Hohenstaufen

Hohenstaufen is a name that refers to a medieval German noble family, the House of Hohenstaufen (also called the Staufer), as well as to the hill and castle that gave the dynasty its name. The dynasty originated in Swabia during the 12th century and became one of the leading powers of the Holy Roman Empire.

The House of Hohenstaufen rose to prominence under Conrad III, who was king of Germany from 1138 to 1152. Its height came with Frederick I Barbarossa (ruled 1155–1190), who sought to restore imperial authority in the German lands and in Italy, and with his son Henry VI, who continued expansive policies in southern Italy. Frederick II (emperor from 1220 to 1250) is often regarded as the most famous Hohenstaufen ruler; he reigned over both the Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Sicily and pursued a sophisticated and controversial program of centralized rule, cultural patronage, and conflicts with the papacy. The dynasty’s power declined after Frederick II’s death, and the male line ended with Conradin in 1268 following defeat in southern Italy, leading to the dynasty’s replacement by rival powers.

The Hohenstaufen nobles held extensive lands across the Empire and played a central role in the political and cultural life of 12th- and 13th-century Europe. Their Italian campaigns helped shape the politics of the peninsula, while their German domain contributed to the shaping of imperial institutions and legal ideas. The name itself derives from the ancestral seat, the Hohenstaufen castle, a fortress on a hill in Swabia. Today the castle ruins and hill remain a historical landmark associated with the dynasty.

In addition to the dynasty, “Hohenstaufen” may refer to the hill and castle attributed to the family, which gave the name its enduring association with Swabian history.