Emperor Frederick II Is Excommunicated
Emperor Frederick II of the Holy Roman Empire was excommunicated by Pope Gregory IX on September 29, 1227, primarily due to his failure to initiate a promised crusade against Muslim forces in the Holy Land. Born on December 26, 1194, in Lesi, Italy, Frederick ascended to the throne after a turbulent struggle for power, which included a significant conflict with the deposed emperor Otto IV. His reign was marked by a tense relationship with the papacy, which was wary of the emperor's growing influence in Italy.
Frederick was crowned Emperor by Pope Honorius III in 1220, under the condition that he would lead a crusade to reclaim Jerusalem. However, a series of delays—including ongoing conflicts within his territories—prevented him from fulfilling this commitment. When Frederick attempted to launch his crusade in September 1227, he had to turn back due to illness within his ranks, prompting Pope Gregory IX to impose excommunication as a form of spiritual and political pressure.
Despite this setback, Frederick resumed his crusade in June 1228 and successfully negotiated control over Jerusalem, being crowned as its king on March 18, 1229. His excommunication was eventually lifted in 1230, marking a complex interplay of religious authority and imperial power during a pivotal era in medieval Europe.
Emperor Frederick II Is Excommunicated
Emperor Frederick II Is Excommunicated
Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II was temporarily excommunicated by Pope Gregory IX on September 29, 1227, due to the emperor's failure to conduct a crusade against the Muslims, one of the conditions of his coronation.
Born in Lesi, Italy, on December 26, 1194, Frederick succeeded to his throne via a rather troubled path. He had been born into a protracted family feud over who would rule the sprawling Holy Roman Empire, which had historically been centered in Germany and central Europe but also had extensive territorial possessions and ambitions throughout Italy. The medieval papacy, which was strong in spiritual authority but often weak in temporal authority outside the religious center of Rome, was understandably nervous about the Holy Roman Empire's power in Italy. During Frederick's youth he faced a lengthy struggle for the throne with the deposed former emperor, Otto IV. This conflict attracted the attention of the papacy for various reasons, including Frederick's control over the kingdom of Sicily to Rome's south. The papacy supported Frederick, who eventually defeated Otto, and Frederick was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Honorius III on November 22, 1220. Upon this occasion, Frederick promised to launch a crusade in the Middle East in order to free the Holy Land from the “infidel” Muslims.
Frederick was delayed from carrying out his promise due to the continuing strife in various parts of his empire, including Sicily. He finally launched his crusade in September 1227 but had to turn back only three days later due to an outbreak of illness among his men. Honorius had died, but the new pope Gregory IX was irritated by this breach of a commitment, especially since it followed several previous delays by Frederick in launching the crusade. Therefore, Gregory excommunicated Frederick, a severe punishment in that day when church sanction was an important part of any monarch's authority in the Western world. Frederick began his crusade once again in June 1228. He successfully negotiated with the sultan of Egypt for control of the holy city of Jerusalem and nearby lands and was crowned king of Jerusalem on March 18, 1229. After this success, Frederick's excommunication was lifted in 1230.