History of the Expedition of the Emperor Frederick facts for kids
The History of the Expedition of the Emperor Frederick is an old book written in Latin. It tells the story of Emperor Frederick I's journey during the Third Crusade. This book covers the years from 1187 to 1196, but it mostly focuses on the exciting journey that happened between 1189 and 1190.
This history book seems to be a mix of different writings. These parts were put together from notes taken while the journey was happening. A person named Ansbert might have written or collected these stories. The book gives a very detailed, almost day-by-day, account of the emperor's trip across the Balkans and Anatolia. It ends with the sudden death of Frederick I. This book is the most detailed story we have about this important expedition. Much of it comes from people who were actually there and saw what happened.
Who Wrote It and When?
The History of the Expedition of the Emperor Frederick was written a long time ago, around the year 1200. Some parts of it were even written while the events were still happening. For example, it mentions people who were alive at the time, like Count Philip of Flanders, who died in 1191.
The oldest copies of this book are from the early 1200s. One copy was made in a monastery in Styria, and another in Bohemia. These early copies are not complete. The full story became known from two copies made much later, in the 1700s.
In one of the old copies, a note says the book was written by an "Austrian cleric who was present" on the journey. Later, someone added the name "Ansbert." We are not entirely sure if Ansbert wrote the whole book or if he was the one who put all the different parts together. Some experts think different people wrote different parts of the book.
How the Story Was Put Together
The History of the Expedition is made up of three main parts. The first part is an introduction that talks about the fall of Jerusalem in 1187 and how the Third Crusade was planned. The middle part is the longest and describes Frederick's crusade in great detail. The last part is like an extra section about the rule of Frederick's son, Emperor Henry VI, up until 1196.
The introduction includes important letters and documents from that time. For example, it has a letter from Pope Gregory VIII asking people to join the Third Crusade. It also includes letters describing the important Battle of Hattin and how Saladin took over lands in Syria.
The main part of the book, which tells about Frederick's journey, seems to have been put together from reports sent back home by the army. It covers the time from May 1189 until Frederick's death in June 1190. Some parts of the book even use words directly from the diary of a Bavarian cleric named Tageno, who was there. It's possible that Ansbert, if he was the author, was also part of the crusade and wrote some of these reports himself.
Why This Book is Important
The History of the Expedition is a very important source for learning about Frederick I's crusade. It gives us a nearly day-to-day account of the journey. Unlike other books from that time, it often names specific dates and places. This helps us follow the army's path and even figure out how fast they traveled (about 20 kilometers or 12 miles per day in dangerous areas!).
The book also lists about 70 important noblemen and church leaders who joined the crusade. This is a much longer list than we have for most other crusades. It tells us about dukes, bishops, and counts who were part of the expedition.
This book is also the best source we have for understanding how Frederick I got along with the Greeks. It gives us more details than even the main Greek historical accounts from that time.
