Leopold II of Babenberg, Margrave of Austria

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_II,_Margrave_of_Austria

Leopold II (1050 – 12 October 1095), known as Leopold the Fair (German: Luitpold der Schöne), a member of the House of Babenberg,[1] was Margrave of Austria from 1075 until his death. A supporter of the Gregorian Reforms, he was one of the main opponents of the German king Henry IV during the Investiture Controversy.

Life

Leopold the Fair was born in 1050, the son of Margrave Ernest of Austria and his wife Adelaide of Eilenburg, the daughter of the Wettin margrave Dedi I of Lusatia. His Babenberg ancestors had ruled the Margraviate of Austria since the appointment of Leopold's great-grandfather Leopold I in 976.

Leopold II succeeded as margrave upon his father's death in June 1075, at the time when the Investiture Dispute broke out between King Henry IV and Pope Gregory VII. He first sided with the German monarch and stayed at his court even after Henry's Walk to Canossa in January 1077. However, he switched sides under the influence of his wife Ida and Bishop Altmann of Passau, a loyal supporter of Pope Gregory who was expelled from his diocese by Henry's forces in 1078. Altmann fled to Austria and Margrave Leopold had to face an invasion by royal troops the next year, which led to the final break with the king.

In summer 1081, while King Henry IV was on campaign in Italy, Leopold backed the election of anti-king Count Hermann of Salm and convened an Austrian diet at Tulln where he officially dissociated from Henry. Subsequently, he was declared deposed by the king, who gave the Imperial fief to his loyal supporter Duke Vratislav II of Bohemia. The Přemyslid duke invaded Austria and defeated Leopold in the 1082 Battle of Mailberg, from where the margrave narrowly escaped with his life. Ultimately, however, he managed to retain his position, while Vratislav was elevated to a King of Bohemia in 1085. Leopold lost some territory in Southern Moravia north of the Thaya river, ruled by Prince Luitpold of Znojmo, who was, nevertheless, his son-in-law. Leopold II and Abbot Sigibold of Melk, ceiling fresco in Melk Abbey, c. 1745

While Bishop Altmann of Passau stayed in Austria, the margraviate obtained a leading position in promoting the Gregorian Reforms, overruling the concept of proprietary churches and marriages of priests. Altmann introduced the Cluniac oberservance to Kremsmünster Abbey and in 1083 established the Augustinian monastery of Göttweig near Krems. In 1089 Margrave Leopold helped pay for the construction of Melk Abbey in the Wachau region by donating extended premises high above the shore of the Danube for the new monastery. The ruins of Gars am Kamp castle, the last margravial residence of Leopold, are 68 kilometres (42 mi) away.[2]

Marriage and children

In 1065 Leopold married Ida (1055–1101), a Bavarian countess of Formbach (Vornbach). Ida was the daughter of Count Rapoto IV and Matilda and a relative of Archbishop Thiemo of Salzburg. She is said to have died during the Crusade of 1101. Leopold and Ida had a son:

• Leopold III (1073–1136), who succeeded his father as Austrian margrave,

as well as six daughters:

• Adelaide (d. after 1120), married Count Theoderic II of Formbach
• Elizabeth (d. 1107), married Margrave Ottokar II of Styria
• Gerberga (d. 1142), married Duke Bořivoj II of Bohemia
• Ida, married the Přemyslid prince Luitpold of Znojmo
• Euphemia, married Count Conrad I of Peilstein
• Sophia (d. 1154), married Henry of Eppenstein, Duke of Carinthia from 1090 to 1122, and secondly Count Sieghard X of Burghausen.

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- http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/AUSTRIA.htm#LiutpoldIIdied1095

1. LIUTPOLD ([1058/63]-12 Oct 1095, bur Gars). The Auctarium Vindobonense names "Liutpoldus filius eius [=Ernust] quintus marchio"[109]. His birth date range is estimated from the estimated birth dates of his mother and his son Markgraf Leopold. He succeeded his father in 1075 as LIUTPOLD II Markgraf of Austria. The Chronica Boemorum records that "dux Wratislaus et sui fratres Chounradus atque Otto" fought against "orientalem marchionem Lupoldum filium Lucz", the passage being undated with the date 1082 inserted in the margin of the edition[110]. It is assumed that this refers to Markgraf Liutpold II, although the reference to "filium Lucz" is unexplained. The Continuatio Claustroneoburgensis records the death in 1095 of "Liupoldus marchio"[111]. The Chronicon of Mariano Scotti records the death in 1095 of "Liupoldus marchio"[112]. The necrology of Melk records the death "IV Id Oct" of "Liupoldus marchio qui monachum vitam hic instituit"[113]. The necrology of Kloster Neuburg records the death "IV Id Oct" of "Liupoldus prior marchio"[114].

