HISTORIOGRAPHY BETWEEN MYTHS AND LEGENDS

YouTube premiere "From Kreisky's living room"

Rudolf Scholten and Wolfgang Maderthaner

HISTORIOGRAPHY BETWEEN MYTHS AND LEGENDS
Interregnum: from the Babenbergs to the Habsburgs

In the third instalment of their discussions on myths and legends in Austrian history, BKF President Rudolf Scholten and historian Wolfgang Maderthaner focus on the turbulent period of transition from the Babenbergs to the Habsburgs.

Frederick II, known as the Warrior, is the last male Babenberg. He died in a battle against Hungary in 1246, his only relatives being his sister Margaret and his niece Gertrud. A power struggle lasting almost three decades, the so-called interregnum, began over the lands he ruled, the Duchy of Austria and Styria.

In 1251, Ottokar II from the Bohemian Přemyslid dynasty was summoned by the Austrian estates in these „terrible, emperorless times“. To legitimise his claim to Austria, he married Margaret, the sister of Frederick II, who was thirty years his senior. After the death of his father Wenceslas, he became King of Bohemia, conquered Styria and inherited Carinthia. His policies were focussed on pushing back the nobility and promoting the urban bourgeoisie. However, he fails in his quest for the crown of the Roman-German Empire. He was too powerful for the electors. In 1273, they elected the supposedly weaker Count Rudolf of Habsburg. Ottokar does not recognise the new Roman-German King Rudolf I, who denies him rule over Austria and Styria. Noble revolts cause Ottokar increasing problems and the conflict with Rudolf and his allies escalates. In 1278, one of the largest knightly battles of the European Middle Ages took place in the Marchfeld. Ottokar is killed and Rudolf establishes Habsburg rule over Austria.

Wolfgang Maderthaner, Historian, Association for the History of the Labour Movement

Rudolf Scholten, President of the Bruno Kreisky Forum