Agnes von Hohenstaufen is a German-language opera in three acts by the Italian composer Gaspare Spontini.

Raupach categorised Agnes von Hohenstaufen as a historical-romantic opera and it is one of a number of German works of the time set in the Middle Ages (others include Weber's Euryanthe, Wagner's Tannhäuser and Lohengrin and Schumann's Genoveva).

The first act is set in Mainz where the emperor has assembled his forces to march against the Welfs: Es schwebe der Adler Des heiligen Reiches, Mit siegenden Schwingen In Welschlands Gefild!

Er bringe Verderben Dem Meutrergeschlechte, Und werde den Treuen Ein deckender Schild!

The French ambassador proposes that Agnes should be married to his king, Philip II Augustus (Philipp August), instead.

Henry, unable to bear the French ambassador's flirting with Agnes, is moved to anger and his true identity is revealed.

Henry tries to escape in the confusion but is captured by the French ambassador, who proposes that they should fight a duel the next day.

Heinrich zu den Fürsten, von denen mehrere gegen den Kaiser vordringen, indem er mit gezogenem Schwert vor ihn tritt, um ihn zu schützen.

Ja, freudig geb' ich hin mein Haupt, dass ihr Dem Kaiser nicht die Fürstentreue brecht.

Yes, I gladly give away my head in order to prevent You from breaking the loyalty you owe to the emperor.

At this point Henry the Lion arrives in person to announce his army has taken Mainz, but he too offers his submission to the emperor.

Although the original libretto is in German, only Italian-language versions of the opera have hitherto been recorded and filmed.

The opera was mounted at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in 1954 (in Italian) under Vittorio Gui, and again in 1974 with Leyla Gencer in the title role and Riccardo Muti conducting.

For the first time since the 19th century the opera was heard in its original German (and with a recently unearthed overture) at Erfurt in June 2018 with Claudia Sorokina as Agnes and conducted by Zoi Tsokanou.