Frederick the Douchebag of Austria

His nickname was the Belligerent or the Quarrelsome but he might as well be called the Douchebag. Let me tell you some of the things he did. At the age of 18 he had already bullied his first wife, the byzantine princess Sophia Laskarina into divorce. He banished his mother from Austria and threatened that he would have her breasts cut off if she dared to come back.  In 1230, aged 19, he became Duke of Austria (and he also married again).

The Nobles of Austria soon rebelled against Frederick. Since he was actually a very talented ruler he responded by simply conquering all their castles.  The Nobles now contacted the Emperor and complained. The Duke was asked to show up at the Reichstag – and since he did not, Austria was invaded.  Frederick actually managed to push back the imperial army and even took two bishops as hostages.

But by now also the cities where fed up with him, so the citizens of Vienna pledged loyalty to the emperor and where rewarded with autonomy. Frederick simply locked himself up at Wiener Neustadt and waited until the emperor had more important problems elsewhere and left, quickly forcing Vienna back under his control (he later became good friends with the emperor).

 By 1241 a dangerous threat appeared in the east, the Mongols had already conquered most of Russia, and where heading towards Hungary. The Hungarian King pleaded Frederick for help, who demanded western Hungary (todays Burgenland) as payment. Desperate the King agreed, however when the Mongols came to overrun Hungary, Frederick sat back and did nothing.

Understandably the Hungarian King was furious and claimed the land back he had given to Frederick. The Duke refused and this lead to the battle at the river Leitha in 1246. The Austrians won but Frederick died fighting, leaving no children. With him the male lineage of the Babenbergs died out

– does that mean we are finished??? Not quite yet…

About the drawing: I depicted Frederick wearing the garb from the ceremony where he received knighthood in 1232. It is described by the contemporary historian Jans der Enikel.

Old Paper Texture in the background by fav.me/d2n8aw8