Henry I, Margrave of Austria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry I
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| Margrave of Austria | |
Henry the Strong and the martyrdom of Saint Coloman, Babenberger Stammbaum, Klosterneuburg Monastery, 1489–1492
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| Margrave | 994–1018 |
| Predecessor | Leopold I |
| Successor | Adalbert |
| Died | 23 June 1018 |
| Family | House of Babenberg |
| Father | Leopold I |
| Mother | Richardis of Sualafeldgau |
Henry I (also known as Henry the Strong) was an important ruler in the early history of Austria. He was the Margrave of Austria from 994 until he died in 1018. A margrave was a type of count who ruled a border area called a march. Henry was part of the House of Babenberg, a powerful family in the region.
Contents
Life as a Margrave
Henry the Strong was the son of Leopold I. Leopold was the very first Margrave of Austria. Henry's mother was Richardis of Sualafeldgau.
When Henry became margrave in 996, parts of his land were not yet settled by German people. This area was between the Bisamberg mountain and the March River.
Land Grants and Challenges
In 1002, Emperor Henry II gave Henry I two important pieces of land. One was a large area southwest of Vienna. The other was between the Kamp and March rivers. These lands were on the edge of the empire, near the Hungarian and Polish borders.
Henry faced his biggest challenges from the north. After Duke Boleslaus II of Bohemia died in 999, the area became unstable. This was because of his successor, Duke Boleslav III the Red.
Wars with Poland
Boleslav III was soon defeated by the Polish Duke Bolesław I Chrobry. Bolesław I then became the ruler of Bohemia, Moravia, and Slovakia.
In 1002, Bolesław I took control of some German territories. He refused to pay taxes to the Holy Roman Empire for these lands. Emperor Henry II teamed up with the Lutici people to fight back. By 1004, German forces removed Bolesław I from the Bohemian throne.
However, Bolesław I kept control of Moravia and Slovakia until 1018. He continued to threaten the eastern parts of the empire during these years. In 1015 and 1017, Bolesław I attacked Henry's territory. Both times, Henry the Strong and his army defeated him.
Henry I the Strong died on June 23, 1018. A writer from that time said he died "in his armour," which suggests he was still actively involved in military matters.
The Ostarrîchi Document
During Henry the Strong's time as margrave, a very important document was created. Emperor Otto III issued it on November 1, 996. This document is historically significant because it is the first time the name Ostarrîchi was mentioned.
Ostarrîchi is the old form of Österreich, which is the German name for Austria today. At that time, the name only referred to a small area. The document talks about giving land "known in the local language as Ostarrichi." This specific area was Neuhofen an der Ybbs.
The emperor gave this land to the abbey of Freising. An abbey is a type of monastery. The abbey kept these lands until 1803, when they became part of Austria. Today, this important document is kept in the Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv in Munich, Germany.
See also
- List of rulers of Austria
