Frederick II, Duke of Austria
Encyclopedia
Frederick II, known as the Quarrelsome or the Warlike , from the House of Babenberg, was the duke
of Austria
and Styria
from 1230 to 1246.
He was the third, but the second surviving son of Duke Leopold VI of Austria
and Theodora Angelina
, a Byzantine
princess. The death of his older brother Henry in 1228 made him the new heir to the Austrian throne. Two years later (1230), his father died and Frederick succeeded him.
His first spouse was another Byzantine princess named Sophia Laskarina, of the Laskaris
dynasty, and his second wife was Agnes of Andechs
, the daughter of Duke Otto I of Merania
and Countess Beatrice II of Burgundy
. Both marriages failed, he had no surviving children, and the male line of the Babenberg
dynasty ended with him.
Proud of his Byzantine descent, Frederick was known as the Quarrelsome because of his harsh rule and frequent wars against his neighbors, primarily with Hungary
, Bavaria
and Bohemia
. Even the Austrian Kuenringer noble family, which had so far been faithful to the ruling house, started an insurgency as soon as his reign began. But most dangerous were his disputes with Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen
in the course of the rebellion of the emperor's son Henry VII
. Emperor Frederick ostracized the duke in 1236 and gave permission to King Wenceslaus I of Bohemia to invade the Austrian lands. During the years of Frederick's ban
, his residence Vienna
became an imperial free city for some years. However, he managed to maintain his position as the ruler of an Austrian rump state at Wiener Neustadt
.
In 1239, in a spectacular change in imperial politics, Duke Frederick became one of the emperor's most important allies. The conflict with Bohemia was settled by the engagegement of his niece Gertrude of Babenberg with King Wenceslaus' eldest son Margrave Vladislaus of Moravia
. Negotiations with the emperor about the elevation of Vienna to a bishopric and of Austria (including Styria) to a kingdom
were initiated, however, on condition that the duke's niece Gertrude now would have to marry the fifty-year-old emperor, who moreover had recently been banned by Pope Gregory IX
. In 1245 the terms were arranged, but the willful young girl, then in her late teens, refused to appear in the consummation ceremony at the diet of Verona
. In the year before his death, Duke Frederick finally succeeded in gaining the March of Carniola
from the Patriarchal State of Friuli, but upon his death it fell to the Carinthian
duke Bernhard von Spanheim
.
Duke Frederick's ambitious plans were dashed when he died at the Battle of the Leitha River
, in a border conflict he had picked with the Hungarian king Béla IV Árpád
. He is buried at Heiligenkreuz Abbey
.
As the last Babenberg duke, Frederick the Quarrelsome signifies the end of an era in the history of Austria
. With his overambitious plans, which were frequently foiled by his erratic character, he somewhat resembled his later successor Rudolf IV of Habsburg. As the Austrian Privilegium Minus
also allowed women to inherit, his sister Margaret and his niece Gertrude would have been entitled to the throne. Shortly after the death of her uncle, Gertrude first married her fiancé Vladislaus of Moravia, who nevertheless died in the next year, then Margrave Herman VI of Baden, who did not manage to maintain his position in Austria, and finally in 1252 Prince Roman Danylovich
, a younger brother of Kynaz Lev I Rurik, son-in-law of the Hungarian king. In the same year the Bohemian Přemyslid
s made a second attempt to confirm their claims to Austria by arranging the marriage between Gertrude's aunt Margaret of Babenberg and King Wenceslaus' son Ottokar II
, more than twenty years her junior. Subsequently, Austria became of field of conflict between the Přemyslids and the Hungarian Árpád dynasty
, in which Ottokar at first would prevail defeating King Béla at the 1260 Battle of Kressenbrunn
, until finally being overthrown by the German king Rudolph of Habsburg
at the Battle on the Marchfeld in 1278.
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of Austria
Archduchy of Austria
The Archduchy of Austria , one of the most important states within the Holy Roman Empire, was the nucleus of the Habsburg Monarchy and the predecessor of the Austrian Empire...
and Styria
Duchy of Styria
The history of Styria concerns the region roughly corresponding to the modern Austrian state of Styria and the Slovene region of Styria from its settlement by Germans and Slavs in the Dark Ages until the present...
from 1230 to 1246.
He was the third, but the second surviving son of Duke Leopold VI of Austria
Leopold VI, Duke of Austria
Leopold VI , called the Glorious, from the House of Babenberg, was Duke of Austria from 1198 to 1230 and of Styria from 1194 to 1230....
and Theodora Angelina
Theodora Angelina (wife of Leopold VI of Austria)
Theodora Angelina was the wife of Leopold VI of Austria, by whom she had several children.-Birth and parentage and early life:...
