March of Austria
Encyclopedia
The March of Austria was created in 976 out of the territory that probably formed the earlier March of Pannonia
. It is also called the Margraviate of Austria or the Bavarian Eastern March. In contemporary Latin, it was the marchia Austriae, Austrie marchionibus, or the marcha Orientalis. In modern German, it is usually called the Ostmark, a translation of marchia Orientalis.
The first march
covering approximately the territory that would become Austria
and Slovenia
, was the Avar March
established by Charlemagne
in the late 8th century against the Avars
. When the Avars disappeared in the 820s, they were replaced largely by a Slavic people, who established the state of Great Moravia
. The region of Pannonia was set apart from the Duchy of Friuli
in 828 and set up as a march against Moravia within the regnum of Bavaria
. These marches corresponded to a frontier along the Danube
from the Traun
gau to Szombathely
and the Raba
river and including the Vienna
basin. By the 890s, the Pannonian march seems to have disappeared, along with the threat from Great Moravia.
In 976, during a general restructuring of Bavaria, the Emperor Otto II erected a new march, called, like its Pannonian predecessor, the marcha orientalis. It was not long before the Bavarian eastern march acquired its name of Austria. In 996, the march ruled by the Babenberg
family was described as regione vulgari vocabulo Ostarrîchi, that is, "the region commonly called Ostarrîchi." The term Ostarrîchi is linguistic ancestor of the German name for Austria, Österreich.
The early margraviate was populated by a mix of Slavic and native Romano-Germanic peoples who were apparently speaking Rhaeto-Romance languages
, remnants of which remain today in parts of northern Italy (Friulian
and Ladin) and in Switzerland (Romansh). In the Austrian Alps some valleys retained their Rhaeto-Romance speakers until the 17th century. The early march corresponded closely to the modern region of Lower Austria
. Its chief city was Sankt Pölten
, though it eventually became Vienna.
The obscurity of the period from circa 900 until 976 leads some to posit that a Pannonian or Austrian march existed against the Magyars, alongside the other marches which were incorporated into Bavaria in 952 (Carniola
, Carinthia
, Istria
, and Verona
). However, much of (Lower) Pannonia was now conquered by the Magyars. The Austrian march was raised on the territory which remained in 976. The first margrave, Leopold I
, replaced one Burchard, whose status is not well known but may represent a continual margravial authority in the region during the interval 900–976.
The initial Babenberger residence was probably at Pöchlarn
, but maybe already Melk
, where subsequent rulers resided. The original march coincided with the modern Wachau
, but was shortly enlarged eastwards at least as far as the Wienerwald
. Under Ernest the Brave
(1055–1075), the colonisation of the Waldviertel
was begun and the Bohemian
and Hungarian marches
were united to Austria.
Margravial Austria reached its greatest height under Leopold III
, a great friend of the church and founder of abbeys. He patronised towns and developed a great level of territorial independence. In 1139, Leopold IV
inherited Bavaria. When his successor, the last margrave, Henry Jasomirgott, was deprived of Bavaria in 1156, Austria was elevated to a duchy independent from Bavaria by the Privilegium Minus
of the Emperor Frederick I.
March of Pannonia
The March of Pannonia was a frontier march of the Carolingian Empire erected in the mid-ninth century against the threat of Great Moravia and lasting only as long as the strength of that state....
. It is also called the Margraviate of Austria or the Bavarian Eastern March. In contemporary Latin, it was the marchia Austriae, Austrie marchionibus, or the marcha Orientalis. In modern German, it is usually called the Ostmark, a translation of marchia Orientalis.
