Leopold VI., Herzog, geb. 1176 - Austria-Forum : AEIOU : english
Leopold VI., Herzog, geb. 1176
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b. 1176,
d. San Germano (Italy), July 28, 1230, Babenberg; Duke of Austria and
Styria, son of Leopold V, brother of Friedrich I, father of
Friedrich II (the Bold); 1194 Duke of Styria, after the death of his
brother Friedrich I in 1198 also Duke of Austria. Founded the town of
Lilienfeld in 1202 and supported the mendicant orders in the cities.
He failed in his attempt to establish a provincial diocese. Under him
the dioceses of Seckau and Lavant were founded by the Archbishop of
Salzburg. Numerous towns were enlarged, (Neuer Markt in Vienna),
fortified towns were founded, and some villages were granted town
status: (1212 Enns, 1221 Vienna). Minnesong flourished at his court (
Walther von der Vogelweide, Neidhart von Reuental, Ulrich von
Liechtenstein, Reinmar von Zweter), and the Nibelungenlied and the
Kudrun began here. 1212 crusade against the Albigenses in southern
France, 1217/19 to Egypt. He maintained contact to the Emperors,
married his daughter Margarethe to Heinrich VII, son of Emperor
Friedrich II and acted as mediator in the dispute between the Emperor
and the Pope. Through his marriage to Theodora Angeloi he renewed
contact to Byzantium. Acquired more possessions in Upper Austria and
Slovenia. He was buried in Lilienfeld.
Literature: K. Lechner, Die Babenberger, 51994; NDB.
This contribution was taken from an Austrian Encyclopaedia
"Österreich Lexikon" © 1995 by
Verlagsgemeinschaft Österreich-Lexikon.
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