, a Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
princess. The death of his older brother Henry in 1228 made him the new heir to the Austrian throne. Two years later (1230), his father died and Frederick succeeded him.
His first spouse was another Byzantine princess named Sophia Laskarina, of the Laskaris
Laskaris
The Laskaris or Lascaris family was a Byzantine Greek noble family whose members formed the ruling dynasty of the Empire of Nicaea from 1204 to 1261 and remained among the senior nobility up to the dissolution of the Byzantine Empire, whereupon many emigrated to Italy and then to Smyrna...
dynasty, and his second wife was Agnes of Andechs
Counts of Andechs
The House of Andechs was a feudal line of German princes in 12th and 13th century. The Counts of Dießen-Andechs obtained territiories in northern Dalmatia on the Adriatic seacoast, where they became Margraves of Istria and ultimately Dukes of a short-lived Imperial State named Merania from 1180 to...
, the daughter of Duke Otto I of Merania
Otto I, Duke of Merania
Otto I was Duke of Andechs and Merania and was born, in 1180, to Berthold IV von Dießen, Duke of Andechs and Merania, and Agnes of Rochlitz. He was also Otto II, Count Palatine of Burgundy by his marriage to Beatrice II of Burgundy....
and Countess Beatrice II of Burgundy
Beatrice II, Countess of Burgundy
Beatrice II, Countess of Burgundy was Countess of Burgundy and Duchess consort of Merania. She was a member of the Swabian Hohenstaufen dynasty, the daughter of Count Otto I of Burgundy and Margaret of Blois, thereby a granddaughter of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa.She was born in 1191, younger...
. Both marriages failed, he had no surviving children, and the male line of the Babenberg
Babenberg
Originally from Bamberg in Franconia, now northern Bavaria, an apparent branch of the Babenbergs or Babenberger went on to rule Austria as counts of the march and dukes from 976–1248, before the rise of the house of Habsburg.-One or two families:...
dynasty ended with him.
Proud of his Byzantine descent, Frederick was known as the Quarrelsome because of his harsh rule and frequent wars against his neighbors, primarily with Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
, Bavaria
History of Bavaria
The history of Bavaria stretches from its earliest settlement and its formation as a stem duchy in the 6th century through its inclusion in the Holy Roman Empires to its status as an independent kingdom and, finally, as a large and significant Bundesland of the modern Federal Republic of...
and Bohemia
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
. Even the Austrian Kuenringer noble family, which had so far been faithful to the ruling house, started an insurgency as soon as his reign began. But most dangerous were his disputes with Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
in the course of the rebellion of the emperor's son Henry VII
Henry (VII) of Germany
Henry was King of Sicily from 1212, Duke of Swabia from 1216, and King of Germany from 1220. He was the son and co-king of Emperor Frederick II and elder brother of Conrad IV of Germany...
. Emperor Frederick ostracized the duke in 1236 and gave permission to King Wenceslaus I of Bohemia to invade the Austrian lands. During the years of Frederick's ban
Ban (law)
A ban is, generally, any decree that prohibits something.Bans are formed for the prohibition of activities within a certain political territory. Some see this as a negative act and others see it as maintaining the "status quo"...
, his residence Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
became an imperial free city for some years. However, he managed to maintain his position as the ruler of an Austrian rump state at Wiener Neustadt
Wiener Neustadt
-Main sights:* The Late-Romanesque Dom, consecrated in 1279 and cathedral from 1469 to 1785. The choir and transept, in Gothic style, are from the 14th century. In the late 15th century 12 statues of the Apostles were added in the apse, while the bust of Cardinal Melchior Klesl is attributed to...
.
In 1239, in a spectacular change in imperial politics, Duke Frederick became one of the emperor's most important allies. The conflict with Bohemia was settled by the engagegement of his niece Gertrude of Babenberg with King Wenceslaus' eldest son Margrave Vladislaus of Moravia
Vladislaus, Margrave of Moravia
Vladislaus was Margrave of Moravia and heir to the Bohemian Kingdom of the Přemyslid dynasty.Vladislaus was born as the eldest son to Wenceslaus I, King of Bohemia, and his wife Kunigunde of Hohenstaufen, daughter of Philip of Swabia, King of Germany...
. Negotiations with the emperor about the elevation of Vienna to a bishopric and of Austria (including Styria) to a kingdom
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
were initiated, however, on condition that the duke's niece Gertrude now would have to marry the fifty-year-old emperor, who moreover had recently been banned by Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX, born Ugolino di Conti, was pope from March 19, 1227 to August 22, 1241.The successor of Pope Honorius III , he fully inherited the traditions of Pope Gregory VII and of his uncle Pope Innocent III , and zealously continued their policy of Papal supremacy.-Early life:Ugolino was...
