Leopold III, Margrave of Austria

Leopold III (German: Luitpold,Latin: Leupoldus, 1073 – 15 November 1136), known as Leopold the Good, was the Margrave of Austria from 1095 to his death in 1136. He was a member of the House of Babenberg. He was canonized on 6 January 1485 and became the patron saint of Austria, Lower Austria, Upper Austria and Vienna. His feast day is 15 November.^[1]

Saint Leopold III
Saint Leopold III with two deceased sons, Babenberger Stammbaum, Klosterneuburg Monastery, 1489–1492
Margrave of Austria
Born	1073 Babenberg Castle, Gars am Kamp, Lower Austria
Died	15 November 1136 Klosterneuburg Monastery, Lower Austria (incl. burial)
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Canonized	6 January 1485 by Pope Innocent VIII
Feast	15 November
Attributes	Model of church
Patronage	Austria, lower Austria, upper Austria, Vienna, death of children, large families, step-parents

Leopold III
Margrave of Austria
Margrave	1095–1136
Predecessor	Leopold II
Successor	Leopold IV
Family	House of Babenberg
Spouse	Agnes of Germany
Issue	Leopold IV, Duke of Bavaria Henry II of Austria Agnes Otto of Freising Conrad II, Archbishop of Salzburg Judith Gertrude
Father	Leopold II
Mother	Ida of Formbach-Ratelnberg[dubious – discuss]

Biography

Leopold was born at Babenberg castle in Gars am Kamp, the son of Margrave Leopold II and Ida of Formbach-Ratelnberg. The Babenbergs had come to Austria from Bavaria where the family had risen to prominence in the 10th century. He grew up in the diocese of Passau under the influence of the reformer bishop Altmann of Passau.^[2]

In 1096, Leopold succeeded his father as margrave of Austria at the age of 23. He married twice. His first wife, who died in 1105, may have been one of the von Perg family. The following year he married Agnes,^[3] the widowed sister of Emperor Henry V whom he had supported against her father Henry IV. This connection to the Salians raised the importance of the House of Babenberg, to which important royal rights over the margraviate of Austria were granted. Also, Agnes had influential connections through her previous marriage to Frederick of Hohenstaufen,^[2] one of her sons being Conrad III of Germany.

Leopold called himself "Princeps Terræ", a reflection of his sense of territorial independence. He was considered a candidate in the election of the Kaiser of the Holy Roman Empire in 1125, but declined this honour.

He is mainly remembered for the development of the country and, in particular, the founding of several monasteries. His most important foundation is Klosterneuburg (1108).^[2] According to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared to him and led him to a place where he found the veil of his wife Agnes, who had lost it years earlier. He established the Klosterneuburg Monastery there. He subsequently expanded the settlement to become his residence.

Leopold also founded the monasteries of Heiligenkreuz, Kleinmariazell and Seitenstetten which developed a territory still largely covered by forest. All of these induced the church to canonize him in 1485.

Leopold also fostered the development of cities, such as Klosterneuburg, Vienna and Krems. The last one was granted the right to mint but never attained great importance.

The writings of Henry of Melk and Ava of Göttweig, which are the first literary texts from Austria, date back to Leopold's time.

He is buried in the Klosterneuburg Monastery, which he founded. His skull is kept in an embroidered reliquary, which leaves the forehead exposed; it also wears an archducal hat.

In 1663, under the rule of his namesake Emperor Leopold I, he was declared patron saint of Austria instead of Coloman of Stockerau.

The brothers Joseph and Michael Haydn, each of whom sang in the choir of St. Stephen's Cathedral, both sang in that capacity at Klosterneuburg on this day. Joseph Haydn later became the more famous composer of the two. Michael Haydn later (in 1805) wrote a mass in honour of Leopold, the Missa sub titulo Sancti Leopoldi.

Since the death of Emperor Leopold I, the King's Feast is celebrated in Belgium on Leopold's feast day.

