History and legend united in the image of Friedrich Barbarossa. On the one hand, he embodied the "courtly" virtues, on the other, he managed to strengthen the monarchical power, considering the authority of the throne and the love of fame to be the highest values. His ambitions were akin to the spirit of the era, and the myth of Frederick I forever linked his name with the idea of ​ ​ Germanic greatness. The subsequent failures of many sovereigns of the Holy German-Roman Empire gave rise to the Germans' dreams of a world ruler who returned the 6th country to the golden age. Since then, the name of Friedrich Barbarossa began to be associated with German nationalism.