Editing History of Austria (section)

===== Leopold the Virtuous and union with Styria (1177–1194) =====
In 1186 the [[Georgenberg Pact]] bequeathed Austria's southern neighbour, [[Styria (duchy)|the Duchy of Styria]] to Austria upon the death of the childless Duke of Styria, [[Ottokar IV, Duke of Styria|Ottokar IV]], which occurred in 1192. Styria had been carved out of the northern marches of [[Duchy of Carinthia|Carinthia]], and only raised to the status of Duchy in 1180. However the territory of the Duchy of Styria extended far beyond the current state of [[Styria]], including parts of present-day [[Slovenia]] ([[Lower Styria]]), and also parts of [[Upper Austria]] (the Traungau, the area around [[Wels]] and [[Steyr]]) and [[Lower Austria]] (the county of [[Pitten]], today's districts of [[Wiener Neustadt]] and [[Neunkirchen District, Austria|Neunkirchen]]).

The second Duke of Austria, Henry II's son [[Leopold the Virtuous|Leopold V the Virtuous]] (1177–1194) became Duke of these combined territories. Leopold is perhaps best known for his imprisonment of the British king, [[Richard I]] following the [[Third Crusade]] (1189–1192), in 1192 at [[Dürnstein]]. The ransom money he received helped finance many of his projects.

At that time, the Babenberg Dukes came to be one of the most influential ruling families in the region, peaking in the reign of Henry's grandson [[Leopold VI of Austria|Leopold VI]] the Glorious (1198–1230), the fourth Duke.<ref name="GBS"/> under whom the culture of the [[High Middle Ages]] flourished, including the introduction of [[Gothic art]].