II. Sadly, Isabella did not survive the delivery, but Frederick had what he wanted: a son.
But trouble was brewing with the pope.
20. He Angered The Pope
Around this same time, Frederick II got into the pope’s bad books. Long ago, he had promised to carry out Crusades against the Muslims. While Frederick was ready to participate in the Crusades, there was an epidemic which prevented him from fighting. However, the pope wasn’t buying the excuse and excommunicated Frederick.
But not even the pope himself could stop Frederick from doing what he wanted.
21. He Used His Charm
Frederick ignored the pope’s excommunication and set off to join the Crusades. Instead of fighting, Frederick used his charms and negotiated treaties with the Sultan of Egypt and, in the bargain, obtained Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Nazareth. On March 18, 1229, Frederick held a ceremony in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where he made himself king.
Frederick was risking making the pope very angry, but he had his reasons for not caring one little bit.
22. He Had An Inflated Ego
One of the reasons why Frederick II didn’t heed the pope’s orders was that Frederick thought he was better than the pope. Some even say that Frederick saw himself as a messiah. When he entered Jerusalem as the new king, some compared it to Jesus entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
With his new (imagined) status as messiah, Frederick was ready to face his enemies. First on his list? His own son.
23. His Son Made Him Angry
Frederick did end up making up with the pope, yet it was his own son who gave him trouble next. He’d left young Henry VII to become the king of Germany, but he was getting a little too cozy with the German princes. Then, in 1234, Henry did something even worse. He made an alliance with Frederick’s enemies, the Lombard League. This made Frederick angry enough to head to Germany.
Henry had to brace himself for a visit from his angry father.
24. He Locked Up His Son
Frederick II arrived in Germany, and Henry’s little rebellion almost immediately fell apart. Of course, Frederick had to punish the leader of the rebellion, even though he was his own son. Frederick had little choice but to put his son behind bars. Sadly, Henry would stay there until 1242, when he passed from leprosy.
He’d lost a son, but he was about to gain a new wife.
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25. He Needed A New Queen
Remember, Frederick’s second wife Isabella had passed while giving birth, which meant that Frederick was in need of a new wife. Another Isabella, this time from England, was on offer. She was the sister of King Henry III, and he’d been having trouble finding a husband for her. He’d even tried to marry her off to Frederick’s son.
So, it seems unlikely that Frederick would marry someone his own son had said no to. Well, don’t be too sure.
26. He Married For Power
As it turned out, there were some very good reasons to marry Isabella number two. First of all, the pope was in favor of it, and it was always a good idea to keep him happy. Secondly, this marriage would make the bond stronger between the Roman Empire and England. They needed this as they were preparing to gang up on France.
They discussed the marriage for three days and then came up with their decision.
27. He Wasn’t A Romantic
They gave Isabella the green light to marry Frederick II, but there was no romantic proposal. It was Frederick’s ambassadors who gave her the ring. In fact, she would not marry Frederick for six weeks, as her new husband was busy in battle. They eventually met and married in the very unromantic-sounding city of Worms.
There was no time for a honeymoon. Frederick was on the road again.
28. Another Child King
Frederick was soon back in Germany, and they needed a new king. He had just the person for the job: another one of his sons. This was nine-year-old Conrad IV—much easier to control, at that age—and Frederick elected him to the position in Vienna. With his son in power, Frederick turned his sights south. He had a grudge that needed taking care of.
29. He Wanted Them To Surrender
Remember, Frederick had gotten angry when his other son had joined forces with the Lombard League. Well, he went into battle against them and won. He then did something surprising. He demanded “unconditional surrender” from the people of Milan. They had tried to negotiate peace, but Frederick would have none of it.
When Frederick wasn’t busy doing battle, he was arranging marriages that would quench his thirst for power.
30. He Married Another Son Off
Frederick seemed to always be plotting his next move, and his schemes often seemed to incorporate marriage. He had an illegitimate son named Enzo to marry off, and he found a wife for him in Princess Adelasia. This led Enzo to become the King of Sardinia. The problem was, Frederick had no right to place an illegitimate heir in such a position.
The pope had had it. This was the last straw.
31. He Made An Irreverent Joke
When Frederick II named his illegitimate son the king of Sardinia, the pope hit the roof. He’d lost all trust in Frederick, and it got worse when he heard a joke that some claimed to hear Frederick make. According to rumors, Frederick had been heard to say that Moses, Christ, and Muhammad were all imposters. On March 20, 1239, the pope excommunicated Frederick once again.
But Frederick was almost crazy with power, and no one could stop him.
32. He Marched On Rome
The pope's excommunication seemed to have little effect on Frederick’s rash behavior. He amassed an army, and in February 1240, he marched into Rome. He would have taken Rome if the Romans had not gotten behind the pope and fought him off. But as he retreated, Frederick took POWs, which included cardinals and bishops.
This would have a very negative effect on his reputation.
33. It Spiraled Out Of Control
Frederick II had abducted members of the church, and so he fell prey to propaganda that accused him of being anti-church. This “Frederick versus the pope” feud seemed to be spiraling out of control. And then it happened: Pope Gregory passed at the ripe old age of 95.
But it wasn’t exactly a victory by default—because, around the same time, Frederick’s family life also took a hit.
