This image shows Karl der Grosse (Charlemagne), as depicted by Albrecht Dürer, plus the Cathedrals of Aachen, Worms & Speyer, protected by an angel with sword. Aachen Cathedral is known as the Kaiserdom, or Imperial Cathedral. It is a Roman Catholic church in Aachen, Germany built by Charlemagne. He began the construction of the Palatine… Continue reading Charlemagne and Cathedrals of Aachen, Worms & Speyer
In March 1193, Richard the Lionheart was captured on his way back from the Third Crusade. The English King was arrested by Leopold V, Duke of Austria, and soon imprisoned by Kaiser Heinrich VI at Trifels Castle in the Palatinate region of southwestern Germany. The arrest was revenge for Richard’s support of a massive conspiracy against the German… Continue reading German Kaiser Heinrich VI grants a pardon to ransomed King Richard the Lionheart of England
The Teutonic Knights were warrior monks who fought to convert pagans to Christianity and also built and governed their Monastic State of the Teutonic Order all along the Baltic coast in northern Europe. At the core of their organization was a group of 3000 highly trained and well equipped warrior monks...men who also gave up… Continue reading For 300 years two men were included in the daily prayers of the Teutonic Knights
Swabia, or Schwaben, was a region in SW Germany, now part of the states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. Starting in the 9th century, Swabia was the birthplace of Charlemagne's family... Charlemagne, or Karl der Grosse, was the first Kaiser of the Holy Roman Empire in 800. Swabia was also home of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, which included Germany's… Continue reading The German land of Swabia was the birthplace of five royal dynasties
This regal portrait of a man who lived 1200 years ago was painted in 1512 by Albrecht Dürer...it is a representation of what he thought his subject, Karl der Grosse (Charlemagne), may have looked like at age 58 in the year 800. It was known that Karl was slim and very tall...6' 0" versus 5'… Continue reading Karl der Grosse, Charlemagne, was crowned on 25 December 800…All future German Holy Roman Emperors and all French Kings considered themselves to be descendants of his Empire.
Try to imagine what it was like to be 6 years old and declared King of the Germans, a powerful medieval nation. This actually happened in 1056 in Aachen Cathedral, when Heinrich IV was crowned King of the Romans, the medieval official title for King of the Germans. If you think a 6 year old… Continue reading Heinrich was six years old when he was declared King of the Germans and Holy Roman Emperor in 1056…his drama was just beginning
The First German Empire lasted 1000 years. It was established in 800 AD, was reconfirmed in 962 AD and dissolved in 1806. Officially it was known as the Holy Roman Empire. Karl der Grosse Charlemagne, King of the Germanic Franks and first Holy Roman Emperor, crowned in 800AD...as painted by Albrecht Dürer . After the death… Continue reading The First Reich, or first German Empire, lasted 1000 years, succeeded by the Second Reich in 1871
Kaiser Friedrich II at his court in Palermo, Italy Another interesting aspect of German history is the long running connection with Italy. For example, there is a statue of German Kaiser Friedrich II …who lived in the 13th century…still being honored today in Naples, Italy. The image here, painted by Arthur von Ramberg, portrays this… Continue reading German history has a long running connection with Italy
For People Proud of their German Heritage 