Henry VI (Holy Roman Emperor)

Holy Roman Emperor 1191–97. He conquered the Norman Kingdom of Sicily in the name of his wife, Constance, aunt and heiress of William II of Sicily, and was crowned at Palermo, Sicily, on Christmas Day, 1194. As part of his plan for making the empire universal, he captured and imprisoned Richard I of England and compelled him to do homage.

King Richard (I) the Lionheart of England was handed into Henry's power after falling into the hands of Duke Leopold of Austria when returning from crusade. Richard was released for a large ransom only after agreeing that England should become a fief of the Holy Roman Empire.