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Friedrich Barbarossa (1122-1190) was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death during the Third Crusade in 1190. Elected 'King of Germany' at Frankfurt in 1152 he went on to be crowned 'King of Italy' in 1155 and finally 'Emperor' by the Pope in Rome that same year. He was named 'Barbarossa' or 'Red Beard' by the northern Italian cities he ruled while his Germanic subjects called him 'Kaiser Rotbart' which translates as 'King Red Beard'. The ruler himself preferred his Italian nickname which perhaps reflected the centrality of his campaigns in that country during his long reign.
