Luitpold, Margrave of Bavaria
Encyclopedia
Luitpold (modern Leopold) (died 4 July 907), perhaps of the Huosi
family or related to the Carolingian dynasty by Liutswind, mother of Emperor Arnulf of Carinthia
, was the ancestor of the Luitpolding dynasty which ruled Bavaria
and Carinthia
until the mid-tenth century.
In 893, he was appointed margrave
in the March of Carinthia
and Upper Pannonia
by Arnulf of Carinthia, then King of East Francia. Luitpold succeeded the deposed Margrave Engelschalk II
of the Wilhelminer
family; unlike his predecessors he could extend his power unimpeded by the mighty Margrave Aribo
, acquiring numerous counties in Carinthia as well as on the Danube
and in the Nordgau
around Regensburg
from 895 on, and setting himself up as the most prominent of Bavaria's aristocracy. Though he thereby laid the foundations of the renewed stem duchy
, it was his son Arnulf the Bad
who, based on his father's acquisitions, first assumed the title of a Bavarian duke.
As Luitpold remained a loyal supporter of the Carolingian monarch Arnulf of Carinthia and his son Louis the Child
, he enjoyed their support and was entrusted with the defence at the Hungarian
and Moravia
n borders. In 898 he fought successfully against Mojmír II
, the king of Great Moravia, on behalf of the king's rebellious brother Svatopluk II
and forced Mojmír to become a vassal of Arnulf. In 903, Luitpold held the title of a dux Boemanorum, "Duke in Bohemia
". He organised the Frankish defence against the threatening Magyars under Grand Prince Árpád
and on 4 July 907 was killed east of Vienna in the Battle of Pressburg.
in Swabia
, and sister of Duke Erchanger of Swabia
, a member of the Ahalolfing dynasty
. After Luitpold's death Cunigunda married King Conrad I of Germany
in 913. Luitpold had two sons by her:
From his descendants titles, Luitpold is often called a duke of Bavaria or margrave of Bavaria, the latter title being more accurate to his actual status.
Huosi
The Huosi were one of the Uradel noble families in the stem duchy of Bavaria during the reign of the Agilolfing dynasty, mentioned in the 743 Lex Baiuvariorum....
family or related to the Carolingian dynasty by Liutswind, mother of Emperor Arnulf of Carinthia
Arnulf of Carinthia
Arnulf of Carinthia was the Carolingian King of East Francia from 887, the disputed King of Italy from 894 and the disputed Holy Roman Emperor from February 22, 896 until his death.-Birth and Illegitimacy:...
, was the ancestor of the Luitpolding dynasty which ruled Bavaria
History of Bavaria
The history of Bavaria stretches from its earliest settlement and its formation as a stem duchy in the 6th century through its inclusion in the Holy Roman Empires to its status as an independent kingdom and, finally, as a large and significant Bundesland of the modern Federal Republic of...
and Carinthia
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
until the mid-tenth century.
In 893, he was appointed margrave
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
in the March of Carinthia
March of Carinthia
The March of Carinthia was a frontier district of the Carolingian Empire created in 889. Before it was a march, it had been a principality or duchy ruled by native-born Slavic princes at first independently and then under Bavarian and subsequently Frankish suzerainty...
and Upper Pannonia
March of Pannonia
The March of Pannonia was a frontier march of the Carolingian Empire erected in the mid-ninth century against the threat of Great Moravia and lasting only as long as the strength of that state....
by Arnulf of Carinthia, then King of East Francia. Luitpold succeeded the deposed Margrave Engelschalk II
Engelschalk II
Engelschalk II was the margrave of the March of Pannonia in the late ninth century in opposition to Aribo...
of the Wilhelminer
Wilhelminers
The Wilhelminers were a noble Bavarian family of the 9th century. They rose to prominence mid-century under the brothers William and Engelschalk I, sons of William I, the founder of the family. The family held the March of Pannonia until 871, but their possession of it was the cause of a dispute,...
family; unlike his predecessors he could extend his power unimpeded by the mighty Margrave Aribo
Aribo of Austria
Aribo was the margrave of the March of Pannonia, from 871 until his death...
, acquiring numerous counties in Carinthia as well as on the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
and in the Nordgau
March of the Nordgau
The March of the Nordgau or the Bavarian Nordgau was a margraviate in the north of the duchy of Bavaria in the High Middle Ages. It covered the region roughly covered by the modern Upper Palatinate along the river Main. The chief cities of the Nordgau were the Frankish cities Nuremberg and...
around Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
from 895 on, and setting himself up as the most prominent of Bavaria's aristocracy. Though he thereby laid the foundations of the renewed stem duchy
Stem duchy
Stem duchies were essentially the domains of the old German tribes of the area, associated with the Frankish Kingdom, especially the East, in the Early Middle Ages. These tribes were originally the Franks, the Saxons, the Alamanni, the Burgundians, the Thuringii, and the Rugii...
