WI: No Frederick I Barbarossa

[GauchoBadger]

Another one of those "great men absent" scenarios. I previously made two threads also concerning Freddy (one where he's more successful against the Lombard League and another where he dies at Legnano), by the way.

So, assume that Frederick I Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor, dies as a child. What would happen next?
How would the imperial election in the aftermath of Lothair III's death proceed? I think the main candidates for the throne would be the Welf Duke Henry the Lion and Frederick's OTL brother, Frederick IV of Swabia. Could a civil war ensue?
How does an aborted Hohenstaufen era affect Papal-Imperial relations?

 

[Curtain Jerker]

One thing is for sure: The Nazis will need a new person to name their invasion of the USSR after.

As far as the actual implications, probably a lesser Third Crusade right?

 

[Monter]

Frederick IV was son of Conrad III and cousin of Frederick, not brother, he is also a kid at the time of his father's death hence why was passed over succession. Frederick's half-brother is Conrad, Count of the Rhine, 17 at the time of his uncle's death, whereas his age will interfere on the choice of the princes is something I don't know, but Henry the Lion at the time is "just" Duke of Saxony, unlike his father that owned 1/4 of Germany, and can be more attractive, but why he didn't push for a candidacy against Barbarossa is something I don't know, so I can't say if he would do it here too.

 

[GauchoBadger]

Frederick IV was son of Conrad III and cousin of Frederick, not brother, he is also a kid at the time of his father's death hence why was passed over succession. Frederick's half-brother is Conrad, Count of the Rhine, 17 at the time of his uncle's death, whereas his age will interfere on the choice of the princes is something I don't know, but Henry the Lion at the time is "just" Duke of Saxony, unlike his father that owned 1/4 of Germany, and can be more attractive, but why he didn't push for a candidacy against Barbarossa is something I don't know, so I can't say if he would do it here too.

Oh, thanks for clarifying.
Could we see an earlier fragmentation of the HRE? Or would the Welfs stabilize the situation?