One of the most important of Holy Roman Emperors, Frederick II was revered and reviled in equal measures.  He was a scholar, an architect, a poet, a scientist and a composer. Yet rumours swirled that he was a pagan, a sensualist who kept a harem, even secretly a Muslim, who was excommunicated by the Roman Catholic Church numerous times. In this explainer episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Eleanor Janega tells the compelling story of one of her favourite historical figures; a ruler who fought for recognition, both on the battlefield and in the court of public perception. Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Jane and produced by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast. Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’ You can take part in our listener survey here