34. He Kept Her Locked Up
Frederick was still married to Isabella number two, and he wasn’t treating this one as badly as his first one. But he did tend to keep her behind closed doors. Even her own brother, when he visited, had to wait days before he could see her. Like the Isabella before her, this one would face tragedy during childbirth. They buried her beside the first Isabella in 1241.
Meanwhile, there was a new pope for him to face off against.
35. He Met A New One
Pope Gregory had been Frederick’s formidable foe, but his replacement, Innocent IV, seemed to be a little more chill. Based on their first interactions, it seemed that this would be a much easier relationship. In 1244, Innocent surprised everyone and fled to Lyon, France. When he arrived, there was an even bigger surprise: he fired Frederick.
Obviously, something had gone horribly wrong.
36. He Wanted A Meeting
With the pope running off to Lyon, and deposing Frederick II, this was turning into a power struggle even more severe than Frederick versus Gregory IX. Frederick's supporters called him the Messiah, while those against him saw him as one step away from the Antichrist. Frederick wanted to speak directly to Innocent, and so he began his journey to Lyon.
But this trip would have a frightening interruption.
37. He Suffered Losses
While traveling to meet the pope in Lyon, there was a revolt in Parma. With this, Frederick lost a good deal of central Italy and Romagna. Then, Frederick met with more disappointment. His favorite confidant, Pietro della Vigna, ended up behind bars. They accused him of treason, and this led to him taking his own life.
The next loss would be closer to home.
38. He Lost A Family Member
Frederick II was suffering losses in his battles and with his friends. This next loss was in his family. Remember his illegitimate son, Enzo, the king of Sardinia? In 1249, the Bolognese took Sardinia and captured Enzo. They kept him behind bars until his passing in1272.
Frederick’s world was falling apart, but he still had a son he could call on for help.
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39. He Was Getting It Back
Frederick’s son Conrad IV was still reigning in Germany, and he helped Frederick out there. Frederick was also working hard to gain back what he’d lost in Italy. Just as he was getting himself back into a comfortable position, the worst happened. Frederick caught dysentery and, after a painful struggle, he passed.
Or did he?
40. They Waited For His Return
Since many saw Frederick II as a Messiah, the news of his passing created skepticism. Soon, fakes started appearing as Frederick, and then there were rumors. Some thought Frederick was alive and living in either a volcano in Italy or a mountain in Germany. They thought that he would return, punish the church, and recreate the Roman Empire.
But this was not going to happen.
41. It Ended With Him
There would be no return of Frederick. Worse still, his family would pretty much vanish. Frederick had gone to great lengths to place his sons in powerful positions. But just 22 years after Frederick’s passing, none of his heirs would be alive. They’d all lost their lives fighting the papacy.
His familial legacy did not survive, but Frederick lives on in other ways.
42. He Was A Scientist
One positive thing that came from Frederick’s life involves his interest in science and nature. Frederick was an animal lover and, in addition to having a zoo, he studied the behavior of birds. Modern-day natural historian and broadcaster David Attenborough thought that Frederick was way ahead of his time in his understanding of bird migration.
He was also very curious about human beings.
43. He Did Cruel Experiments
Some critics of Frederick have told tales of his cruel experiments on people. In one experiment, they said he wanted to see the human soul escape a body, so he locked a man in a cask and waited for the soul to escape through a hole. Of course, for the experiment to work, the man would have to perish.
His interest in biology also resulted in some cruel experiments.
44. He Needed To Know About Digestion
Frederick had a question about digestion that he wanted answered. Some say that he fed two men the same meal and then sent one to bed and one out to hunt. To find out which one had better digestion, he disemboweled both men and looked at their insides.
Even his experiment about psychology ended up being horribly cruel.
45. He Locked Up Children
Some allege that Frederick had a barbaric way of testing a theory about language development. They say he took children and locked them up, so they would have no contact with other humans. He did this to see if a natural language would develop spontaneously. Apparently, he was trying to find out what language god had passed on to Adam and Eve.
Thankfully, his contributions to the arts were not so heartless.
46. He Invented The Sonnet
One thing that Frederick brought to the European court was paper. Before his reign, people didn't use it. Once he had paper, Frederick supported poetry through the Sicilian School. This led to the emergence of what we now call the sonnet. He also set a standard for education.
47. He Opened The First One
In 1224, Frederick II created something the world had never seen before: a state-run university. The state picked up the bill for students at the University of Naples. One famous graduate is the theologian Thomas Aquinas. The university still exists. They now call it Università Federico II.
Frederick was also a trailblazer when it came to laws.
48. He Was A Lawmaker
Many see Frederick as a ruler who liked to regulate his people. With his team, he created laws for many practical purposes, even the use of coins. He was also ahead of his time when he created protection for women, public health, and even for the environment.
We know so much about what Frederick did, but only a little about what he looked like.
49. He Was A Ginger
The people who saw Frederick in Jerusalem said that he had red hair all over him but was at the same time bald. They also reported that he appeared to be very short-sighted. Others said that Frederick was like a chameleon and able to change to whatever suited the occasion. He could be haughtily autocratic and also look a little rough.
This shapeshifting quality also came out in his personality.
50. He Had A Dual Personality
As a ruler, our memory of Frederick remains full of contradictions. One minute he could be friendly and even gay, and the next he could show his cruel and rigid side. He was both tolerant and intolerant, sensual and pious. And if you’re looking for excuses for this strange behavior, some historians blame it on his difficult childhood and lack of parental guidance.
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