Leopold I, Duke of Austria
Encyclopedia
Leopold I from the House of Habsburg was Duke of Austria and Styria
– as co-ruler with his elder brother Frederick the Fair – from 1308 until his death. Born at Vienna
, he was the third son of King Albert I of Germany
and Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol, a scion of the Meinhardiner dynasty.
in 1307 and the assassination of King Albert in 1308, Leopold became head of the Habsburg dynasty and administrator of the Swabian
home territories, where he started a retaliation campaign against his father's murderers. The energetic man converged with the royal House of Luxembourg
and accompanied King Henry VII
on his Italian
campaign. In 1311 he helped to suppress a Guelph
revolt at Milan
under Guido della Torre
and to lay siege to the city of Brescia
.
Upon Emperor Henry's death, he strongly supported his brother Frederick in the 1314 election as King of the Romans
. Despite all efforts (and bribes), the Habsburgs only gained the votes of four Prince-elector
s, while Louis IV of Wittelsbach
, with support of the Luxembourgs, was elected by five. In the following armed conflict between the rivals, the forces of Leopold were supportive of his brother's claims. In his ancestral homeland however, he incurred a decisive defeat by the Swiss Confederacy
at the 1315 Battle of Morgarten
.
When Frederick had been captured at the Battle of Mühldorf
in 1322, Leopold struggled for his release. He entered into negotiations with King Louis IV and even surrendered the Imperial Regalia
he had kept at Kyburg
castle. The parleys failed and Leopold continued to attack the Bavarian forces of Louis, who unsuccessfully laid siege to the Swabian town of Burgau
in 1324. After the king had failed to reach the approval of his election by Pope John XXII
and was even ban
ned, he released Frederick in 1325. The captive however had to promise to swear his brother to acknowledge Louis as his suzerain, which Leopold refused. Frederick as a man of honour voluntarily returned to the Bavarian court, where he and Louis finally agreed upon a joint rule.
Leopold died in Straßburg
shortly afterwards, aged 35.
. They had two daughters:
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...
– as co-ruler with his elder brother Frederick the Fair – from 1308 until his death. Born at 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...
, he was the third son of King Albert I of Germany
Albert I of Germany
Albert I of Habsburg was King of the Romans and Duke of Austria, the eldest son of German King Rudolph I of Habsburg and his first wife Gertrude of Hohenburg.-Life:...
and Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol, a scion of the Meinhardiner dynasty.
Life
After the death of his eldest brother Duke Rudolph IIIRudolph I of Bohemia
Rudolf I of Habsburg was Duke of Austria and Styria from 1298 and King of Bohemia and titular King of Poland from 1306 until his death...
in 1307 and the assassination of King Albert in 1308, Leopold became head of the Habsburg dynasty and administrator of the Swabian
Further Austria
Further Austria or Anterior Austria was the collective name for the old possessions of the House of Habsburg in the former Swabian stem duchy of south-western Germany, including territories in the Alsace region west of the Rhine and in Vorarlberg, after the focus of the Habsburgs had moved to the...
home territories, where he started a retaliation campaign against his father's murderers. The energetic man converged with the royal House of Luxembourg
House of Luxembourg
The House of Luxembourg was a late medieval German dynasty, which between 1308 and 1437 ruled the Holy Roman Empire, twice interrupted by the rivaling House of Wittelsbach.-History:...
and accompanied King Henry VII
Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VII was the King of Germany from 1308 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1312. He was the first emperor of the House of Luxembourg...
on his Italian
Kingdom of Italy (medieval)
The Kingdom of Italy was a political entity under control of Carolingian dynasty of Francia first, after the defeat of the Lombards in 774. It was finally incorporated as a part of the Holy Roman Empire in 962....
campaign. In 1311 he helped to suppress a Guelph
Guelphs and Ghibellines
The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
revolt at Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
under Guido della Torre
Guido della Torre
Guido della Torre , son of Francesco della Torre and Julia Castiglioni, was a Lord of Milan between 1302 and 1312.- Biography :...
and to lay siege to the city of Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
.
Upon Emperor Henry's death, he strongly supported his brother Frederick in the 1314 election as King of the Romans
King of the Romans
King of the Romans was the title used by the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire following his election to the office by the princes of the Kingdom of Germany...
. Despite all efforts (and bribes), the Habsburgs only gained the votes of four Prince-elector
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
s, while Louis IV of Wittelsbach
Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Louis IV , called the Bavarian, of the house of Wittelsbach, was the King of Germany from 1314, the King of Italy from 1327 and the Holy Roman Emperor from 1328....
, with support of the Luxembourgs, was elected by five. In the following armed conflict between the rivals, the forces of Leopold were supportive of his brother's claims. In his ancestral homeland however, he incurred a decisive defeat by the Swiss Confederacy
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....
at the 1315 Battle of Morgarten
Battle of Morgarten
The Battle of Morgarten occurred on November 15, 1315, when a Swiss Confederation force of 1,500 infantry archers ambushed a group of Austrian soldiers of the Holy Roman Empire near the Morgarten Pass...
.
When Frederick had been captured at the Battle of Mühldorf
Battle of Mühldorf
The Battle of Mühldorf was fought near Mühldorf am Inn on September 28, 1322 between the Duchy of Bavaria and Austria...
in 1322, Leopold struggled for his release. He entered into negotiations with King Louis IV and even surrendered the Imperial Regalia
Imperial Regalia
The Imperial Regalia, insignia, or crown jewels are the regalia of the Emperors and Kings of the Holy Roman Empire. The most important parts are the Imperial Crown, the Holy Lance and the Imperial Sword...
he had kept at Kyburg
Kyburg (castle)
Kyburg Castle is a castle in the municipality of Kyburg of the Canton of Zurich in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.-History:...
castle. The parleys failed and Leopold continued to attack the Bavarian forces of Louis, who unsuccessfully laid siege to the Swabian town of Burgau
Burgau
Burgau is a town in the district of Günzburg in Swabia, Bavaria. Burgau lies on the river Mindel, and has a population of just under 10,000.- History :The territory around Burgau was originally part of the stem duchy of Swabia...
in 1324. After the king had failed to reach the approval of his election by Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...
and was even 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"...
ned, he released Frederick in 1325. The captive however had to promise to swear his brother to acknowledge Louis as his suzerain, which Leopold refused. Frederick as a man of honour voluntarily returned to the Bavarian court, where he and Louis finally agreed upon a joint rule.
Leopold died in Straßburg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
shortly afterwards, aged 35.
Marriage and issue
In 1315 Leopold married Catherine (1284–1336), daughter of Count Amadeus V of SavoyAmadeus V, Count of Savoy
Amadeus V , surnamed the Great for his wisdom and success as a ruler, was the Count of Savoy from 1285 to 1323. He established Chambéry as his seat...
. They had two daughters:
- Catherine (1320–1349), who married Lord Enguerrand VI of CoucyEnguerrand VI, Lord of CoucyEnguerrand VI was a French nobleman who served as the Lord or Baron of Coucy from 1335 – 1346. He was also Lord Gynes, Sire d' Oisy, in the district of Marle, and the Sire de La Fère. He was the son of his predecessor William, Lord of Coucy, Marle, Fère, Oisy and Mount-Mirel, who held the titles...
- Agnes (1322–1392), married Duke Bolko II the Small of Świdnica.