Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Frederick II.

FREDERICK II., Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, son of Henry VI. and Constance, of Sicily; born in Jesi, Dec. 26, 1194, elected king of the Romans in 1196, again after his father's death, and a third time on the excommunication of Otho IV., in 1211. He was already King of Sicily, and Duke of Suabia, under the joint regency of his mother and Pope Innocent II. He made a league with Philip Augustus, King of France, and after the defeat of Otho by the latter at the battle of Bouvines, was crowned at Aix-la-Chapelle in 1215. Five years still elapsed before he received the imperial crown at Rome; on which occasion he had to renew a vow previously extorted from him to take the cross. In 1225 he married Yolande, daughter of John of Brienne, King of Jerusalem, and two years later, after several delays, he embarked for the Holy Land. Illness compelled him in a few days to land again, and for this he was excommunicated by Pope Gregory IX., the first of 10 thunders of the Vatican against him. He set out again in 1228, and the Pope exciting opposition to him, and invading his hereditary states, he at once concluded a truce with Kameel, the Sultan of Egypt, by which he became master of Jerusalem. He entered the city, crowned himself (no priest daring to do it), and returned to Europe. He recovered his states, made peace with the Pope, and suppressed the revolt of his son Henry, who was then imprisoned for life. In 1235 Frederick began the war with the cities of Lombardy, having for his ally Eccelino, tyrant of Verona. After his victory of Cortenuova, most of the cities submitted to him, and he approached Rome, but did not attack it. He took Ravenna, Faenza, and Benevento; and, in 1241, his fleet, commanded by his natural son, Enzio, whom he made King of Sardinia, defeated that of the Genoese. Frederick promoted the election of Innocent IV., who had been his friend, and made a treaty with him; but he soon found Innocent a most determined enemy. Rival emperors were set up, the war in Italy continued, Parma was lost in 1248, Enzio was defeated and made prisoner in the following year. Frederick was the most accomplished sovereign of the Middle Ages; but his strong sympathies with his Italian motherland, and his endeavors to establish an all-supreme empire in Italy, caused not only his own misfortunes, but the miseries which he brought on the German empire. He died in Fiorentino, Dec. 13, 1250.