After Otto I’s victory over the Magyars at the Battle of Lechfeld in 955 CE, the way was cleared for Germanic expansion into the eastern frontier, leading to the creation of system of military borderlands, including the Avar March along the Danube. Around 970 CE, the region between the Enns River and the Vienna Woods was organized as the Marcha orientalis (Eastern March). The earliest known margrave was Burkhard, but in 976 CE, Otto I restructured the area and appointed Leopold I of the Babenberg dynasty to govern the Eastern March. The Babenbergs would rule Austria for nearly two centuries, shaping its identity and expanding its influence.
Role of the Margraviate
The Margraviate of Austria served as a defensive frontier against Hungary and other eastern threats. The Babenbergs initially ruled from Pöchlarn and later Melk, focusing on consolidating power, founding towns, and promoting Christianity through monasteries. The Babenbergs also expanded eastward along the Danube, reaching Vienna by 1002. However, their expansion was halted by King Stephen of Hungary in 1030 CE, establishing the eastern boundary of Austria.
The Holy Roman Empire in the 10th century showing Bavarian marches, including Carinthia. © Anonymous
Challenges and Consolidation (11th–12th centuries)
Throughout the 11th century, Austria remained under the shadow of Bavaria, struggling to assert autonomy. The Babenbergs navigated shifting alliances between the Holy Roman Emperors and the papacy, particularly during the Investiture Dispute. Leopold II 'The Fair' briefly lost his position after siding with the papacy against Emperor Henry IV, but the family’s fortunes improved under Leopold III 'The Good'. He allied with Henry V, the rebellious son of Henry IV, securing Austria’s ties with the imperial family through marriage to Agnes von Waiblingen. Leopold III’s efforts to stabilize the region and his monastic foundations earned him canonization in 1458, making him Austria’s patron saint.
Austria’s Rise to a Duchy (1139–1156)
Leopold III’s son, Leopold IV 'The Generous', further enhanced the status of Austria by also becoming Duke of Bavaria in 1139, when the Bavarian Welf dynasty was temporarily removed by Emperor Conrad III. This brief union of Austria and Bavaria boosted the Babenbergs' prestige, but when Leopold IV died in 1141, his brother Henry II (Jasomirgott) inherited both titles.
In 1156, Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa, seeking to resolve internal conflicts, restored Bavaria to the Welfs. As compensation, he issued the Privilegium Minus, elevating Austria from a margraviate to a duchy. With this, Henry II Jasomirgott became the first Duke of Austria, marking a key step in Austria’s transition from a frontier march to a political entity within the Holy Roman Empire.