. In 1245 the terms were arranged, but the willful young girl, then in her late teens, refused to appear in the consummation ceremony at the diet of Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
. In the year before his death, Duke Frederick finally succeeded in gaining the March of Carniola
March of Carniola
The March of Carniola was a southeastern state of the Holy Roman Empire in the High Middle Ages, the predecessor of the Duchy of Carniola. It corresponded roughly to the central Carniolan region of present-day Slovenia...
from the Patriarchal State of Friuli, but upon his death it fell to the Carinthian
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
duke Bernhard von Spanheim
Bernhard von Spanheim
Bernhard von Spanheim was Duke of Carinthia for 54 years from 1202 until his death.-Family:...
.
Duke Frederick's ambitious plans were dashed when he died at the Battle of the Leitha River
Battle of the Leitha River
The Battle of the Leitha River was fought on 15 June 1246 near the banks of the Leitha river between the forces of the King Béla IV of Hungary and Duke Frederick II of Austria. The battle resulted in a Hungarian victory, ending Austrian claims to the western counties of Hungary...
, in a border conflict he had picked with the Hungarian king Béla IV Árpád
Béla IV of Hungary
Béla IV , King of Hungary and of Croatia , duke of Styria 1254–58. One of the most famous kings of Hungary, he distinguished himself through his policy of strengthening of the royal power following the example of his grandfather Bela III, and by the rebuilding Hungary after the catastrophe of the...
. He is buried at Heiligenkreuz Abbey
Heiligenkreuz Abbey
Heiligenkreuz Abbey is a Cistercian monastery in the village of Heiligenkreuz in the southern part of the Vienna woods, c. 13 km north-west of Baden in Lower Austria...
.
As the last Babenberg duke, Frederick the Quarrelsome signifies the end of an era in the history of Austria
History of Austria
The history of Austria covers the history of the current country of Austria and predecessor states, from the Iron Age, through to a sovereign state, annexation by the German Third Reich, partition after the Second World War and later developments until the present day...
. With his overambitious plans, which were frequently foiled by his erratic character, he somewhat resembled his later successor Rudolf IV of Habsburg. As the Austrian Privilegium Minus
Privilegium Minus
The Privilegium Minus is a document issued by Emperor Frederick I on September 17, 1156. It included the elevation of the Margraviate of Austria to a Duchy, which was given as an inheritable fief to the House of Babenberg. Its recipient was Frederick's paternal uncle Margrave Henry II Jasomirgott...
also allowed women to inherit, his sister Margaret and his niece Gertrude would have been entitled to the throne. Shortly after the death of her uncle, Gertrude first married her fiancé Vladislaus of Moravia, who nevertheless died in the next year, then Margrave Herman VI of Baden, who did not manage to maintain his position in Austria, and finally in 1252 Prince Roman Danylovich
Roman Danylovich
Roman Danylovich , Prince of Black Ruthenia 1254–1258, Prince of Slonim?.He was born as a younger son of Danylo of Halych, a powerful prince of lands east from Poland and later king of those regions, which was most of the times called Volhynia or Ruthenia .In 1252 he was married to Gertrude,...
, a younger brother of Kynaz Lev I Rurik, son-in-law of the Hungarian king. In the same year the Bohemian Přemyslid
Premyslid dynasty
The Přemyslids , were a Czech royal dynasty which reigned in Bohemia and Moravia , and partly also in Hungary, Silesia, Austria and Poland.-Legendary rulers:...
s made a second attempt to confirm their claims to Austria by arranging the marriage between Gertrude's aunt Margaret of Babenberg and King Wenceslaus' son Ottokar II
Ottokar II of Bohemia
Ottokar II , called The Iron and Golden King, was the King of Bohemia from 1253 until 1278. He was the Duke of Austria , Styria , Carinthia and Carniola also....
, more than twenty years her junior. Subsequently, Austria became of field of conflict between the Přemyslids and the Hungarian Árpád dynasty
Árpád dynasty
The Árpáds or Arpads was the ruling dynasty of the federation of the Hungarian tribes and of the Kingdom of Hungary . The dynasty was named after Grand Prince Árpád who was the head of the tribal federation when the Magyars occupied the Carpathian Basin, circa 895...
, in which Ottokar at first would prevail defeating King Béla at the 1260 Battle of Kressenbrunn
Battle of Kressenbrunn
The Battle of Kressenbrunn was fought in July of 1260 near Groissenbrunn in Lower Austria between the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Kingdom of Hungary for the possession of the duchies of Austria and Styria...
, until finally being overthrown by the German king Rudolph of Habsburg
Rudolph I of Germany
Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties...
at the Battle on the Marchfeld in 1278.