‘De arte venandi cum avibus’: Frederick II, science and falconry

Falconry was the great passion of Emperor Frederick II of Swabia, which was not only a practical activity and exercise for nobles, but also an activity of ingenuity and a demonstration of knowledge. This is clearly shown in his Latin treatise on the complex and refined art of hunting with birds, entitled De arte venandi cum avibus (“On the art of hunting with birds”). In the work - divided, in its broadest form, into six books - the techniques of breeding, training and hunting with birds are presented as a real science: at times it even presents itself as a complex treatise on ornithology. With his innovative experimental approach, Federico declares himself an "investigator and lover of knowledge" and sets for himself the goal of "making manifest the things that are, just as they are". He thus offers a significant attestation of a thoughtful scientific approach to the world of nature, one requiring wisdom, commitment and dedication.