10 June 1190: An Earth-Shattering Misstep for Barbarossa
One of medieval Europe's mightiest crusaders takes an unprecedented plunge, plunging his army into chaos
Events Marked on June 10 throughout History:
In the scorching heat of the early 1190s, whispers of turbulence echoed across Asia Minor. The crusaders were on the move, this time under the rule of one of Christendom's most powerful men: the indomitable and war-hardened German King, Frederick Barbarossa, the Holy Roman Emperor. On May 18, Barbarossa demonstrated his unparalleled prowess by decimating the Seljuk Turks at the Battle of Iconium, leaving Jerusalem within his grasp. A stirring confrontation with Saladin seemed imminent.
But then, intriguingly, fate took matters into its own hands. On June 10, Barbarossa's unyielding army found itself on the outskirts of Silifke, in southern Turkey, attempting a perilous river crossing of the Saleph. Medieval chroniclers spun tales of contradicting incidents—some claimed the emperor went for a swim on a scorching day, while others insisted he was thrown off his horse into the cold waters during the crossing. Some even reported that he drowned, while others suggested that the shock of the incident triggered a heart attack.
The days that followed Barbarossa's death were laced with disaster for his crippled army. His son, Frederick of Swabia, took command, but they were ravaged by desertions and disease. In Antioch, Barbarossa's body was drained and deboned to be buried in the cathedral church of St Peter. The remaining soldiers clung to his bones, dreaming of a burial in Jerusalem. However, they never reached their destination, and instead, the bones found their final rest in Tyre.
Famous Figures and Anniversaries
- 10 June 1692: Bridget Bishop, the primary victim of the Salem witch trials, is hanged. See our captivating podcast series delving into the Salem Witch Trials.
- 10 June 1829: Oxford and Cambridge slug it out in the first-ever boat race at Henley-on-Thames, with Oxford edging the competition.
- 10 June 1913: The world bid welcome to Edward Penley Abraham, a renowned biochemist instrumental in the development of penicillin and cephalosporin, an antibiotic that mowed down penicillin-resistant bacteria.
- 10 June 1921: Philip, a remarkable figure in the Greek royal family, entered the world. In 1947, before marrying the future Queen Elizabeth, he became the Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich.
- 10 June 1940: In a frantic bid for a share in the impending peace treaty's rewards, Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini declared war on France and Britain.
Additional Insights
In the brutal months leading up to the fateful June, Barbarossa and his forces faced a continuous barrage of resistance from the Seljuk Turks of the Sultanate of Rûm in Anatolia. Despite prior agreements for safe travel, the Crusaders were subjected to relentless hit-and-run attacks, forcing them to wage battles in harsh, unfamiliar surroundings[3][4]. Barbarossa's sudden death was a heavy blow to the German contingent of the Crusade; thousands of his soldiers abandoned the Crusade and returned home, with only about a third managing to continue to Acre[2][3]. With Barbarossa's passing, the campaign dynamics of the Third Crusade significantly shifted[1][2][4][5].
War-and-conflicts encircled Barbarossa's army as they crossed the Saleph river in June 1190, plunging them into chaos following the unexpected passing of the German King and Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick Barbarossa. In the realm of politics, Barbarossa's death led to mass desertions and disease within his crippled army, altering the dynamics of the Third Crusade significantly. Meanwhile, in the general news of the day, news of Barbarossa's death spread rapidly, ushering in a time of uncertainty and chaos for the crusaders.