The first march
Marches
A march or mark refers to a border region similar to a frontier, such as the Welsh Marches, the borderland between England and Wales. During the Frankish Carolingian Dynasty, the word spread throughout Europe....
covering approximately the territory that would become Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
, was the Avar March
Avar March
The Avar March was a frontier district established by Charlemagne against Avaria in the southeast of the Carolingian Empire.In the late 8th century, Charlemagne destroyed the Avar fortress called the Ring of the Avars and made the people tributary to him...
established by Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
in the late 8th century against the Avars
Eurasian Avars
The Eurasian Avars or Ancient Avars were a highly organized nomadic confederacy of mixed origins. They were ruled by a khagan, who was surrounded by a tight-knit entourage of nomad warriors, an organization characteristic of Turko-Mongol groups...
. When the Avars disappeared in the 820s, they were replaced largely by a Slavic people, who established the state of Great Moravia
Great Moravia
Great Moravia was a Slavic state that existed in Central Europe and lasted for nearly seventy years in the 9th century whose creators were the ancestors of the Czechs and Slovaks. It was a vassal state of the Germanic Frankish kingdom and paid an annual tribute to it. There is some controversy as...
. The region of Pannonia was set apart from the Duchy of Friuli
Duchy of Friuli
The Duchy of Friuli was one of the great territorial Lombard duchies, the first to be established. It was an important buffer between the Lombard kingdom of Italy and the Slavs...
in 828 and set up as a march against Moravia within the regnum of Bavaria
Duchy of Bavaria
The Duchy of Bavaria was the only one of the stem duchies from the earliest days of East Francia and the Kingdom of Germany to preserve both its name and most of its territorial extent....
. These marches corresponded to a frontier along the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
from the Traun
Traun
Traun is a city in the state of Upper Austria, Austria. As of 2001, according to , the population was 23,470 . Traun is home to a large Turkish immigrant community, a significant part of which originates from Sakarya/Akyazi, Turkey. The city is located at latitude 48.21667, longitude...
gau to Szombathely
Szombathely
Szombathely is the 10th largest city in Hungary. It is the administrative centre of Vas county in the west of the country, located near the border with Austria...
and the Raba
Raba
Raba can refer to:*Raba, Indonesia, a town on Sumbawa island, Indonesia*Raba , a river in Poland, tributary of the Vistula*Rabbah bar Nahmani, known simply as Rabbah, was a Babylonian rabbi known in the Talmud as an Amora...
river and including the 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...
basin. By the 890s, the Pannonian march seems to have disappeared, along with the threat from Great Moravia.
In 976, during a general restructuring of Bavaria, the Emperor Otto II erected a new march, called, like its Pannonian predecessor, the marcha orientalis. It was not long before the Bavarian eastern march acquired its name of Austria. In 996, the march ruled by 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:...
family was described as regione vulgari vocabulo Ostarrîchi, that is, "the region commonly called Ostarrîchi." The term Ostarrîchi is linguistic ancestor of the German name for Austria, Österreich.
The early margraviate was populated by a mix of Slavic and native Romano-Germanic peoples who were apparently speaking Rhaeto-Romance languages
Rhaeto-Romance languages
Rhaeto-Romance languages are a Romance language sub-family which includes multiple languages spoken in north and north-eastern Italy, and Switzerland...
, remnants of which remain today in parts of northern Italy (Friulian
Friulian language
Friulan , is a Romance language belonging to the Rhaeto-Romance family, spoken in the Friuli region of northeastern Italy. Friulan has around 800,000 speakers, the vast majority of whom also speak Italian...
and Ladin) and in Switzerland (Romansh). In the Austrian Alps some valleys retained their Rhaeto-Romance speakers until the 17th century. The early march corresponded closely to the modern region of Lower Austria
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
. Its chief city was Sankt Pölten
Sankt Pölten
Sankt Pölten is the capital city of the State of Lower Austria in northeast Austria. With inhabitants , it is Lower Austria's largest city...
, though it eventually became Vienna.
The obscurity of the period from circa 900 until 976 leads some to posit that a Pannonian or Austrian march existed against the Magyars, alongside the other marches which were incorporated into Bavaria in 952 (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...
, Carinthia
March of Carinthia
The March of Carinthia was a frontier district of the Carolingian Empire created in 889. Before it was a march, it had been a principality or duchy ruled by native-born Slavic princes at first independently and then under Bavarian and subsequently Frankish suzerainty...
