Under the reign of Frederick II, a ruler with a brilliant mind who was known as Stupor Mundi (Latin for “the wonder of the world”), an empire full of glory, culture and power flourished. He was regarded as the first modern ruler of Europe, not least because of the efficient administrative structure of his kingdom.

In the strategic expert game Stupor Mundi, players take on the roles of Frederick II's henchmen who build their own castles, train specialists and issue edicts that have a direct impact on Frederick’s palace. A game is played over several rounds, each consisting of an action phase and a final phase. In the action phase, the players travel to new locations with their ship and play action cards, which they can use to perform either the card action or one of the two adjacent main actions on their game board. This is followed by the final phase, in which the players draw cards and receive income from their castle and allies. The player with the most victory points wins the game.