Leopold VI (Styria)

Who he is

Name

Leopold VI of Babenberg

Title

Duke of Styria and of Austria

Since

Styria from the end of 1194; Austria from 1198

Born

15 October 1176

Family

Babenberg; unmarried, no children (see the styria realm record).

Confidence

high

German and English Wikipedia (Leopold VI.; Geschichte der Steiermark; Graz; Judenburg; Voitsberg; Fürstenfeld; Hartberg; Maribor).

Overlord

The German king (Leopold backs Philip of Swabia).

What it holds

• Graz: the castle on the Schlossberg (a fortress from 1125) and the market laid out about 1160; Udalrich of Graz witnesses in 1140.
• Judenburg and the Aichfeld: the market and staple named in 1074 under the Eppensteiners (mercatum Judinburch), Eppenstein castle nearby; the Traungauers inherited it in the early twelfth century.
• Voitsberg castle (Obervoitsberg), founded in 1164 on Ottokar IV's order by Konrad of Kinnberg on St. Lambrecht's land without the abbey's consent; a market by 1196; St. Lambrecht's ministerialis Gottfried of Dürnstein was its first castellan (Burgvogt) in 1173.
• Fürstenfeld: a ducal castle founded about 1170 by Ottokar IV, a street market by 1178, the name first in 1183.
• Hartberg: laid out by Margrave Leopold between 1125 and 1128; parish church 1157; a twelfth-century castle.
• Marburg (Maribor): the castle named in 1164 (Marchburch), the market not named until 1204; the Drava crossing and the vineyards of the Drava march.
• Leoben: the old market (forum Liuben, named 1173) at the foot of the Massenburg; whether the castle and market are the duke's on 1 January 1200 is not pinned.
• Rights in the upper Enns valley and the Ausseerland (salt), shared with Admont abbey and Rein (thin).
• The Traungau (Steyr, Enns, Wels) and Pitten with Wiener Neustadt (written by the Austria researcher).

How it was acquired

From the Otakars of Steyr through the Georgenberg compact (17 August 1186) and the enfeoffment of 24 May 1192; Leopold VI received Styria in the division at his father's death at the end of 1194.

Allies and rivals

See the styria realm record. Locally: St. Lambrecht abbey resents Voitsberg (built on its land; the emperor compensated the abbey with a market at Köflach on 3 March 1170).

How things stand that morning

Held by Leopold VI in person. The duke resides at Graz when in Styria; on 1 January 1200 his whereabouts are not pinned (he holds Austria too).

Wealth

Market dues and tolls at Graz, Judenburg (the Venice road), Voitsberg and Fürstenfeld; the Drava crossing at Marburg; the domain's rents; a share in the Aussee salt (thin).

Military

The castles of Graz, Voitsberg, Fürstenfeld, Hartberg and Marburg with their castellans and the duke's ministeriales.

Threats

• The Hungarian frontier at Fürstenfeld and Hartberg (see the styria realm record).
• The duke's absence in Austria leaves Styria to his ministeriales.

Places of note

• Graz castle: Ducal residence and castle.
• Judenburg market: Market and staple since 1074.
• Eppenstein castle: The Eppensteiners' old seat above the Aichfeld; held about the thirteenth century by the Wildon (date not pinned).
• Voitsberg castle: Founded 1164.
• Fürstenfeld castle: Ducal frontier castle about 1170.
• Hartberg castle: Twelfth-century castle and planned market.
• Marburg castle: Named 1164.
• Leoben, the old market: Forum Liuben, 1173; lord not pinned.

Where the sources disagree

• German Wikipedia's Graz article dates the first secure mention of Graz to 1140 (Udalrich of Graz) rather than the 1128/1129 often cited.

Evidence: Founding dates of the castles and markets are from the town articles; the duke's hold on each place on 1 January 1200 is inferred, and Leoben and the Enns valley rights are thin.

On the map: Each part shows a ducal castle or market with its near district; the duke's rights elsewhere in the duchy are carried by the realm record.

Primary sources for Styria

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.

• 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