Silver Pfennigs and Small Silver Coins of Europe in the Middle Ages

Leopold VI., 1195 - 1230
Leopold VI (1176 – 28 July 1230), called the Glorious, from the House of Babenberg, was Duke of Austria from 1198 to 1230 and
of Styria from 1194 to 1230.
Leopold was the younger son of Duke Leopold V. In contravention of the provisions of the Georgenberg Pact, the Babenberg reign
was divided after the death of Leopold V: Leopold's elder brother, Frederick I, was given the Duchy of Austria (corresponding
roughly to modern Lower Austria and eastern Upper Austria), while Leopold himself became Duke of Styria. Both duchies were
reunified when Frederick died after only four years of rule.
Leopold VI participated in the Reconquista in Spain and in two crusades, the Albigensian Crusade in 1212 and the failed Fifth
Crusade from 1217 to 1221, and—like his predecessors—attempted to develop the land by founding monasteries. His most important
foundation is Lilienfeld in the Lower Austrian valley of the Traisen river, where he was buried after his death. Besides that, he
supported the then highly modern Mendicant Orders of the Franciscans and Dominicans. He elevated Enns to the status of a city
in 1212, and Vienna in 1221, the territory of which was nearly doubled.
Under Leopold's rule, the Gothic style began to reach Austria - the Cappella Speciosa in his temporary residence of
Klosterneuburg is known as the first building influenced by it in the Danube area - a reconstruction of it can be seen today in the
palace gardens of Laxenburg.
Babenbergian Austria reached the zenith of its prestige under Leopold's rule. Evidence of this is given by his marriage to the
Byzantine princess Theodora Angelina and his attempt to mediate between Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and Pope Gregory
IX, which he was working on when he died in 1230 in Italy.
Leopold's court is known as a center of the Minnesang, e.g., Walther von der Vogelweide, Neidhart von Reuental and Ulrich von
Liechtenstein were active here. Also, the Nibelungenlied may have been written in his court.
Leopold died at San Germano in 1230.
Leopold V 1192-1194
Leopold V (1157 – December 31, 1194), the Virtuous, was a Babenberg duke of Austria from 1177 to 1194 and Styria from 1192
to 1194.
Leopold was the son of Henry II Jasomirgott and his Byzantine wife Theodora Comnena. In 1172 he married Helena, daughter of
King Géza II of Hungary, and their sons were Frederick I and Leopold VI.
On August 17, 1186 the Georgenberg Pact was negotiated, by which Styria and the central part of Upper Austria were amalgamated
into the Duchy of Austria after 1192. This was the first step towards the creation of modern Austria.
Leopold is mainly remembered outside Austria for his participation in the Third Crusade. He arrived to take part in the siege of
Acre in spring 1191, having sailed from Zadar on the Adriatic coast. He took over command of what remained of the imperial
forces after the death of Frederick VI, Duke of Swabia in January.
After Acre surrendered, the banners of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Richard I of England, Philip II of France and Leopold were
raised in the city by Leopold's cousin, Conrad of Montferrat. However, Richard removed Leopold's flag (see Siege of Acre).
Richard was also suspected of involvement in the murder of Conrad, shortly after his election as King of Jerusalem in April 1192.
On his journey back that winter, Richard, travelling in disguise, had to stop in Vienna, where he was recognized (supposedly
because of his signet ring) and was arrested in the Erdberg district (modern Landstraße). For some time the king was imprisoned
in Dürnstein, and was then brought before Emperor Henry VI, and accused of Conrad's murder. The immense ransom, supposedly
six thousand buckets of silver, became the foundation for the mint in Vienna, and was used to build new city walls for
Vienna, as well as to build Wiener Neustadt. However, the duke was excommunicated by Pope Celestine III for having taken a
fellow crusader prisoner.
In 1194 Leopold's foot was crushed when his horse fell on him at a tournament in Graz. He died of gangrene, still under excommunication.
Austria
Duchy of Steiermark
Leopold VI., 1194 - 1230
Pfennig Mint: Graz. 18 mm 0 ,92g.
Obv.: Bridge between 2 towers, deer head with rosette above between towers.
Rev.: Lion right. Stars in field, ringlet circle all around.
Reference: CNA D3. VF. *Probably commemorative penny of building of Steinbrück Bridge
about 1220!
Estimate: EUR 150.