m IDA, daughter of --- (-Asia Minor [Sep] 1101 or after). The parentage of Markgräfin Ida is uncertain. According to Europäische Stammtafeln[115], she was Ida von Ratelberg, daughter of Thiemo [II] Graf [Formbach] & his wife ---, although the primary source on which this is based has not yet been identified. Wegener quotes a 12th century document concerning travel tolls at Schärding dated [1060/70] which names "filios Tiemonis Ekkebertum et Henricum et dominam Itam" as participating in the foundation of Suben monastery but he does not make the connection between this Ita and the Margräfin of Austria[116]. The chronology is not favourable for Ida having been the daughter of Graf Thiemo [II], whose death is recorded in 1040. If this paternity was correct, Ida would therefore have been about twenty years older than her husband, and at least in her early to mid-forties when she gave birth to her son Liutpold, which seems improbable. The primary source which confirms her name "von Ratelberg" has not yet been identified. The Auctarium Mariaecellense in 1100 records that "Ita marchionisse Austrie, Liupoldi marchionis relicta" left for Jerusalem[117]. Albert of Aix records that "Willelmus comes et princeps Pictaviensium, de sanguine et origine Henrici tertii imperatoris Romanorum" crossed Hungary peacefully with "duce Bawariorum Welfone et…comitssa…Ida de marchia Osterrich", entered the territory of the Bulgars in which "duce Bulgarorum Guz" refused their passage into Adrianople, but that Guillaume captured "ducem Bulgarorum" who was forced to allow the pilgrims to continue, undated but in a passage adjacent to text which records events in 1101[118]. The army was scattered after being defeated by the Turks near Tarsus in Asia Minor in [Sep] 1101. It is not known what happened to Markgräfin Ida, but she was presumably killed. Albert of Aix says that the fate of Ida is completely unknown, but adding that "some say that she was taken into permanent exile in the kingdom of Khorazan among the thousand women who were taken"[119]. According to later legend, she ended her days in a harem where she gave birth to the Muslim hero Zengi (which is chronologically impossible): the Historia Welforum records that "Itam comitissam, matrem Leopaldi marchionis orientalis" was kidnapped by "unus de principibus Sarracenorum…ex eaque Sanguinem illum sceleratissumum, ut aiunt, progenuit"[120]. Markgraf Liutpold II & his wife had seven children:

http://www.friesian.com/germany.htm#austria

http://genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00079791&tree=LEO

Leopold II Markgraf von Österreich (1) M, #114064, d. 1102 Last Edited=9 May 2008

    Leopold II Markgraf von Österreich was the son of Ernst Markgraf von Österreich. (2) He married Ida of Cham, daughter of Ratpoto of Cham , Count of Cham. (1)  He died in 1102. (1)

    Leopold II Markgraf von Österreich was a member of the House of Babenberg. (2) Leopold II Markgraf von Österreich also went by the nick-name of Leopold 'the Handsome'. (2) He gained the title of Markgraf von Österreich in 1075. (1) Children of Leopold II Markgraf von Österreich and Ida of Cham -1. Elisabeth Babenberg d. 1107 (1) -2. Gerberg Babenberg d. 1142 (1) -3. Sophia Babenberg d. 1154 (1) -4. Leopold III 'the Saint' Markgraf von Österreich+ b. 1072, d. 1136 (1)

Leopold II (1050 – October 12, 1095) was a Babenberg Margrave of Austria ruling from 1075 onwards. He was known as Leopold the 'fair'. He was the son of Ernest the Brave and Adelheid, the daughter of Margrave Dedi (or Dedo) II of Meissen. In the Investiture Dispute, he first sided with Emperor Henry IV, but in 1081 at the Diet of Tulln switched sides under the influence of his wife Itha and Bishop Altmann of Passau. Subsequently, he was deposed by the Emperor, who gave the fief to Vratislav II of Bohemia, who defeated Leopold in the Battle of Mailberg. Ultimately, Leopold managed to retain his position, but he lost some territory in Southern Moravia. Leopold resided in Gars am Kamp.

In 1089 Leopold II helped pay for the construction of Melk Abbey in eastern Austria by donating the land for the new Abbey. A few miles away from Melk Abbey, in eastern Austria, are the ruins of Thunau a Kamp castle, once a summer residence of Leopold II.

In 1065 Leopold married Itha (Ida of Cham), countess of Cham (1060-1101), in Cham, Oberphalz, Bavaria. Ida was the daughter of Rapoto IV, Count of Cham, and Mathilde. Ida is said to have died on a crusade.

The two had a son, Leopold III, as well as seven daughters who married Dukes and Counts from Carinthia, Bohemia and Germany.

Markgreve av Østerrike 1075 - 1095.

Leopold etterfulgte sin far som markgreve av Østerrike.

Kilder:

Allgemeine deutsche Biographie. Mogens Bugge: Våre forfedre, nr. 190. Bent og Vidar Billing Hansen: Rosensverdslektens forfedre, side 23.