The Crusade Of Frederick Barbarossa May 2026

The journey was anything but a peaceful pilgrimage. Frederick had to fight his way through supposed Christian allies and old rivals alike:

The Redbeard's Requiem: The Tragic Crusade of Frederick Barbarossa

: Historical accounts suggest that Saladin , the legendary Muslim leader who had retaken Jerusalem, feared the arrival of Barbarossa and his Germans more than any other crusading contingent.

Frederick did not just lead an army; he led a "moving state". Setting out before the more famous Richard the Lionheart and Philip II of France , Barbarossa commanded what was likely the largest single force ever assembled for a crusade.