The Wedding of East and West
The festival is rooted in a documented event: on 9 November 1225, in Brindisi Cathedral, Emperor Frederick II of Swabia married Isabella of Brienne, Queen of Jerusalem.
The background
Frederick II, raised in Sicily and known as puer Apuliae, had been Holy Roman Emperor since 1220. His marriage to Isabella, heiress of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, bound the imperial crown to the cause of the Holy Land: a few years later Frederick sailed from the port of Brindisi on the crusade that returned Jerusalem through diplomacy.
Brindisi was then one of the great Mediterranean ports: the end of the Via Appia and of the southern Via Francigena, the embarkation point for pilgrims, merchants and knights bound for the East. The Domus peregrinorum, today’s Casa del Turista, still testifies to that role.
What we re-enact, and how
- Historical re-enactment: documented reconstruction of places, costumes, music and gestures, curated with re-enactors and historical associations.
- Education: talks with historians and scholars.
- Theatrical storytelling: shows, video mapping and treasure hunts freely inspired by the sources, and declared as such.
Key dates
- 1194
Frederick II is born, son of Emperor Henry VI and Constance of Hauteville. - 1220
Frederick II is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. - 9 November 1225
In Brindisi Cathedral Frederick II marries Isabella of Brienne, Queen of Jerusalem. - 1228
Frederick sails from Brindisi on crusade; in 1229 Jerusalem is regained by diplomatic agreement. - 2025
The Medieval Fest celebrates the 800th anniversary of the imperial wedding (13th edition).