Leopold I, Margrave of Austria

Leopold I, the Illustrious / Serene -saturated (* 940, † July 10 994 in Würzburg) also called Luitpold, from the House of Babenberg, was Margrave of Austria from 976 to 994

Life

Leopold was Count in Bavaria Donaugau and appears already in the 960s years as a loyal follower of Otto I as its first documentary mention is a privilege of Emperor Otto I pulled up to the Roman Church on 13 February 962. In it, among other witnesses its predecessor Burchard and, indeed, a certain Liupo is called. Liupo is a pet form of Liutpold. Except for the later Margrave Leopold comes to this time no other bearer of this name into consideration. Even after the rebellion of Henry the Wrangler of Bavaria 976 against Emperor Otto II, he continued to hold to the emperor, and was sure, appointed to replace a certain Burkhard to the Margrave of an area in the east, now the Austrian heartland. On 21 July of the year 976 he was first called the Margrave, marchio Liutpalus. He probably resided in Poechlarn, but perhaps even in Melk, as his successor. The Margraviate extended at that time from Erlabach, a few kilometers east of the Enns River, west to the east in front of the Vienna Woods; in the north came to the Danube nor the valleys along the lower reaches of the tributaries ( Krems and Kamp ), and the Wagram to the south reached the mark until the mountainous country. 991 the area to the east has been extended to Fischa.

Leopold died on 10 July 994 in Wurzburg after an assassination attempt on his cousin Henry of Schweinfurt line. Both were invited to the Mass of the Bishop of Würzburg Kilian on July 8. It hit him with an arrow, which was intended for his cousin, and mortally wounded him.

Leopold is the first at least halfway elusive historical figure rulers of Austria. The thousand-year anniversary of its establishment was therefore 1976 "War Austria " celebrated under the title - just as twenty years later, the anniversary of the " Ostarrîchi " certificate.

Although he is not mentioned by his descendants Otto of Freising (whose Babenberg chronicle begins with Leopold's son Adalbert ), but he is regarded as the progenitor of the ruling house of Babenberg, which significantly affected Austria, if not created. His ancestry is like two hundred years later claimed by the Frankish Babenbergers, by Otto of Freising ( made ​​famous by the Babenberg uprising in the early 10th century ), although not proven, but not completely outlandish.

Children

Leopold married Richarda (also Rich Warda, Richwardis or Rikchard ). She was probably a sister or half-sister of Count I of Eppenstein March Ward and the daughter of Count Ernst IV from Sualafeldgau from the family of gravity. This is confirmed also by the naming of her second son, Ernst. Leopold had eight children with her.

• Henry I, Margrave of Austria 994-1018 and successor of Leopold I
• Judith
• Ernst, 1012-1015 duke of Swabia, married Gisela, daughter of Duke Hermann of Swabia
• Poppo, Archbishop of Trier 1016-1047
• Adalbert, Margrave of Austria 1018-1055 and succeeded his brother Henry I.
• Cunegonde
• Hemma, married to Count Rapoto of Unterdießen
• Christine, Reklusin in a monastery in Trier

Reception

By the imperial resolution of Franz Joseph I of February 28, 1863 Leopold I was " famous, to the everlasting emulation worthy warlords and generals of Austria" in the list of added, in whose honor and remembrance also a life-size statue in the Feldherrenhalle of the then newly constructed kk Hofwaffenmuseums (now the Military History Museum Vienna) was built. The statue was created in 1868 by sculptor Carl Kundmann Carrara marble, it was dedicated by Emperor Franz Joseph himself