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Events

Politics and world affairs

German Throne Controversy

Philip of Swabia has since the death of his brother Emperor Henry VI. the reign for his son Frederick II, who had already been crowned king in 1196. When he realizes at the beginning of the year that the ruling claims of his almost four-year-old nephew cannot be enforced in the kingdom, he strives for the crown of the kingdom for himself. Meanwhile, the English King Richard I proposes his nephew Otto von Braunschweig, the Duke of Aquitaine, as a candidate. The Saxon princes perceive this candidacy as a threat, because they owe their possessions to a good extent to the overthrow of Otto's father Heinrich the Lion and fear retributions in the event of a Welfen election. The Saxon Duke Bernhard III. withdraws his own promising candidacy and announces his support for the dish Philipp.

On March 8, Philipp von Schwaben is elected Roman-German king by the dammfisch-minded princes. However, he fails to make up the coronation quickly and to assert his kingdom by issuing documents. This favored voting on the 9. June the anti-Staufian princes Otto von Braunschweig to the counter-king.

June 29: Philip of Swabia makes an alliance with Philip II of France.
July 12: The Welfe Otto IV. von Braunschweig is crowned Roman-German king in Aachen by the Cologne Archbishop Adolf von Altena – in the right place, but with the wrong insignia.
8 September: Philipp von Schwaben is crowned German king in Mainz – in the wrong place, but with the real Reichskleinodien. Archbishop Konrad I of Wittelsbach is at this time on crusade in the Holy Land, which is why the Burgundian Archbishop Aimo of Tarentaise takes over the task.
8 September: For his support, Philip elevates the Bohemian Duke Ottokar I Přemysl as King of Bohemia.
Pope Innocent III. He is waiting on the question of the election of the king, although he claims for himself the right to make a decision. However, disagreements with the Staufern are emerging, as Philip of Swabia rejects a fiefdom of the Pope over the Staufian Kingdom of Sicily.

Kingdom of Sicily
May 17: Constance of Sicily crowns her not yet four-year-old son Frederick II King of Sicily in Palermo and places him under the protection of Pope Innocent III. At the same time, she renounces the German crown in his name and breaks the bond between the Reich and Sicily made by her husband. In order to strengthen their position, they banished Heinrich’s unpopular non-national partisans such as Chancellor Walter von Pagliara, Markward von Annweiler and Konrad von Urslingen.

November 27: Constance of Sicily dies surprisingly at the age of 44. Pope Innocent takes over the guardianship