The old home of the Styrian margraves, the Otakars of Steyr, between the Enns and the Traun, which stayed with Styria after the duchy was raised in 1180 and passed to the Babenbergs in 1192.
It holds the Styraburg at Steyr, which gave Styria its name, the market and fair town of Enns at the Enns crossing, Wels on the Traun with its bridge, and the Otakar foundations of Garsten and Gleink. It counts as Styrian until 1254. Linz to the north is not part of it: it is a Passau fief of the Haunsbergs (Linz (Haunsberg)).
Who he is
- Name
- Leopold VI of Babenberg
- Title
- Duke of Styria
- Since
- 1195 (Styria); the Traungau passed with the Otakar inheritance under the Georgenberg compact in 1192
- Born
- 15 October 1176
- Family
- See Austria; the styria realm record is sty's
- Confidence
- high
de.wikipedia Steyr, Wels (Stadt), Traungau.
Overlord
King Philip (recognised)
What it holds
- Steyr: the Styraburg at the meeting of the Steyr and the Enns, called a city (urbs) in 1170; the iron road from the Erzberg passes here (Steyr's iron merchants recorded by 1190)
- Enns: the Ennsburg, the market and the Enns fair; the Georgenberg compact was sealed on the Georgenberg at Enns on 17 August 1186
- Wels: castle, market and the Traun bridge toll (bridge accounts of 1138-40), passed to the Babenbergs with the Otakar inheritance in 1192, with rights of the bishop of Würzburg, Lambach and Kremsmünster in the market
- The Otakar abbeys of Garsten (Benedictine) and Gleink, and the ducal advocacies
- The road over the Pyhrn to Upper Styria (the Bamberg hospice at Spital am Pyhrn, 1190)
How it was acquired
Otakar house lands; Georgenberg compact 1186; to the Babenbergs on Ottokar IV's death in 1192.
Allies and rivals
Neighbours: Passau (Ebelsberg, St. Florian, Linz), Bavaria to the west (the Hausruck and the Inn quarter), the Schaunberg free lords at Eferding.
How things stand that morning
Held by Leopold VI as duke of Styria, quietly, on 1 January 1200.
Wealth
The Enns fair and the Danube trade at the Enns mouth; iron through Steyr; the Traun bridge at Wels; salt shipping on the Traun.
Military
Steyr, Enns and Wels castles; Styrian ministeriales of the Traungau (families not pinned here).
Threats
- Bavarian claims west of the Enns (the Bavarian duke occupies Wels in 1233)
Places of note
- Styraburg, Steyr: Otakar seat, first named 980
- Ennsburg and the Georgenberg: Where the Georgenberg compact was sealed in 1186
- Wels castle and Traun bridge: Bridge toll accounts of 1138-40
- Garsten Abbey: Otakar foundation
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: The main places are well attested; the western edge on the Traun and the Alm is a judgement.
On the map: The western boundary towards Bavaria (Lambach, the Alm valley) and the Salzkammergut is a judgement.
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
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.