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Leopold VI., Herzog, * 1176
© Copyright Duke Leopold VI. Glass painting in the parish church of Steyr, Upper Austria. Leopold VI, b. 1176, d. San Germano (Italy), July 28, 1230, Babenberg; Duke of Austria and Styria, son of Leopold V, brother of Friedrich I, father of Friedrich II (the Bold); 1194 Duke of Styria, after the death of his brother Friedrich I in 1198 also Duke of Austria. Founded the town of Lilienfeld in 1202 and supported the mendicant orders in the cities. He failed in his attempt to establish a provincial diocese. Under him the dioceses of Seckau and Lavant were founded by the Archbishop of Salzburg. Numerous towns were enlarged, (Neuer Markt in Vienna), fortified towns were founded, and some villages were granted town status: (1212 Enns, 1221 Vienna). Minnesong flourished at his court (Walther von der Vogelweide, Neidhart von Reuental, Ulrich von Liechtenstein, Reinmar von Zweter), and the Nibelungenlied and the Kudrun began here. 1212 crusade against the Albigenses in southern France, 1217/19 to Egypt. He maintained contact to the Emperors, married his daughter Margarethe to Heinrich VII, son of Emperor Friedrich II and acted as mediator in the dispute between the Emperor and the Pope. Through his marriage to Theodora Angeloi he renewed contact to Byzantium. Acquired more possessions in Upper Austria and Slovenia. He was buried in Lilienfeld. Literature: K. Lechner, Die Babenberger, 51994; NDB.
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