On 21 June 1208 Otto VIII murdered German King Philip of Swabia in Bamberg, during the wedding of Philip's niece Countess Beatrice II of Burgundy with Duke Otto of Merania.
Allegedly the Wittelsbach scion, already known for his unstable character, had fallen into a rage when he learned of the dissolution of his betrothal to Gertrude of Silesia by her father, the Piast duke Henry I the Bearded.
Duke Henry was apparently informed of the Wittelsbach's cruel tendencies and in an act of concern for his young daughter decided to terminate the marriage agreement.
Henry of Kalden was trusted with the task to hunt him down, found him at Oberndorf by Kelheim and decapitated him on the spot on 7 March 1209 .
Monks from Indersdorf Abbey eventually stole the barrel and buried the corpse on monastery grounds.