Wax Seal of Frederick II
Type:
Seals
Date:
1222
Location or Findspot (Modern-Day Country):
Italy
Description:
Attached to this document from 1222 is the wax seal of Frederick II Hohenstaufen (1194–1250), who was king of Sicily from 1198, subsequently king of Germany, Italy, and Jerusalem, and then Holy Roman Emperor. The document confirms the privileges of the Benedictine monastery of Ognissanti in southern Italy.
The crowned emperor appears frontally, seated on his throne with a cross sceptre in his right hand and a globe topped with a cross in his left. Traces of the inscription around the outside of the seal are still visible: "Fridericus dei gratia Romanorum imperator et semper augustus et rex Sicilie" (Frederick, by the grace of God, emperor of the Romans, and always august, King of Sicily). The same text appears as the first line of text in the document itself. Later seals were updated with the additional title of "Rex Ierusalem" (King of Jerusalem).
The crowned emperor appears frontally, seated on his throne with a cross sceptre in his right hand and a globe topped with a cross in his left. Traces of the inscription around the outside of the seal are still visible: "Fridericus dei gratia Romanorum imperator et semper augustus et rex Sicilie" (Frederick, by the grace of God, emperor of the Romans, and always august, King of Sicily). The same text appears as the first line of text in the document itself. Later seals were updated with the additional title of "Rex Ierusalem" (King of Jerusalem).
Relevant Textbook Chapter(s):
8
Image Credits:
Jill Caskey
