Albrecht VI. (Austria)

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University founder Albrecht VI. In the background the old main building of the Albertina on Franziskanerplatz (today New Town Hall)
Miniature portrait of Albrecht (1455/63)

Albrecht VI. (* December 18, 1418 in Vienna ; † December 2, 1463 ibid) from the Habsburg dynasty , Archduke of Austria, was ruler in the Vorderen Lands and Duke of Austria above the Enns and Austria under the Enns as well as one of the opponents of the head of the empire Friedrich III. , his older brother. In the 19th century Albrecht was nicknamed “the spendthrift”.

Origin and beginnings

He was the younger of the two sons of Duke Ernst I the Iron of Austria from his second marriage to Cymburgis of Mazovia , who reached adulthood. His older brother, Duke Friedrich V of Austria, was the future Emperor Friedrich III.

The Austrian countryside were divided at the time of his birth in three major rule areas where different Dukes of the House of Austria ruled. His cousin Duke Albrecht V of Austria (as German-Roman King Albrecht II) (1397–1439) ruled over Danube Austria ( Austria above the Enns and Austria below the Enns ) from the Albertine line , and his father, Duke, ruled from the Leopoldine line Ernst I of Austria (1377–1424) via Inner Austria (Duchies of Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, etc.) and his uncle, Duke Friedrich IV of Austria (1383–1439) via Upper Austria ( Tyrol and the foreland ).

After the death of his brother Ernst I, Duke Friedrich IV. As head of the Leopoldine line took over the guardianship of his sons and daughters and the rule over those countries over which his brother had ruled before. It was not until 1435 that he officially resigned from this guardianship and left that part of the "Leopoldine" lands to his nephews Friedrich and Albrecht over which their father had previously ruled. A contract stipulated that the brothers should jointly rule over Inner Austria. But it did not come to that. Friedrich took over sole rule as Duke Friedrich V. After the death of his uncle in 1439 he succeeded him as head of the Leopoldines and also took over the guardianship of his son Siegmund (1427–1496), who was still a minor at the time, and to whom his brother Albrecht had also tried.

Since 1411 Duke Albrecht V has been head of the Albertines, who succeeded Emperor Siegmund in 1437 in the kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia and was elected king in the Holy Roman Empire in 1438 . When he unexpectedly in 1439 on a campaign against the Turks in dysentery died, his cousin Frederick V was born on February 2, 1440 in Frankfurt for the German king selected.

Beginnings

According to King Albrecht V's will, he had made arrangements for the succession, according to which his widow Elisabeth, together with his cousin Friedrich and some councilors, should take over the guardianship of a posthumously born son. Initially, however, Elisabeth transferred the guardianship of her son Ladislaus Albrecht VI., Who actively supported her in her struggle to succeed Ladislaus in Hungary.

In the disputes of Frederick III. As the Styrian sovereign prince with Count Ulrich II. von Cilli and his father between 1436 and 1443, Albrecht officially allied himself on May 13, 1442 at Forchtenstein Castle against his brother.

In 1446, the Tyrolean estates of Friedrich III. Siegmund's release from guardianship. Siegmund received rule over Tyrol, but not over the foothills. This was given to Albrecht VI. to sole rulership, after having been active there since 1444 as part of the Old Zurich War . He now had an independent principality, a fact that has only recently been the subject of research. It included the area of Leoben , Judenburg , Forchtenstein and Eisenstadt .

Preliminary phase

Mechthild von der Pfalz , painting by Antoni Boys ( Kunsthistorisches Museum )

In 1451/52 he accompanied Friedrich III. for the imperial coronation, where he was responsible for the organization of the Rome train alongside Enea Silvio de Piccolomini .

In 1452 he married Mechthild von der Pfalz , who had been widowed two years earlier , the older sister of Elector Friedrich I of the Palatinate , who later was one of the most famous opponents of Emperor Friedrich.

On January 6, 1453, Albrecht VI. from his brother Friedrich III. raised to Archduke of Austria .

In 1454, the prince had the hearths of the foreland recorded in matriculations in order to be able to record them for tax purposes.

Albrecht founded the University of Freiburg (documents dated September 21, 1457) to encourage people to move to the heavily indebted city of Freiburg and thereby improve their fiscal opportunities. He also had the Ingeram Codex made for himself, which is a rich source for heraldists .

