Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, also called Stupor mundi (Wonder of the world), was a notable European ruler who left a controversial political and cultural legacy. Considered by some to be "the most brilliant of medieval German monarchs, and probably of all medieval rulers" and admired for his multifaceted activities in the fields of government building, legislative work, cultural patronage and science, he has also been criticized for his cruelty, his neglect of Germany in favour of his Sicilian businesses. In Italy, the emperor has gained a split image, with one element being favoured over the other depending on the era and the region: tyrant, heretic, enlightened despot, Puer Apulia (boy from Apulia), Father of the Fatherland. Modern scholars generally praise the emperor's many talent