, Istria
March of Istria
The Margravate of Istria was originally a Carolingian frontier march covering the Istrian peninsula and surrounding territory conquered by Charlemagne's son Pepin of Italy in 789...
, and Verona
March of Verona
The March of Verona and Aquileia was a vast march in northeastern Italy during the Middle Ages, centered on the cities of Verona and Aquileia. Except for Venice, it included the territories of the modern-day regions of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia as well as Istria and Trentino up to the Adige...
). However, much of (Lower) Pannonia was now conquered by the Magyars. The Austrian march was raised on the territory which remained in 976. The first margrave, Leopold I
Leopold I, Margrave of Austria
Leopold I , also Luitpold or Liutpold, called the Illustrious , was the first Margrave of Austria from the House of Babenberg....
, replaced one Burchard, whose status is not well known but may represent a continual margravial authority in the region during the interval 900–976.
The initial Babenberger residence was probably at Pöchlarn
Pöchlarn
Pöchlarn is a town in the district of Melk in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. Painter and writer Oskar Kokoschka was born here in 1886.- People :* Rüdiger von Bechelaren* Oskar Kokoschka* Johann Rasch* Ursula Strauss, actress...
, but maybe already Melk
Melk
Melk is a city of Austria, in the federal state of Lower Austria, next to the Wachau valley along the Danube. Melk has a population of 5,222 ....
, where subsequent rulers resided. The original march coincided with the modern Wachau
Wachau
The Wachau is an Austrian valley with a picturesque landscape formed by the Danube river. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations of Lower Austria, located midway between the towns of Melk and Krems that also attracts "connoisseurs and epicureans". It is in length and was already...
, but was shortly enlarged eastwards at least as far as the Wienerwald
Wienerwald
The Vienna Woods are forested highlands that form the northeastern foothills of the Northern Limestone Alps in the states of Lower Austria and Vienna. The long and wide hill range is heavily wooded and a popular recreation area with the Viennese....
. Under Ernest the Brave
Ernest, Margrave of Austria
Ernest the Brave was the Babenberg margrave of Austria from 1055 to his death, following his father Adalbert.He increased the territory of Austria by amalgamating the Bohemian and Hungarian marches into Austria. In his time, the colonisation of the Waldviertel was begun by his ministeriales, the...
(1055–1075), the colonisation of the Waldviertel
Waldviertel
The Waldviertel is the northwestern region of the Austrian state Lower Austria. It is bounded to the south by the Danube, to the southwest by Upper Austria, to the northwest and the north by the Czech Republic and to the east by the Manhartsberg , which is the survey point dividing Waldviertel...
was begun and the Bohemian
March of Moravia
The March or Margraviate of Moravia, was a marcher state, sometimes de facto independent and varyingly within the power of the Duchy, later Kingdom of Bohemia...
and Hungarian marches
Hungarian March
The Hungarian March or Neumark was a brief frontier march established in the mid-eleventh century by the Emperor Henry III as a defence against the Kingdom of Hungary...
were united to Austria.
Margravial Austria reached its greatest height under Leopold III
Leopold III, Margrave of Austria
Saint Leopold III was the Margrave of Austria in 1073–1136. He is the patron saint of Austria, of the city of Vienna, of Lower Austria, and, jointly with Saint Florian, of Upper Austria. His feast day is November 15.-Biography:...
, a great friend of the church and founder of abbeys. He patronised towns and developed a great level of territorial independence. In 1139, Leopold IV
Leopold IV, Duke of Bavaria
Leopold IV, the Generous was Margrave of Austria from 1137 and Duke of Bavaria from 1139 until his death....
inherited Bavaria. When his successor, the last margrave, Henry Jasomirgott, was deprived of Bavaria in 1156, Austria was elevated to a duchy independent from Bavaria by the 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...
of the Emperor Frederick I.