Frederick Barbarossa

German historiography has for a long time made Frederick Barbarossa into a national political figure of power. G. A. Loud releases the image of the Hohenstaufen ruler from this anachronistic portrayal and takes a confident view of the personage of the Emperor, the context of his political actions and his historical significance. * Knut Görich, Emeritus Professor of Early and High Medieval History, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich * Students of medieval Europe have long needed a clear and reliable introduction to one of the twelfth century’s most important, fascinating and paradoxical rulers. This book will meet that need. G. A. Loud has written an excellent overview, showing in a nuanced but accessible way how Barbarossa’s personality and ambitions interacted with the structures of power and government available to him in Germany and Italy. It offers vivid insights into both the scope and the limitations of a medieval monarch’s power to act and to rule. * Len Scales, Professor of Late Medieval History, Durham University *