Leopold (
German: Luitpold, c. 1108 – 18 October 1141), known as Leopold the Generous (
German: Luitpold der Freigiebige), was
margrave of Austria (appearing in lists as Leopold IV) from 1136, and
duke of Bavaria from 1139 until his death in 1141.[1]
Biography
He was one of the younger sons of Margrave
Leopold III, the Holy. It is not known why he was originally preferred to his brothers Adalbert and
Henry Jasomirgott.
Through his mother
Agnes, he was related to the
Hohenstaufen. In the course of their struggle against the competing
Welfen family, he was given the formerly Welfish
Bavaria as a fief by Emperor
Conrad III. He managed to maintain his position there, as his brother
Otto was
Bishop of Freising there.
The most important measure of his short reign was the Exchange of
Mautern entered into with the
Bishop of Passau in 1137. The bishop was given the
St. Peter's Church in Vienna, while the Margrave received extended stretches of land from the bishop outside the city walls, with the notable exception of the territory where a new church was to be built, which was to become
St. Stephen's Cathedral.
Leopold died unexpectedly at
Niederaltaich Abbey in Bavaria and was succeeded by his brother Henry.