The Annales Stadenses names (in order) "Heinrici imperatoris et Conradi Suevi et Friderici ducis Sueviæ et Ottonis sine terra et Philippi" as sons of "Beatrix imperatrix" when recording her death. William of Tyre (Continuator) names him as son of Emperor Friedrich.
Provost of St Maria at Aachen 1189/90. Elected Bishop of Würzburg in 1190. He resigned his ecclesiastical appointments in 1193. He was installed as Duke of Tuscany by his brother in 1195. He succeeded his brother in 1196 as PHILIPP Duke of Swabia. Although, after the death of his older brother Emperor Heinrich VI, Philipp at first supported the succession of his nephew, later Emperor Friedrich II, he was elected as PHILIPP King of Germany at Ichtershausen 6 Mar and at Mühlhausen, Thürgau 8 Mar 1198, crowned at Mainz 8 Sep 1198 by the archbishop of Tarentasia. Meanwhile Otto of Brunswick had been elected as king in Jun 1198 and was crowned at Aachen in Jul 1198 by the archbishop of Köln, although he was unable to attract support within Germany despite backing from Pope Innocent III. King Philipp supported the claim to the Byzantine throne of his brother-in-law Alexios Angelos, who had sought refuge at his court in 1201. He and Alexios promised the leaders of the Fourth Crusade enormous sums in return for assisting in the removal of Emperor Alexios III. After attracting the support of Adolf Archbishop of Köln from his rival King Otto, Philipp was crowned again at Aachen in Jan 1205.
Philipp was finally absolved from excommunication in Aug 1207, and negotiations were underway in Rome between his representatives and those of his rival over the allocation of lands in central Italy when King Philipp was murdered by Otto von Wittelsbach, in revenge for the annulment of his betrothal to Philipp's daughter. The Annales Stadenses record that "rex Philippus" was killed by "comite de Witilspach in Bavenberg …XI Kal Iul" and that he was buried at Speyer. 1
Also known as Philipp VON STAUFEN.