, it was his son Arnulf the Bad
Arnulf, Duke of Bavaria
Arnulf , called the Bad or the Evil , was the duke of Bavaria from 907 until his death. He was a member of the Luitpolding dynasty....
who, based on his father's acquisitions, first assumed the title of a Bavarian duke.
As Luitpold remained a loyal supporter of the Carolingian monarch Arnulf of Carinthia and his son Louis the Child
Louis the Child
Louis the Child , sometimes called Louis IV or Louis III, was the last Carolingian ruler of East Francia....
, he enjoyed their support and was entrusted with the defence at the Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and Moravia
Great Moravia
Great Moravia was a Slavic state that existed in Central Europe and lasted for nearly seventy years in the 9th century whose creators were the ancestors of the Czechs and Slovaks. It was a vassal state of the Germanic Frankish kingdom and paid an annual tribute to it. There is some controversy as...
n borders. In 898 he fought successfully against Mojmír II
Mojmír II
Mojmir II was the last king of the Great Moravian Empire . Because of a civil war with his brother, he failed to prevent dismemberment of his Empire and probably died while fighting Magyar invaders....
, the king of Great Moravia, on behalf of the king's rebellious brother Svatopluk II
Svatopluk II
Svatopluk II ruled the Principality of Nitra from 894 to 906 and strove to control all of Great Moravia.Svatopluk II was a younger son of Svatopluk I. As Prince of Nitra, Svatopluk II was subordinated to his older brother Mojmír II, the King of Great Moravia which contained the principality as its...
and forced Mojmír to become a vassal of Arnulf. In 903, Luitpold held the title of a dux Boemanorum, "Duke in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
". He organised the Frankish defence against the threatening Magyars under Grand Prince Árpád
Árpád
Árpád was the second Grand Prince of the Hungarians . Under his rule the Hungarian people settled in the Carpathian basin. The dynasty descending from him ruled the Hungarian tribes and later the Kingdom of Hungary until 1301...
and on 4 July 907 was killed east of Vienna in the Battle of Pressburg.
Marriage and issue
Luitpold married Cunigunda, daughter of Berthold I, royal Count palatineCount palatine
Count palatine is a high noble title, used to render several comital styles, in some cases also shortened to Palatine, which can have other meanings as well.-Comes palatinus:...
in Swabia
Alamannia
Alamannia or Alemannia was the territory inhabited by the Germanic Alamanni after they broke through the Roman limes in 213.The Alamanni expanded from the Main basin during the 3rd century, raiding the Roman provinces and settling on the left bank of the Rhine from the 4th century.Ruled by...
, and sister of Duke Erchanger of Swabia
Erchanger, Duke of Swabia
Erchanger was the duke of Swabia from September 915 to his death. He was the son of Berthold I, count palatine of Swabia, who is sometimes called Erchanger as well, in which case the duke is Erchanger II...
, a member of the Ahalolfing dynasty
Ahalolfings
The Ahalolfings or Alaholfings were a noble family of Alemannia in the Early Middle Ages. The family rose in the Carolingian Empire to possess lands in not only Alemannia, but Bavaria, Franconia, and Italy. Their original power base was around the upper Neckar and Danube rivers.The Ahalolfings are...
. After Luitpold's death Cunigunda married King Conrad I of Germany
Conrad I of Germany
Conrad I , called the Younger, was Duke of Franconia from 906 and King of Germany from 911 to 918, the only king of the Conradine dynasty...
in 913. Luitpold had two sons by her:
- Arnulf the BadArnulf, Duke of BavariaArnulf , called the Bad or the Evil , was the duke of Bavaria from 907 until his death. He was a member of the Luitpolding dynasty....
, Duke of Bavaria from 907 to 937 and - BertholdBerthold, Duke of BavariaBerthold , of the Luitpolding dynasty, was the younger son of Margrave Luitpold of Bavaria and Cunigunda, sister of Duke Erchanger of Swabia. He followed his nephew Eberhard as Duke of Bavaria in 938....
, Duke of Bavaria from 938 to 948.
From his descendants titles, Luitpold is often called a duke of Bavaria or margrave of Bavaria, the latter title being more accurate to his actual status.