Individual Details
Philipp von Hohenstaufen, Duke of Schwaben, German King
(1176 - 1208)
Philipp was born in 1176, the youngest son of Emperor Friedrich I Barbarossa and Beatrice de Bourgogne. As a younger son, Philipp was originally destined for the Church. However in 1193, when he was only seventeen, he indicated that he preferred the political life, and in 1195 his brother, Emperor Heinrich VI, made him duke of Tuscany, then duke of Swabia (Schwaben) in 1196. In 1197 he married Irene (Maria) Angela, daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Isaac II Angelos and widow of Roger, duke of Apulia. They had five daughters of whom three would have progeny. Two sons - Reinald and an unnamed son, possibly called Friedrich - died in infancy.
When his brother Emperor Heinrich VI died in September 1197, Philipp had been excommunicated by the Church. Adding to his troubles was the fact that Heinrich VI's young son was acknowledged as King of the Romans (emperor-elect). Because this nephew, Friedrich II, was only a boy and absent in Sicily, Philipp was persuaded that he himself should accept the kingship. On 8 March 1198 at Mühlhausen, the German princes elected him King of the Romans and, on 8 September 1198 at Mainz, he was crowned by the archbishop of Tarantaise.
However, the opponents of the Hohenstaufen denied the validity of his election and provided their own candidate, Otto IV of Brunswick. Even though supported by the majority of princes and the French king, he was unable to defeat Otto. To put an end to the fighting, the intervention of the reluctant Pope Innocent III was requested. As Philipp was still excommunicated, and as the Hohenstaufen had previously threatened the papacy, the pope decided in favour of Otto IV of Brunswick on 11 March 1201. At the same time he also placed Philipp's followers under the Church's ban. Philipp lost a few supporters but also gained others who had previously opposed him. Of these, the most important was Archbishop Adolf of Cologne, who recrowned Philipp as King of the Romans in Aachen on 6 January 1205. Gradually Philipp's position improved, and on 27 July 1206 he defeated Otto IV at Wassenberg near Cologne, driving him away from the Rhineland. At the same time, Philipp approached Pope Innocent III, and the concessions he offered, as well as the collapse of Otto IV's cause, had the Church's ban lifted on 1 November 1207. Part of the agreement with the pope included the marriage of one of Philipp's daughters to a nephew of the pope. However, before the settlement could be finalised, Otto von Wittelsbach, who had been promised in marriage to the same daughter, in his fury murdered Philipp on 21 June 1208 at Bamberg.
Source: Leo van de Pas
When his brother Emperor Heinrich VI died in September 1197, Philipp had been excommunicated by the Church. Adding to his troubles was the fact that Heinrich VI's young son was acknowledged as King of the Romans (emperor-elect). Because this nephew, Friedrich II, was only a boy and absent in Sicily, Philipp was persuaded that he himself should accept the kingship. On 8 March 1198 at Mühlhausen, the German princes elected him King of the Romans and, on 8 September 1198 at Mainz, he was crowned by the archbishop of Tarantaise.
However, the opponents of the Hohenstaufen denied the validity of his election and provided their own candidate, Otto IV of Brunswick. Even though supported by the majority of princes and the French king, he was unable to defeat Otto. To put an end to the fighting, the intervention of the reluctant Pope Innocent III was requested. As Philipp was still excommunicated, and as the Hohenstaufen had previously threatened the papacy, the pope decided in favour of Otto IV of Brunswick on 11 March 1201. At the same time he also placed Philipp's followers under the Church's ban. Philipp lost a few supporters but also gained others who had previously opposed him. Of these, the most important was Archbishop Adolf of Cologne, who recrowned Philipp as King of the Romans in Aachen on 6 January 1205. Gradually Philipp's position improved, and on 27 July 1206 he defeated Otto IV at Wassenberg near Cologne, driving him away from the Rhineland. At the same time, Philipp approached Pope Innocent III, and the concessions he offered, as well as the collapse of Otto IV's cause, had the Church's ban lifted on 1 November 1207. Part of the agreement with the pope included the marriage of one of Philipp's daughters to a nephew of the pope. However, before the settlement could be finalised, Otto von Wittelsbach, who had been promised in marriage to the same daughter, in his fury murdered Philipp on 21 June 1208 at Bamberg.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Events
| Birth | 1176 | ||||
| Death | 1208 | ||||
| Marriage | Irene of Constantinople |
Families
| Spouse | Irene of Constantinople (1180 - ) |
| Child | Elisabeth von Hohenstaufen (1202 - 1234) |
| Father | Friedrich I, "Barbarosa" Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (1123 - 1190) |
| Mother | Beatrix I of Bourgogne (1145 - 1184) |
| Sibling | Henrich VI Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (1165 - 1197) |
| Sibling | Otto II von Hohenstaufen, Count Palatine of Burgundy (1167 - 1200) |