Barbarossa

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Barbarossa


Frederick of Barbarossa


The great man who was never drowned

On 1190, Frederick I Barbarossa and his own troops would cross the Saleph River in Armenia, many of his troops would drown, however and some of his troops would survive, it felt unfair that he would survive for him as majority of his troops have perished in the Saleph River in Armenia.
Barbarossa was said to question his own survival at the Saleph river and his own worthiness as a Holy Roman Emperor and the two of his former wives have already died including his recent wife, Beatrice of Burgundy.

Barbarossa was said to be a strong Emperor and was able to survive on his drowning and was able to withstand his own drowning, but regardless of what was said about him, he was able to survive and crossed south to Jerusalem in order to meet the Queen of Jerusalem, Isabella.
Frederick Barbarossa would arrive safely in Jerusalem only to see, the New Queen Isabella of Jerusalem already married to Conrad of Montferrat which he would be surprised of the marriage of the Queen of Jerusalem.

On his arrival on Jerusalem he would question the marriage of Conrad of Montferrat and Isabella of Jeruslaem which Queen Isabella would object herself as she wanted to marry Humphrey of Toron along with Princess Joan of England who is a supporter of Princess Constance’s claims on Sicily.
There are theater plays and films centuries after that would talk about the miraculous survival of Frederick Barbarossa in the future and his braveness in battle.

“Frederick Barbarossa proved himself on his survival on his crossing of the Saleph”
Mathew de Paris

“Frederick I Barbarossa is a proven competent ruler to the Germans and was a strong leader of the Germans, is a very ambitious Emperor of the Germans and a model for the future rulers of Germany”
Mathew de Paris

 

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Constance of Sicily

Constance of Sicily would reveal herself to her husband that she is now pregnant and gave birth to a son, she would name as Frederick on 1190 who would be shortly followed by a daughter named Beatrice of Swabia on 1192, the birth of a son would bolster her claims to the Kingdom of Sicily, the son would prove to be healthy and her legitimate claimant which would further bolster her claims to the Kingdom against her enemy, Tancred of Sicily on the year 1190.

Constance of Sicily and her husband, Henry of Swabia would send in spies at Tancred who is the illegitimate ruler of Sicily in their own views on the back of Tancred, however, Constance of Sicily should bide her own time in order to get the throne of Sicily, she would say that she would need help of the Holy Roman Emperor himself, the Emperor Barbarossa would want to conquer the northern and southern half of Italy and Joan of England supported Constance of Sicily rather than Tancred and Joan wanted Constance to be the Queen of Sicily herself.

When Joan of England, Queen of Sicily joined her brother, Richard on Jerusalem, she would meet with Barbarossa and she would express her sentiments in Joining the struggle of Constance of Sicily.


“Constance became heir presumptive to the Sicilian crown after the death of her younger nephew Henry of Capua in 1172, since her elder nephew King William II did not marry until 1177 and his marriage remained childless (or ever had a son named Boemond in 1181) but she was still confined in her convent.

Her betrothal to Henry was announced 29 Oct 1184 at the Augsburg episcopal palace. In 1185 Constance traveled to Milan to celebrate the wedding accompanied by a grand procession of princes and barons. Henry accompanied her to Salerno in August but had to return to Germany for the funeral of his mother. On August 28 Constance was greeted in the Province of Rieti by ambassadors from the Emperor. Henry and Constance were married on 27 January 1186 at Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, Milan. In exchange for the marriage Frederick agreed to relinquish his claim to Southern Italy. Before leaving Sicily William II had three main nobles Tancred, Count of Lecce, Roger of Andria and vice chancellor Matthew of Ajello swear fealty to her as the probable successor to the throne at the curia of Troia. Matthew strongly opposed this marriage. Abulafia (1988) points out that William did not foresee the union of German and Sicilian crowns as a serious eventuality; his purpose was to consolidate an alliance, with an erstwhile enemy of Norman power in Italy.

Constance interceded the succession conflict of her maternal-granduncle Count Henry of Namur with her husband and father-in-law: Henry had designated his maternal-nephew Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut as his heir while childless, but he had a daughter Ermesinde in 1186 and thus sought to replace Baldwin with her. Under the instruction of Frederick I Baldwin succeeded Namur in 1189 while Henry was still living.

Constance would give birth to a son named Frederick on 1190, who would be her heir to her claims to the crown of Sicily.

The papacy, also an enemy of the emperors, did not want to see the kingdom of southern Italy (then one of the richest in Europe) in German hands, but Henry pressed Pope Celestine III to baptize and crown his son; the Pope put him off.”

Encyclopedia Angevina


“It was said that Constance of Sicily herself wanted the throne of Sicily in the detriment of her relative Tancred and even laughed in the Swabian court while planning their conquest of Sicily.”

Mathew de Paris