The Oberennsische and the Viennese phase

After the death of Ladislaus Postumus (d. November 23, 1457 in Prague) and the "extinction" of the Albertine line of the Habsburgs, there was a conflict in the Leopoldine line of the dynasty about the succession in the Duchy of Austria (whether and not the Enns) . After Duke Sigmund renounced his claims in favor of Albrecht in exchange for the Vorderen Lande, Albrecht demanded sole rule and now called himself Albrecht VI. of Austria above and below the Enns . Friedrich, as emperor, refused recognition. In 1458 Albrecht took over the rule in Austria ob der Enns (parts of today's federal state Upper Austria ), while Austria under the Enns (with the city of Vienna) went to Friedrich (contract of August 21, 1458) after the siege of his brother Friedrich and his family Albrecht also became ruler of Austria under the Enns (part of today's Lower Austria ) with Vienna in the Vienna Castle on December 26, 1462 .

The opposition to his brother was also evident in the Baden-Palatinate War and the Bavarian War . Albrecht was on the side of the emperor's opponents. With the battles of Seckenheim and Giengen (an der Brenz) , this war was lost for those loyal to the emperor.

Death and consequences

Albrecht VI. died on December 2, 1463. A detailed testimony of the doorkeeper and confidante of the Duke, Hanns Hierszmann, which was commissioned by the Tyrolean nobleman Leonhard von Felseneck and which apparently does not correspond to the truth regarding his medical information, has been received about his death the most important of its kind. The actual cause of death has not yet been clarified, the circumstances surrounding death and the days after it seem rather opaque.

On the initiative of his sister, the Margravine Katharina von Baden , Albrecht VI. buried on December 6, 1463 in the ducal crypt in St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. As his heir, Albrecht VI. 1461 installed his cousin Sigmund.

The death of his brother freed Friedrich III. from the opponent who had bothered him the most until then. Since it was a “sudden death”, according to the mentality structures of the time, it could also be used as “God's punishment” for Albrecht's political actions and thus also for propaganda against him. After Duke Sigmund had renounced the rulership in the duchies above and below the Enns in exchange for rule over the Vorderen Lande, Friedrich III. prevail there first. The rulership in Austria under the Enns continued to be difficult, stabilization only came about after 1490 and rulership there could be maintained for the next few centuries.

evaluation

Albrecht VI. belongs to those Habsburgs who are still relatively unknown to this day, which is surprising in that there is a relatively large amount of source material on his person. In terms of its importance, it is to be seen on the same level as Ludwig the Rich, Georg Podiebrad, Friedrich the Victorious or Albrecht Achilles. Albrecht VI. is considered an important patron. His name is mentioned in connection with the master of Liechtenstein Castle or with scholars such as Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini or Felix Hemmerli.

His negative reputation was the result of his lifelong conflict with Friedrich III, who, together with Maximilian I, largely determined the perception of the dynasty until the 19th century. After the implementation of the primogeniture among the Habsburgs (as also with other princely families in the Holy Roman Empire ), the actual cause of this conflict was no longer comprehensible for the later historiography, whereupon it was reduced to an unnecessary, internal dispute within the family, which for the head of the family (in this case Friedrich III.) or the family meant a serious risk (catchphrase: “the first brotherly quarrel”). In this view, Albrecht VI. Reduced to the type of younger, power-hungry brother who, for dubious and exclusively selfish motives (hunger for power, ambition), is not prepared to be content with his place in the family, which ultimately leads to misfortune and almost ruin for the Habsburgs Consequence. The fact that Albrecht's claim to co-rule in the “Austrian hereditary lands” or his struggle for his own territory was not unjustified in the context of the Middle Ages and the inheritance regulations of that time was not taken into account. Only in some more recent research is this view corrected, and here it is also shown that Albrecht VI. had clear political goals, which he consistently pursued and partially implemented throughout his life. He was by no means the haphazard, immoderate and erratic wasteful and erratic politician that research usually portrays him to be.

When assessing Albrecht VI. In addition, the Archduke had his major successes in the Vorderen Lands , which the Habsburgs lost in part after the Thirty Years' War and finally in 1815 and which were therefore usually not taken into account in research until the 1980s. The main impetus for a more differentiated assessment of Albrecht, which has been observable since the 1990s, is certainly no coincidence a consequence of the increasing research into the history of the Habsburgs in Eastern Switzerland, Swabia and Alsace. The more intensive examination of this prince is indirectly related to a more modern image of Germany among historians, which contradicts the anachronistic notion of a “German society” or “German” conditions that is still widespread, not least in English-language research. They point out that local, regional, class and communal identities had a completely different meaning from national ones until well into modern times. The preoccupation with Albrecht VI. thus follows a general trend that underlines the importance of regional and state history for the history of Germany as a whole. The dispute with this prince was made considerably more difficult by a remarkably difficult source situation, which was due to the prince's very different whereabouts. So find to Albrecht VI. documented sources in over 60 European archives. In addition, the subject of biography enjoyed little respect among historians for a long time.