Children

His first marriage, to Maria/Adelheid von Perg, was childless.

By his second wife, Agnes of Germany, widow of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia:

• Adalbert
• Henry II Jasomirgott (1107–1177)^[3]
• Leopold IV (c. 1108 – 1141)^[3]
• Berta, m. Henry III, Burgrave of Regensburg
• Agnes (c. 1108/13 – c. 1160/63), m. Władysław II of Poland^[3]
• Ernst
• Uta, m. Luitpold I, Count of Plain
• Otto of Freising (c. 1114 – 1158), Bishop of Freising,^[3] and biographer of his nephew (from his mother's first marriage), Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa
• Conrad, Bishop of Passau and Archbishop of Salzburg^[3]
• Elisabeth, m. Hermann II of Winzenburg
• Judith, m. William V of Montferrat^[3]
• Gertrude, m. Duke (later King) Vladislaus II of Bohemia^[3]

According to the Continuation of the Chronicles of Klosterneuburg, there may have been up to seven others (possibly from multiple births) stillborn or who died in infancy.

In 2013, documentation regarding the results of DNA testing of the remains of the family buried in Klosterneuburg Abbey strongly favor that Adalbert was the son of Leopold and Agnes.^[4]

Gallery

• 
  Leopold III seal
• 
  Stained glass, Gaaden, Lower Austria
• 
  Österreichische Schule, eighteenth century
• 
  Saint Leopold Altar, Stephansdom
• 
  Saint Leopold's skull relic, Klosterneuburg Monastery

See also

• List of rulers of Austria

References

1. Lingelbach 1913, pp. 90–91.
2. ""St. Leopold of Babenberg", Canons Regular of St. Augustine". Archived from the original on 2016-08-21. Retrieved 2015-03-15.
3. Freed 2016, p. xiv.
4. Bauer, Christiane Maria; Bodner, Martin; Niederstätter, Harald; Niederwieser, Daniela; Huber, Gabriela; Hatzer-Grubwieser, Petra; Holubar, Karl; Parson, Walther (February 2013). "Molecular genetic investigations on Austria's patron saint Leopold III". Forensic Science International. Genetics. 7 (2): 313–315. doi:10.1016/j.fsigen.2012.10.012. PMC 3593208. PMID 23142176.

Sources

• Beller, Steven (2007). A Concise History of Austria. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-47886-1.
• Brooke, Z. N. (1938). A History of Europe: From 911 to 1198. London: Methuen & Company Ltd. ISBN 978-1-4437-4070-8.
• Dopsch, Heinz (1999). Österreichische Geschichte 1122-1278. Vienna: Ueberreuter. ISBN 978-3-8000-3973-9.
• Freed, John (2016). Frederick Barbarossa: The Prince and the Myth. Yale University Press.
• Lechner, Karl (1976). Die Babenberger: Markgrafen und Herzoge von Österreich 976–1246. Vienna: Böhlau. ISBN 978-3-205-08508-9.
• Leeper, Alexander W. (1941). History of Medieval Austria. London: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-404-15347-2.
• Lingelbach, William E. (1913). The History of Nations: Austria-Hungary. New York: P. F. Collier & Son Company. ASIN B000L3E368.
• Pohl, Walter (1995). Die Welt der Babenberger. Graz: Verlag Styria. ISBN 978-3-222-12334-4.
• Rickett, Richard (1985). A Brief Survey of Austrian History. Vienna: Prachner. ISBN 978-3-85367-001-9.
• Wegener, Wilhelm (1965). Genealogischen Tafeln zur mitteleuropäischen Geschichte. Vienna: Verlag Degener.

External links

• Leopold III., Heiliger, Babenberger-Markgraf at AEIOU
• Leopold at Patron Saints Index

Leopold III, Margrave of Austria House of Babenberg Born: 1073 Died: 1136
Preceded by Leopold II	Margrave of Austria 1095–1136	Succeeded by Leopold IV