The death of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (AD 1190): Physiopathological and palaeopathological considerations on a case of fatal drowning during the 3rd Crusade

Francesco Maria Galassi; Nicola Di Fazio; Elena Varotto; Marco Artico; Gabriele Savioli; Andrea Piccioni; Gianpietro Volonnino; Gianpiero D'Antonio; Lavinia Pellegrini; Luigi La Via; Aniello Maiese; Elena Percivaldi; Raffaele La Russa

doi:10.26720/anthro.25.02.12.3

The death of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (AD 1190): Physiopathological and palaeopathological considerations on a case of fatal drowning during the 3rd Crusade

Francesco Maria Galassi
, Nicola Di Fazio
, Elena Varotto
, Marco Artico
, Gabriele Savioli
, Andrea Piccioni
, Gianpietro Volonnino
, Gianpiero D'Antonio
, Lavinia Pellegrini
, Luigi La Via
, Aniello Maiese
, Elena Percivaldi
, Raffaele La Russa

College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

In this case report the still unexplained death of the Mediaeval Emperor Frederick Barbarossa is examined from a biomedical perspective using original historical sources and contemporary medical knowledge. Barbarossa’s case also serves as an example and a wake-up call for public health authorities on the danger represented by the problem of drowning, with particular reference to drowning in rivers and whirlpool-caused deaths.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	23-29
Number of pages	7
Journal	Anthropologie (Czech Republic)
Volume	63
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.26720/anthro.25.02.12.3
Publication status	Published - 2025

Keywords

Drowning
River
Creek
Whirlpool
Hydrocution syndrome
Palaeopathology
Public health
Public Health

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Galassi, F. M., Di Fazio, N., Varotto, E., Artico, M., Savioli, G., Piccioni, A., Volonnino, G., D'Antonio, G., Pellegrini, L., La Via, L., Maiese, A., Percivaldi, E., & La Russa, R. (2025). The death of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (AD 1190): Physiopathological and palaeopathological considerations on a case of fatal drowning during the 3rd Crusade. Anthropologie (Czech Republic), 63(1), 23-29. https://doi.org/10.26720/anthro.25.02.12.3

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title = "The death of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (AD 1190): Physiopathological and palaeopathological considerations on a case of fatal drowning during the 3rd Crusade",

abstract = "In this case report the still unexplained death of the Mediaeval Emperor Frederick Barbarossa is examined from a biomedical perspective using original historical sources and contemporary medical knowledge. Barbarossa{\textquoteright}s case also serves as an example and a wake-up call for public health authorities on the danger represented by the problem of drowning, with particular reference to drowning in rivers and whirlpool-caused deaths.",

keywords = "Drowning, River, Creek, Whirlpool, Hydrocution syndrome, Palaeopathology, Public health, Public Health",

author = "Galassi, \{Francesco Maria\} and \{Di Fazio\}, Nicola and Elena Varotto and Marco Artico and Gabriele Savioli and Andrea Piccioni and Gianpietro Volonnino and Gianpiero D'Antonio and Lavinia Pellegrini and \{La Via\}, Luigi and Aniello Maiese and Elena Percivaldi and \{La Russa\}, Raffaele",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.26720/anthro.25.02.12.3",

language = "English",

volume = "63",

pages = "23--29",

journal = "Anthropologie (Czech Republic)",

issn = "0323-1119",

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}

Galassi, FM, Di Fazio, N, Varotto, E, Artico, M, Savioli, G, Piccioni, A, Volonnino, G, D'Antonio, G, Pellegrini, L, La Via, L, Maiese, A, Percivaldi, E & La Russa, R 2025, 'The death of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (AD 1190): Physiopathological and palaeopathological considerations on a case of fatal drowning during the 3rd Crusade', Anthropologie (Czech Republic), vol. 63, no. 1, pp. 23-29. https://doi.org/10.26720/anthro.25.02.12.3

TY - JOUR

T1 - The death of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (AD 1190)

T2 - Physiopathological and palaeopathological considerations on a case of fatal drowning during the 3rd Crusade

AU - Galassi, Francesco Maria

AU - Di Fazio, Nicola

AU - Varotto, Elena

AU - Artico, Marco

AU - Savioli, Gabriele

AU - Piccioni, Andrea

AU - Volonnino, Gianpietro

AU - D'Antonio, Gianpiero

AU - Pellegrini, Lavinia

AU - La Via, Luigi

AU - Maiese, Aniello

AU - Percivaldi, Elena

AU - La Russa, Raffaele

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - In this case report the still unexplained death of the Mediaeval Emperor Frederick Barbarossa is examined from a biomedical perspective using original historical sources and contemporary medical knowledge. Barbarossa’s case also serves as an example and a wake-up call for public health authorities on the danger represented by the problem of drowning, with particular reference to drowning in rivers and whirlpool-caused deaths.

AB - In this case report the still unexplained death of the Mediaeval Emperor Frederick Barbarossa is examined from a biomedical perspective using original historical sources and contemporary medical knowledge. Barbarossa’s case also serves as an example and a wake-up call for public health authorities on the danger represented by the problem of drowning, with particular reference to drowning in rivers and whirlpool-caused deaths.

KW - Drowning

KW - River

KW - Creek

KW - Whirlpool

KW - Hydrocution syndrome

KW - Palaeopathology

KW - Public health

KW - Public Health

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105006600304

U2 - 10.26720/anthro.25.02.12.3

DO - 10.26720/anthro.25.02.12.3

M3 - Article

SN - 0323-1119

VL - 63

SP - 23

EP - 29

JO - Anthropologie (Czech Republic)

JF - Anthropologie (Czech Republic)

IS - 1

ER -

The death of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (AD 1190): Physiopathological and palaeopathological considerations on a case of fatal drowning during the 3rd Crusade

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Keywords

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