Holy Roman Empire · 1152-1190

Barbarossa and the cities of Italy

Emperor Frederick Barbarossa marches into Italy to make its rich cities obey him, and they band together against him. Students map the Lombard League, replay the battle of Legnano in 1176 and discuss why self-governing cities mattered for Europe.

Teach it live New Open on the map
Length
45 minutes
Ages
12–15
On the map
3 steps, AD 1176
Live lesson
7 rounds, 3 on the map
Worksheet
Two A4 pages, with Classroom
You need
A projector; phones for live

Live lesson · new in Classroom

Teach it live. The class answers on their phones.

Put the board on the projector. Students join with a six-digit code, no account needed, and tap the map: where was the frontier, where did the grain come from. Their pins drop in together when you reveal, and the closest student takes the round.

€19 per month: every lesson live, every worksheet, cancel anytime. Rome at its height runs live for free.

A live lesson on the projector: the class's pins on the map around Alexandria, the closest students listed beside it A student's phone: the question and a map to tap
7 rounds
3 places to find on the map, quiz questions, a class vote and a one-line answer.
About 15 minutes
Run it as the map step, or to open the discussion. You move on with the space bar.
A report
Every answer, per student and per round, to read back or print after the lesson.
1

Introduction

5 min

Read aloud

Emperor Frederick Barbarossa marches into Italy to make its rich cities obey him, and they band together against him. Students map the Lombard League, replay the battle of Legnano in 1176 and discuss why self-governing cities mattered for Europe.

By the end of the lesson, students can

  • Explain why Frederick Barbarossa and the cities of northern Italy came into conflict.
  • Locate the Lombard League and the battle of Legnano on the map.
  • Describe what the Peace of Constance (1183) gave the cities, and why it mattered.
2

Explore the map

12 min

Project the map, or let students follow on their own devices. Each step opens the map at the right year and place.

a

AD 1176

An empire across the Alps

Open the map in 1176. Find the Holy Roman Empire. How much of Italy does it include? What stands between the German lands and Lombardy?

Open this view on the map
b

AD 1176

The cities of Lombardy

Turn on Historical Events (Battles) and find the Battle of Legnano. Then zoom in on the Po valley. Why could so many rich towns grow so close together here?

Open this view on the map
c

AD 1176

Allies of the cities

Zoom out to see Venice and the Papal States. Both helped the cities against the emperor. Why might they fear a strong emperor in Italy?

Open this view on the map
3

Class discussion

14 min

Pick two or three. They run from what happened to why it mattered.

  1. The Italian cities chose their own consuls and made their own laws. Why would an emperor see that as a threat?
  2. In 1162 Frederick had the walls of Milan torn down and its people driven out. Why did that push other cities to unite?
  3. At Legnano, citizen foot soldiers defended their war wagon against armored knights. Why was their victory a surprise?
  4. Some Italian cities fought on Frederick's side. Why might a city side with the emperor against its neighbors?
  5. Frederick drowned on crusade in 1190, yet legends said he was only sleeping and would one day return. Why do people create legends like that?
4

Game round

9 min

Play Rule History as Charlemagne, the emperor Barbarossa admired and had declared a saint in 1165. Afterwards, compare: Charlemagne conquered the Lombard kingdom, but Barbarossa could not master the Lombard cities. What had changed?

Open Rule History
5

Worksheet

5 min

This worksheet comes with Classroom

€19 per month unlocks every worksheet, every live lesson and the class workspace. The free lesson prints without a subscription.