The House of Hohenstaufen and Italy

Three Innovative Regions in Medieval Europe

The exhibition presents the epochal achievements in the arts, culture, science, law, economics and religion that emanated from the three historic regions: the Rhine-Main-Neckar-Region, Northern Italy and the Kingdom of Sicily - in Reiss-Engelhorn-museum in mannheim

Emperor Frederick Barbarossa’s biographer Otto of Freising asserted that the Empire’s most potent force was located where the Main flows and the Rhine and Neckar converge. In Northern Italy, the Hohenstaufen rulers were confronted by such flourishing, prosperous and well organized cities as Milan, Cremona and Pavia. They were culturally and economically fascinating. This region thrived like a garden of delights according to Otto of Freising. On the other hand, a political system entirely oriented toward the ruler was successfully established in the Kingdom of Sicily, which had been united with the Hohenstaufen’s empire north of the Alps since the end of the 12th century. A melting pot of different cultures, the southern Italian kingdom furnished an environment to simultaneously cultivate diverse interests and pursue broad learning. Thus, the cradle of cultures was assumed to be located here. The exhibition presents the epochal achievements in the arts, culture, science, law, economics and religion that emanated from these three historic regions. Massive castles, imposing stone sculptures, costly works of gold, sumptuous illuminated manuscripts, jewelry set with precious gems, skillfully embroidered textiles and religious objects reflect the innovative force of the Hohenstaufen era just as much as luminous stained glass windows, important parchment documents, heavy wax seals or gleaming gold coins.