German King, Duke of Swabia. Son of Emperor Friedrich I. Barbarossa and Beatrix of Burgundy. As the youngest son, he was supposed to pursue a clerical career, but he gave it up in 1193. He followed his brother Emperor Heinrich VI to Italy and became Duke of Tuscany. In 1196 after the death of his brother Konrad, he became Duke of Swabia. In 1197 he married Irene Angela of Byzantium. After the death of Heinrich VI, his widow Constance separated the Kingdom of Sicily from the German crown and renounced her son's claims for the German throne. Philipp was reluctant to succeed his brother, but to safe the crown for the House of Hohenstaufen he let himself be elected King in March 1198. He was crowned on September 8. 1198 in Mainz, which weakened his position, because the King had to be crowned in Aachen. In June of the same year, several dukes that supported the house of the Guelph's elected Otto of Brunswick as anti-king. Otto was crowned in Aachen with copies of the royal insignia, the originals were in Philipp's possession. Philipp ignored Pope Innocent III decision for Otto and started a war. In 1205 he was again crowned King, but this time in Aachen. In 1206 he was able to defeat Otto, who lost the support of the Pope. While staying in Bamberg, he was murdered by Otto of Wittelsbach in an act of personal revenge. Otto of Wittelsbach was killed in the following year. Philipp was buried in the Cathedral of Bamberg. Emperor Friedrich II., his nephew, moved his body to the Cathedral of Speyer on Christmas Day 1213.
German King, Duke of Swabia. Son of Emperor Friedrich I. Barbarossa and Beatrix of Burgundy. As the youngest son, he was supposed to pursue a clerical career, but he gave it up in 1193. He followed his brother Emperor Heinrich VI to Italy and became Duke of Tuscany. In 1196 after the death of his brother Konrad, he became Duke of Swabia. In 1197 he married Irene Angela of Byzantium. After the death of Heinrich VI, his widow Constance separated the Kingdom of Sicily from the German crown and renounced her son's claims for the German throne. Philipp was reluctant to succeed his brother, but to safe the crown for the House of Hohenstaufen he let himself be elected King in March 1198. He was crowned on September 8. 1198 in Mainz, which weakened his position, because the King had to be crowned in Aachen. In June of the same year, several dukes that supported the house of the Guelph's elected Otto of Brunswick as anti-king. Otto was crowned in Aachen with copies of the royal insignia, the originals were in Philipp's possession. Philipp ignored Pope Innocent III decision for Otto and started a war. In 1205 he was again crowned King, but this time in Aachen. In 1206 he was able to defeat Otto, who lost the support of the Pope. While staying in Bamberg, he was murdered by Otto of Wittelsbach in an act of personal revenge. Otto of Wittelsbach was killed in the following year. Philipp was buried in the Cathedral of Bamberg. Emperor Friedrich II., his nephew, moved his body to the Cathedral of Speyer on Christmas Day 1213.
Bio by: Lutetia
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