The old Roman Poetovio, Salzburg's since the late 9th century, at the Drava crossing on the road from Hungary to Venice; castle and town are held for the archbishop by the lords of Pettau.
By tradition the Hungarians were beaten on the Pettau field on Easter Sunday 1199, pushing the frontier east to Friedau and Polstrau. Its town statute comes only in 1376.
Who holds it
- Name
- Archbishop Adalbert III; held as a fief by Friedrich of Pettau
- Title
- Lord of the town
- Since
- Salzburg's since the late 9th or 10th century
- Confidence
- medium
Lord in 1200
The archbishop of Salzburg; the lords of Pettau hold castle, town and tolls of him.
How things stand that morning
A frontier town months after a Hungarian war (tradition).
Charter
None in 1200 (city rights 1376).
Communities
Burghers under the castle; St George's parish (with a 9th-century core); the friars come later (Dominicans about 1230).
Militia
The Pettau lords' men (the 1199 victory, by tradition).
Walls and castle
Pettau castle above the town (rebuilt under Archbishop Konrad I).
Trade and crafts
The Drava crossing, tolls, the Hungary-Venice road, wine.
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Salzburg's lordship and the Pettau family are documented; the town's state in 1200 is not.
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.