Leopold VI, Duke of Austria

Duke of Austria, Duke of Styria
Leopold the Glorious as mediator for Pope and Emperor, Babenberger Stammbaum, Klosterneuburg Monastery, 1489–1492
Duke	1194–1230 (Styria) 1198–1230 (Austria)
Predecessor	Frederick I
Successor	Frederick II
Spouse	Theodora Angelina
Issue Margaret, Duchess of Austria Gertrude of Austria Agnes of Austria Leopold of Austria Henry II, Duke of Mödling Frederick II, Duke of Austria Constantia of Austria
Family	House of Babenberg
Father	Leopold V
Mother	Helena of Hungary
Born	1176
Died	28 July 1230(1230-07-28) San Germano
Buried	Lilienfeld Abbey

Leopold VI (German: Luitpold VI. von Österreich, 1176 – 28 July 1230), known as Leopold the Glorious (German: Luitpold der Glorreiche), was the Duke of Styria from 1194 and the Duke of Austria from 1198 to his death in 1230. He was a member of the House of Babenberg. He was also a member of the Chapter of the Cistercian Order. Like his predecessors, he 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 is arguably one of the greatest of the Babenbergs.

Leopold VI was the younger son of Duke Leopold V of Austria and his wife, Helena of Hungary (daughter of Géza II of Hungary and Euphrosyne of Kiev). His service is known to be recorded under Henry's Second Italian Expedition (May 1194 - Summer 1195).

When his father died in 1195, it had surprised him, like many other Lords of Austria and Styria, when he had received the news that he would receive the Duchy of Styria. This act was in contravention of the provisions found in the Georgenberg Pact, yet none objected. His older brother, Frederick I, was to take the Duchy of Austria (which corresponded roughly to modern Lower Austria and eastern Upper Austria). As Leopold was with Emperor Henry VI, at the court in Palermo, whether by word or deed, he had pleased the Emperor enough to be elevated to the rule of Styria. So much so, that by June 1194 he had now begun styling himself Duke of Styria. Leopold had spent 1195-6 acquainting himself with his new duchy and its people. It did not surprise him when his brother entrusted him with Austria on the eve of his Crusade. The honor of the Babenbergs had been damaged in the eyes of the Catholic Church because of the capture of Richard I of England, the ransom money for him and the still imprisoned hostages. Despite the release of the hostages and the return of the unspent portion, Frederick took upon himself the penance of another Crusade and set off on the German Crusade of 1197 to redeem Babenberg honor.