As for acts that are cited as examples of the cruelty and brutality of Albrecht, especially in the 19th century, such as: B. the execution of the Viennese mayor Wolfgang Holzer , a comparison with other imperial princes shows that the archduke was at least not significantly more brutal or cruel than these.

In the contemporary sources Albrecht VI comes. relatively well away. In the "Memories" of Helene Kottannerin z. For example, Albrecht VI, who supports Elisabeth of Luxembourg in the struggle for the successor to Ladislaus Postumus , is portrayed very positively. Georg von Ehingen , who stayed at the Archduke's court for a few years, reports in his “Journeys to the Knighthood” of a promotion he asks for from the Duke, and makes it appear quite humorous. The report by Hanns Hierszmann is much more critical, but here, too, the impression arises that Albrecht VI. was not unpopular with his followers. In contemporary reports about his brother's move to Rome, Albrecht VI. also judged relatively well, which may be related to the fact that as Marshal of the Rome train he ensured that everything ran smoothly.

reception

swell

  • Gabriele Ehrmann (Ed.): Georg von Ehingen. Travel to knighthood. At the same time dissertation University of Stuttgart 1978, Kümmerle, Göppingen 1979, ISBN 3-87452-431-0 .
  • Hanns Hierszmann's Thürhüthers Duke Albrecht's VI. von Austria, report on the illness and death of his master. In: Theodor von Karajan (Ed.): Smaller sources on the history of Austria. Vienna 1859, pp. 31–51.
  • Karl Mollay (ed.): The memorabilia of Helene Kottannerin (1439-1440). Österreichischer Bundesverlag, Vienna 1971, ISBN 3-215-72208-9 .

literature

Web links

Commons : Albrecht VI.  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Wikisource: Albrecht VI. (Austria)  - Sources and full texts

