This week we will discuss how Barbarossa attempts to rebuild a new ideological underpinning of his role and how that leads to renewed conflict with the popes. But then one of the most devastating events of the Middle Ages solves all his issues and presents him with an opportunity to turn the mythmaking up to 11.\n\nAs always, this episode has a dedicated website with the transcript and maps, pictures and additional comments to read along. It is to be found at https://historyofthegermans.com/64-2/\nThe music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.\nAs always:\nHomepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.com\nFacebook: @HOTGPod \nTwitter: @germanshistory\nInstagram: history_of_the_germans\nReddit: u/historyofthegermans\nPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/Historyofthegermans