Leopold, Duke of Bavaria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leopold IV
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| Margrave of Austria | |
Heiligenkreuz Abbey, Lower Austria, c. 1290
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| Duke, Margrave | 1139–1141, 1136–1141 |
| Predecessor | Leopold III |
| Successor | Henry II |
| Born | 1108 |
| Died | 18 October 1141 Niederaltaich Abbey, Bavaria |
| Buried | Heiligenkreuz Abbey |
| Family | House of Babenberg |
| Spouse | Maria of Bohemia |
| Father | Leopold III |
| Mother | Agnes of Germany |
Leopold (German: Luitpold, born around 1108 – died October 18, 1141) was an important ruler in the 12th century. He was known as Leopold the Generous (German: Luitpold der Freigiebige). From 1136, he was the margrave of Austria. A margrave was a ruler of a border area, like a count. Later, from 1139 until he died in 1141, he also became the duke of Bavaria. A duke was a powerful noble who ruled a large territory.
Contents
Leopold's Life and Rule
Leopold IV was one of the younger sons of Margrave Leopold III, who was also called Leopold the Holy. It's not fully clear why he was chosen to rule over his older brothers.
Family Connections and Power
Leopold's mother was Agnes. This meant he was related to the powerful Hohenstaufen family. This family was in a big rivalry with another strong family, the Welfen.
Because of this rivalry, Emperor Conrad III gave Leopold a large area of land called Bavaria. This land used to belong to the Welfen family. Leopold was able to keep control of Bavaria. This was partly because his brother Otto was an important church leader (a Bishop) in the city of Freising within Bavaria.
Important Decisions
During his short time as ruler, one of Leopold's most important actions was an agreement in 1137. It was called the Exchange of Mautern. He made this deal with the Bishop of Passau.
In this agreement:
- The Bishop received St. Peter's Church in Vienna.
- Leopold received large areas of land outside the city walls from the Bishop.
- However, there was one special piece of land that Leopold did not get. This was the area where a new church was planned. This new church would later become the famous St. Stephen's Cathedral.
End of His Reign
Leopold died suddenly at Niederaltaich Abbey in Bavaria. After his death, his brother Henry took over as ruler.
See also
- List of rulers of Austria
In Spanish: Leopoldo IV de Austria (Babenberg) para niños
