Editing House of Babenberg (section)

==Margraves of Austria==
{{History of Austria}}
[[File:Babenberger Stammbaum.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Babenberg family tree triptych at [[Klosterneuburg Monastery]] (c. 1490, based on the genealogy by [[Ladislaus Sunthaym]])]]
In 962, the Bavarian count [[Leopold I, Margrave of Austria|Leopold I]] (''Liupo''), possibly a descendant of the Luitpolding duke [[Arnulf, Duke of Bavaria|Arnulf of Bavaria]], was first mentioned as a faithful follower of Emperor [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto I]]. He remained a loyal supporter of Otto's son and successor [[Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto II]] and in 976 appears as count of the Bavarian Eastern March, then a district not more than 60 miles in breadth on the eastern frontier of the duchy, which grew into the [[Margraviate of Austria]]. Leopold, who received the territory as a reward for his fidelity to Emperor Otto II during the uprising of Duke [[Henry II, Duke of Bavaria|Henry II of Bavaria]], extended its area down the [[Danube]] river into what is today [[Lower Austria]] at the expense of the retreating [[Hungarian invasions of Europe|Magyars]].

Leopold was succeeded in 994 by his son [[Henry I, Margrave of Austria|Henry I]], who continued his father's policy, was followed in 1018 by his brother [[Adalbert, Margrave of Austria|Adalbert]], whose marked loyalty to Emperor [[Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry II]] and his [[Salian dynasty|Salian]] successor [[Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry III]] was rewarded by many tokens of favour.<ref name="EB1911"/> Adalbert expanded the Austrian territory up to the present borders on the [[Leitha]], [[Morava (river)|March]] and [[Thaya]] rivers. He was succeeded in 1055 by his son, [[Ernest, Margrave of Austria|Ernest]].

[[Leopold II, Margrave of Austria|Leopold II]], margrave from 1075, quarrelled with Emperor [[Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry IV]] during the [[Investiture Controversy]], when he supported the papal side of Bishop [[Altmann of Passau]]. Though Leopold had to cope with the invading troops of Duke [[Vratislaus II of Bohemia]] and was defeated at the 1082 [[Battle of Mailberg]], the emperor was unable to oust him from his march or to prevent the succession of his son [[Leopold III, Margrave of Austria|Leopold III]] in 1096. Between 1075 - 1095 the dynasty had its seat at Babenberg Castle of [[Gars am Kamp]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20161104003233/http://www.styriabooks.at/files/images/9783854315179_Leseprobe.pdf "Wo Babenberger und Habsburger residierten", Styria books, p 17]</ref>

Leopold III supported Henry V, the son of Emperor Henry IV, in his rising against his father, but was soon drawn over to the emperor's side. In 1106 he married the daughter of Henry IV, [[Agnes of Waiblingen|Agnes]], widow of Duke [[Frederick I, Duke of Swabia|Frederick I of Swabia]]. In 1125 he declined the [[King of the Romans|royal crown]] in favour of [[Lothair II, Holy Roman Emperor|Lothair of Supplinburg]]. His zeal in founding monasteries, such as [[Klosterneuburg Monastery]], earned for him his surname "the Pious", and canonization by [[Pope Innocent VIII]] in 1485. He is regarded as the patron saint of [[Lower Austria|Lower]] and [[Upper Austria]].<ref name="EB1911"/>