The Babenbergs: Austria's First Ruling Dynasty

Long before the Habsburgs, Austria was shaped by the Babenberg dynasty. This episode traces their rise from the Margraviate of Austria under Leopold I in 976 to the loss of the Duchy of Austria in 1246. Discover the key figures like Leopold III, later canonized, and Leopold V, who captured Richard the Lionheart. We explore the Georgenberg Pact, the Privilegium Minus that elevated Austria to a duchy, and the dynasty's end with Frederick II the Warlike. Learn how the Babenbergs laid the foundations for Austrian statehood, including the founding of monasteries like Heiligenkreuz and the cultural flourish of the Styrian Rhyme Chronicle. Their legacy was so strong that the Habsburgs, especially Rudolf I, claimed continuity with them. This episode fills a gap between the early medieval march and the Habsburg centuries. #Babenberg #MedievalAustria #LeopoldI #LeopoldIII #LeopoldV #RichardTheLionheart #PrivilegiumMinus #GeorgenbergPact #FrederickII #Heiligenkreuz #StyrianRhymeChronicle #RudolfI #DuchyOfAustria #HolyRomanEmpire #Margraviate #History #FexingoHistory #AustrianHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo