Privilegium Minus

History of Austria
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The Privilegium Minus (as opposed to the later Privilegium Maius, which was a forgery) is a document issued by Emperor Frederick I on September 17, 1156. It included the elevation of the Margraviate of Austria to a Duchy, which was given as an inheritable fief to the House of Babenberg. Its recipient was Frederick's paternal uncle Margrave Henry II Jasomirgott. In addition to that, inheritance should also be possible through the female line of the ducal family. In the absence of children, the duke was allowed to designate a successor (Libertas Affectandi). The duke's duty to attend the Reichstag was limited to those cases where it convened in Bavaria. Also, Austria was henceforth only required to provide troops to the emperor in wars in its vicinity.^[1]

The issue of the Privilegium Minus document is to be seen before the backdrop of the conflict between the Hohenstaufen and Welfen dynasties in the Holy Roman Empire, which the then young emperor (who was descended from both houses) desired to end. The Duchy of Bavaria was returned to Henry the Lion of the Welfen dynasty, which the Babenbergs had ruled since 1139. To make up for the loss, Austria was raised to the status of a duchy. This was then seen as a loss for Duke Henry II Jasomirgott. Only much later, the document turned out to be founding act for what was to become a nation. Because of it, 1156 is sometimes given as Austria's date of independence, which it then gained from Bavaria.

In succession crisis of the 13th century

Because the Babenberg Austria was inheritable by female lines, two rival candidates emerged after the last male Babenberg Frederick II, Duke of Austria, Styria and Carinthia died in 1246.

• Herman VI, Margrave of Baden (died 1250), second husband of Gertrude of Babenberg, the daughter of the late Henry of Modling, the elder brother of the now late Duke Frederick. She was the primogenitural heir of Duke Frederick and the entire Babenberg line of Dukes of Austria. Her first husband Vladislav of Bohemia, Margrave of Moravia (died 1247) had already claimed Austrian duchy against duke Frederick, as Gertrude was heiress of the elder brother. After Herman's death, her third husband Roman, Prince of Novogrudok (married 1252, divorced 1253) continued the claim in 1252-53. And then Gertrude and Herman's son Frederick I, Margrave of Baden's claim was asserted to the Babenberg inheritance, but he was killed in 1268, leaving a sister (the future Countess of Heunburg) to continue the line.

• King Ottokar II of Bohemia (1233–78), since 1252 husband of the (childless) Margaret of Babenberg, dowager Queen of the Romans and the only surviving sister of Duke Frederick. By proximity of blood, she was the closest surviving relative of the last duke. Ottokar and Margaret were proclaimed Duke and Duchess of Austria. However, Margaret was barren and they got divorced in 1260, Ottokar marrying a younger woman. Margaret died in 1267 and left no children (so her heiress would be Gertrude again) - but Ottokar kept Austria, Styria etc. claiming to be the heir designated by Margaret in their divorce settlement. He held the duchies until deposed by king Rudolf I of Germany in 1276.

In the succession crisis of 18th century

The Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 was partially based on provisions of Privilegium Minus of Austria. Although not given to the Habsburgs but to the Babenbergs, it anyway allowed female heirs to succeed in Austria, and it designated to the Duke the right to name a successor in absence of heirs. It led to War of Austrian Succession.

References

Further reading

Blackwell, Basil, Source for the History of Medieval Europe (1966), pp. 160–164.