Friesach is the archbishop's stronghold and treasury in Carinthia: a farm given in 860, a market founded by Count Wilhelm under a privilege of Conrad II (1016-1028), and since 1130 the mint of the Friesach penny, struck partly from the silver of Zeltschach next door.
It sits on the road from Vienna to Venice and is the main staple for the trade to Italy. Castles crown the hills above it. It becomes a chartered town only in 1215 and reaches its height under Eberhard II.
Who he is
- Name
- Archbishop Adalbert III, through his officers
- Title
- Archbishop of Salzburg (lord); his officers hold the place
- Since
- As archbishop since 1183
- Born
- 1145
- Family
- See the Salzburg realm record
- Confidence
- medium
Friesach was given to Archbishop Adalwin in 860; the archbishops' Carinthian estates were run from Friesach by a vicedom (estate steward), whose holder in 1200 is not pinned.
Overlord
The archbishop of Salzburg; the land lies in the duchy of Carinthia.
What it holds
- The market of Friesach (a town only from 1215) and the castles above it (the Petersberg with its tall keep, Geiersberg, Lavant: building dates not pinned)
- The mint (from 1130) and the Zeltschach silver mines
- Althofen and Hüttenberg with its iron, as Salzburg estates nearby (the town of Althofen is the Styria researcher's record)
- Tolls and staple on the Vienna-Venice road
How it was acquired
Royal gift of 860 (Louis the German to Archbishop Adalwin).
Allies and rivals
The Spanheim duke of Carinthia (Ulrich II) and the bishop of Gurk, neighbours; the Styrian duke on the road north.
How things stand that morning
The archbishop holds Friesach and its mint; no war over it is recorded for 1199.
Wealth
Mint and silver, market and staple, tolls on the Italy road, iron.
Military
The castles on the hills; the archbishop's ministeriales of the Carinthian estates.
Threats
- Carinthian ducal pressure
- The succession at Salzburg
What the year holds
What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.
- 1215 (beyond 1200)The market is raised to a town.Depends on: Eberhard II's policy. Stopped by: Not applicable in 1200.
Places of note
- Petersberg: Castle above the market
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Grant, market, mint and town dates from de.wikipedia (Friesach); the extent of the archbishop's lordship round it is approximate.
On the map: Drawn as four modern municipalities; the archbishop's rights were estates, castles and the market, among the bishop of Gurk's and the duke's.
Primary sources for Salzburg (Adalbert III)
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- Annals of Schäftlarn and the Bavarian annals (12th and 13th centuries). Brief Bavarian annals. Read online
- The Austrian and Salzburg annals (kept in the 12th and 13th centuries, with continuations to the late 13th century). A family of monastic annals from Austria, Styria and Salzburg, printed together. Read online
- Bavarian monuments: the charters of the Bavarian monasteries and bishoprics (charters from the 8th century onward, published 1763 to 1916). The great charter series of Bavaria, arranged by monastery and bishopric. Read online
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.