The character is based on the holy Roman emperor, Frederick I Barbarossa who, during the third crusade, allied himself with King Phillip II Augustus of France and King Richard (The Lionheart) of England. Unfortunately during the crusade, Frederick drowned in a river outside of Antioch and would never again see his homeland. With his death, his army panicked and fell into despair. Only a small portion of Frederick's once mighty imperial army survived.[1]