Emperor Frederick II (1194-1250) : the man, the myth, the legend

Emperor Frederick II (1194–1250) of the Swabian Hohenstaufen dynasty is not very well known in the Netherlands. Unfairly so. He was a fascinating figure in many respects. Some see him as a progressive, tolerant monarch, a scholar far ahead of his time; others as a ‘typical’ conservative medieval ruler. In this book, we set out to discover the man behind the myths and legends. These myths and legends have not been chosen at random. They have been carefully selected on the basis of an in-depth historiographical study and are based on the group tours the author has undertaken through Italy and Germany. During these journeys, he frequently came across references to or reminders of Emperor Frederick II. They can be seen as places of memory (lieux de mémoire) that can also be used as a kind of travel guide through the history of Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. To this day, the emperor continues to stir the emotions.