Hello and welcome to the history of the Germans, episode 51, the Barbarossa.

I do apologize for this slightly shorter episode. I picked up COVID last week and I'm still not fully back on track, though I've now tested negative.

It was inevitable, given that over the last three months, roughly 3% of the UK population has symptomatic COVID at any given time.

Well, but I'm on route to recovery, so nothing to worry about, apart from a shorter episode.

So, this week, we'll take a look back at Barbarossa's youth, childhood and his achievements

until he had reached his 30s.

Some of it had appeared in previous episodes, but mostly, just as an aside.

Before we start, just a reminder, the history of the Germans' podcast is advertising free,

thanks to the generous

support from patrons.

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from the price of a latte per month.

All you have to do is sign up at patreon.com slash History of the Germans or on my website

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You find all the links in the show notes.

And thanks a lot to Lawrence, Joe and Leopold, who have already signed up.

And a small correction.

Last week I thanked a Sean, who does not exist, instead of a Sheen, who very much exists

and who I want to thank.

So here we go, thanks Sheen.

There is practically no information about Barbarossa's life before he was 15 years old.

Since Barbarossa was not very fluent in Latin, it's likely that he received an education commensurate with his future role as Duke of Swabia.

...