Frederick’s menagerie

In 1220 Frederick was crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. As King of Sicily he initially ruled from his court in Sicily, which at the time was a melting pot of Byzantine, Islamic and Christian cultures. Upon becoming emperor, he moved his court northwards to present-day Apulia in Italy. The court included a large menagerie of animals collected by Frederick. It was a sight to behold; elephants, camels, cheetahs and rare specimens, such as white peacocks and a white bear, were part of his collection. The menagerie travelled round and was used as a display of power, showing off fierce and unknown animals to a wide audience.

This manuscript, however, concentrated on birds. Note the cockatoo, set apart at the bottom of the page. What can this little figure tell us about power and connections in Frederick’s world?