The Deeds of Frederick Barbarossa

by Otto of Freising, Rahewin (Primary Contributor), Richard Emery (Primary Contributor)

"The Deeds of Frederick Barbarossa" is the "official biography" of German king and Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I. This historical firsthand account was begun by his maternal uncle, Bishop Otto of Freising, the leading medieval church figure and notable historian, and continued by a less well known cleric, Rahewin. This chronicle is the single most important source for the early reign of Frederick Barbarossa and the most valuable biographical study to come out of the twelfth century. In a letter written to his uncle, Frederick recounted his life and the principal events of his reign. The first of the four books that constitute this account were written by Otto and cover events from 1075 to 1152, from the reign of Henry IV through that of Conrad III. The second book draws heavily on the letter, providing invaluable insight into Frederick's attempts to establish and consolidate the Hohenstaufen empire. The final two books, written by Rahewin, follow the emperor's reign through 1160, during which time Frederick restored order at home, recovered imperial control of Burgundy, and re-created an imperial party in Italy

Genres: History, Medieval, European History, Medieval History

384 pages, Hardcover

Published September 8, 2004

About the author

Cistercian monk, made Bishop of Freising circa 1136. The son of Leopold III, Margrave of Austria and Agnes, daughter of the Emperor Henry IV, Otto was at the heart of Imperial politics until his death.

Reviews

[Rodney Bond · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent historical book if you are interested in first-hand accounts of the events of the medieval ages. The book includes letters written by Frederick himself, and by the Popes of the time. The chronology is at times confusing; and Otto often "steps out" of the story line to give background on events that have or are about to take place.