Frederick II and Medieval Muslims: Rulership, Expulsion, and Crusade

Abstract

The relationships between the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II (1220-1250) and the Muslims who lived within his realm of control and/or influence were extremely multi-faceted. His physical proximity to Muslim territories informed the somewhat unusual stances he took when interacting with followers of Islam.1 Frederick’s decisions relating to Muslims were shaped by his unique perspective. In this paper, I will conduct an in-depth examination of some of the emperor’s most weighty decisions, including his response to the Muslim revolts within the Kingdom of Sicily, and his interactions with Muslim rulers leading up to and during his crusade to the Holy Land. By examining these two differing examples of Frederick’s interactions with Muslims, I will illustrate his willingness to adapt policies of relative religious tolerance. I will then assert that his tolerance often only extended as far as his agenda, and that his proximity to the Muslim world allowed him to develop his progressive perspective into a political tool. I will also examine medieval sources and modern scholarship alike to explore how Frederick’s policy towards Muslims was interpreted by his contemporaries, and how modern scholars have come to understand these same interactions.