Cultural depictions of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor

Frederick II's statue in Palazzo Reale di Napoli. The sculptor was Emanuele Caggiano (1888).[1]

Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, also called Stupor mundi (Wonder of the World), was a notable European ruler who left a controversial political and cultural legacy. Considered by some to be "the most brilliant of medieval German monarchs, and probably of all medieval rulers", and admired for his multifaceted activities in the fields of government building, legislative work, cultural patronage and science,[2][3] he has also been criticized for his cruelty,[citation needed] and his neglect of Germany in favour of his Sicilian affairs.[4]

In Italy, the emperor gained a split image, with one element being favoured over the other depending on the era and the region: tyrant, heretic, enlightened despot, Puer Apulia (Boy from Apulia), and father of the Fatherland. Modern scholars generally praise the emperor's many talents, but the degree Frederick's actions and attitude can be considered to be a break from contemporary norms, as well as his contribution to contemporary advancement of knowledge (in the context of Sicilian and Hohenstaufen legacies, as well as cultural developments by other courts) is often subject to debates.

  1. ^ Luconi, Giuseppe; Cocola, Paola (2007). Conoscere Jesi (PDF). Jesi: Arti Grafiche Jesine.
  2. ^ Geise, John Jacobs (1947). Man and the Western World. Hinds, Hayden & Eldredge. p. 447. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  3. ^ Arnold, Benjamin (9 June 1997). Medieval Germany, 500–1300: A Political Interpretation. Macmillan International Higher Education. p. 113. ISBN 978-1-349-25677-8. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  4. ^ Waibel, Paul R. (11 February 2020). Western Civilization: A Brief History. John Wiley & Sons. p. 122. ISBN 978-1-119-16078-6. Retrieved 25 May 2022.