The journey was anything but a peaceful pilgrimage. Frederick had to fight his way through supposed Christian allies and old rivals alike:
: Because his army was too massive for a sea crossing, Frederick took the grueling overland route through Hungary and the Byzantine Empire . A Gauntlet of Betrayal and Battle The Crusade of Frederick Barbarossa
: Historical accounts suggest that Saladin , the legendary Muslim leader who had retaken Jerusalem, feared the arrival of Barbarossa and his Germans more than any other crusading contingent. The journey was anything but a peaceful pilgrimage
The Redbeard's Requiem: The Tragic Crusade of Frederick Barbarossa The Redbeard's Requiem: The Tragic Crusade of Frederick
: Estimates vary wildly, ranging from 12,000–20,000 highly disciplined troops to chroniclers' claims of over 100,000 .
Frederick did not just lead an army; he led a "moving state". Setting out before the more famous Richard the Lionheart and Philip II of France , Barbarossa commanded what was likely the largest single force ever assembled for a crusade.