Most other medieval German rulers are all but forgotten, so why has interest in the Hohenstaufen never completely disappeared. They were by no means the most successful emperors, that crown has to go the Ottonians, nor was their reign the most fateful, that award goes to the later Salians. Frederick Barbarossa and his grandson Frederick II have been such fascinating personalities that almost any age could project their own perceptions and expectations onto them, from champion of national unity to modern man before his time. Time to find out what really happened, who they actually were. This is a narrative history in weekly 25-30 minute episodes that had initially been published in the History of the Germans Podcast. This is a re-release, so if you want to listen ahead, just go to https://historyofthegermans.com/barbarossa-2/