Remarks

  1. ↑ On the complicated rule of the lands of the Dukes of Austria in the late Middle Ages, see Heinrich Koller: Kaiser Friedrich III. Darmstadt 2005, p. 37ff. and p. 41.
  2. ^ Heinrich Koller: Emperor Friedrich III. Darmstadt 2005, p. 49.
  3. ^ After Heinrich Koller: Kaiser Friedrich III. Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 2005, p. 49f. This document, issued in 1436, contains many unclear dispositions and unclear promises, which indicates a legal situation that was unclear from the start.
  4. ↑ Konstantin Moritz A. Langmaier: Archduke Albrecht VI. of Austria (1418–1463). A prince caught between dynasty, regions and empire. Cologne et al. 2015, p. 34ff.
  5. ^ Heinrich Koller: Emperor Friedrich III. Darmstadt 2005, p. 55.
  6. ^ Heinrich Koller: Emperor Friedrich III. Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt 2005, p. 60, cf. Konstantin Moritz A. Langmaier: Archduke Albrecht VI. of Austria (1418–1463). A prince caught between dynasty, regions and empire. Cologne u. a. 2015, pp. 43–49.
  7. ↑ Konstantin Moritz A. Langmaier: Archduke Albrecht VI. of Austria (1418–1463). A prince caught between dynasty, regions and empire. Cologne u. a. 2015, p. 34ff. and 68f., on the history, p. 29f. and 31f.
  8. ↑ Konstantin Moritz A. Langmaier: Archduke Albrecht VI. of Austria (1418–1463). A prince caught between dynasty, regions and empire. Cologne et al. 2015, p. 59ff.
  9. ↑ Achim Thomas Hack: An anonymous Romzug report from 1452 (Ps-Enenkel) with the associated lists of persons (lists of participants, accolades lists, Roman draft regulations). Stuttgart 2007, foreword and p. 64ff.
  10. ^ Heinrich Koller: Emperor Friedrich III. Darmstadt 2005, pp. 135 and 136f., Konstantin Moritz A. Langmaier: Archduke Albrecht VI. of Austria (1418–1463). A prince caught between dynasty, regions and empire. Cologne u. a. 2015, p. 339ff.
  11. ↑ Konstantin Moritz A. Langmaier: Archduke Albrecht VI. of Austria (1418–1463). A prince caught between dynasty, regions and empire. Cologne u. a. 2015, p. 361ff.
  12. ↑ Konstantin Moritz A. Langmaier: Archduke Albrecht VI. of Austria (1418–1463). A prince caught between dynasty, regions and empire. Cologne u. a. 2015, p. 430.
  13. ↑ Konstantin Moritz A. Langmaier: Archduke Albrecht VI. of Austria (1418–1463). A prince caught between dynasty, regions and empire. Cologne et al. 2015, p. 424ff.
  14. ^ Georg Wacha: Linz under Albrecht VI. and Friedrich III. In: Historisches Jahrbuch der Stadt Linz 1986. Linz 1987, pp. 11–21, online (PDF) in the forum OoeGeschichte.at.
  15. ↑ Regg.F.III. H. 18 to 37 In: Sonja Dünnebeil, Paul Herold, Kornelia Holzner-Tobisch (arrangement): Regesten Kaiser Friedrich III. (1440-1493). Organized by archives and libraries. H. 18: The documents and letters of the Austrian State Archives in Vienna, Dept. House, Court and State Archives: General series of documents, family documents and collections of copies (1458–1463). Vienna [u. a.], 2004 (regesten.regesta-imperii.de)
  16. ↑ December 26, 1462 Archduke Albrecht VI. takes over the government in Austria under the Enns . Lower Austria State Museum.
  17. ↑ Wolfgang Wegner: Hierszmann, Hans. In: Werner E. Gerabek , Bernhard D. Haage, Gundolf Keil , Wolfgang Wegner (eds.): Enzyklopädie Medizingeschichte. De Gruyter, Berlin / New York 2005, ISBN 3-11-015714-4 , p. 594.
  18. ↑ See H. Herkommer: The all too human end of Duke Albrecht. A death record from the 15th century . Unipress. Research and Science at the University of Bern, 118, 2003.
  19. ↑ Konstantin Moritz A. Langmaier: Archduke Albrecht VI. of Austria (1418–1463). A prince caught between dynasty, regions and empire. Cologne u. a. 2015, p. 634 and p. 637–369
  20. ↑ Konstantin Moritz A. Langmaier: Archduke Albrecht VI. of Austria (1418–1463). A prince caught between dynasty, regions and empire. Cologne u. a. 2015, p. 641
  21. ↑ Konstantin Moritz A. Langmaier: Archduke Albrecht VI. of Austria (1418–1463). A prince caught between dynasty, regions and empire. Cologne u. a. 2015, p. 226f. The will is edited in: Wilhelm Baum: Albrecht VI. Archduke of Austria, sketch of a biography, part 2 . In: Der Sülchgau 32, 1987, p. 58ff.
  22. ↑ Konstantin Moritz A. Langmaier: Archduke Albrecht VI. of Austria (1418–1463). A prince caught between dynasty, regions and empire. Cologne u. a. 2015, p. 644.
  23. ↑ Konstantin Moritz A. Langmaier: Archduke Albrecht VI. of Austria (1418–1463). A prince caught between dynasty, regions and empire. Cologne et al. 2015, p. 641.
  24. ↑ Konstantin Moritz A. Langmaier: Archduke Albrecht VI. of Austria (1418–1463). A prince caught between dynasty, regions and empire. Cologne u. a. 2015, p. 644f.
  25. ↑ Dieter Speck: Provincial Government and University - On the establishment of a regional university in Freiburg in front of Austria. In: Franz Quarthal and Gerhard Faix (eds.): The Habsburgs in the German Southwest. New research on the history of Upper Austria. Stuttgart 2000, pp. 217-271, here: p. 223.
  26. ↑ Dieter Speck: Provincial Government and University - On the establishment of a regional university in Freiburg in front of Austria. In: Franz Quarthal and Gerhard Faix (eds.): The Habsburgs in the German Southwest. New research on the history of Upper Austria , Stuttgart: 2000, p. 222f., Cf. also Franz Theuer : The Robbery of St. Stephen's Crown. Eisenstadt 1994 (short biography in the appendix). Heinrich Koller: Emperor Friedrich III. Darmstadt 2005.
  27. ↑ Hillay Zmora: State and Nobility in Early Modern Germany. The Knightly Feud in Franconia (1440-1567). Cambridge 1997, pp. 8 f., 87.
  28. ↑ Konstantin Langmaier: The land Ere and Nucz, Frid and Gemach: The land as honor, utility and peace community: A contribution to the discussion about common utility. In: Quarterly for social and economic history. Vol. 103 (2016), pp. 178-200, here: p. 199.
  29. ↑ Konstantin Moritz A. Langmaier: Archduke Albrecht VI. of Austria (1418–1463). A prince caught between dynasty, regions and empire. Cologne u. a. 2015, p. 48.
predecessor Office successor
Ladislaus Postumus Duke of Austria on the Enns
1458–1463 		Friedrich V.
Friedrich V. Duke of Austria under the Enns
1462–1463 		Friedrich V.
personal data
SURNAME Albrecht VI.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Albert
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Duke of Austria
DATE OF BIRTH December 18, 1418
PLACE OF BIRTH Vienna
DATE OF DEATH December 2, 1463
Place of death Vienna