#leopoldian line

[illustratus]

Duke Ernest the Iron rescues Cymburgis of Masovia by Franz Josef Dobiaschofsky

[historywithlaura]

FRIEDRICH III

Holy Roman Emperor

A brief History... until his reunification of Habsburg Austria...

(born 1415 - died 1493)

pictured above is a portrait of the Holy Roman Emperor, by Hans Burgkmair (the Elder) from c. late 15th-early 16th century

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SERIES - On this day September Edition: Friedrich was born on 21 September 1415.

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FRIEDRICH was born on 21 September 1415, at Innsbruck in the County of Tyrol. He was the eldest son of Ernst I, Duke of Inner Austria and Cymbarka of Masovia.

He was born a member of the Leopoldian line of the HOUSE OF HABSBURG. This line had been founded following the division of the territories of the Duchy of Austria through the Treaty of Neuberg in 1379. On this occasion, two Habsburg lines were founded: the Albertinians (after his great-uncle Albrecht III, who became Duke of Austria) and the Leopoldians (after his grandfather Leopold III, who became Duke of Inner and Further Austria).

The Leopoldians in turn divided their own territories. By 1406 his father received Inner Austria (comprised of the Duchies of Styria, Carinthia and Carniola and his uncle became Friedrich IV, Duke of Further Austria (comprised of parts of Swabia, Alsace and Austria) and Count of Tyrol.

His father died in 1424 and he and his brother inherited Inner Austria sharing the title of Duke, under the Regency of their uncle. He became known as FRIEDRICH V, DUKE OF INNER AUSTRIA and his brother as Albrecht VI, also Duke of Inner Austria.

When they reached the age to rule on their own their uncle did not allow them. Only in 1435 a distant Albertinian cousin Albrecht V, Duke of Austria released them from the Regency.

Around 1439 his ambitions grew, as in June his uncle died and he became Regent to his cousin Sigismund, Duke of Further Austria and by October his cousin the Duke of Austria (who was also Albrecht II, King of the Romans; Albrecht, King of Bohemia; and Albert, King of Hungary and Croatia) also died, leaving no male heirs but a pregnant wife.

At early 1440 he was also elected as KING OF THE ROMANS and became Regent for his cousin's posthumous son Ladislaus, Duke of Austria (who later became László V, King of Hungary and Ladislav, King of Bohemia).

Days before his coronation as FRIEDRICH III, HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR in 1452, he married LEONOR, and Infanta of Portugal. She was one of the daughters of Duarte, King of Portugal and Infanta Leonor of Aragón. They had five children (check the list below), but only two survived into adulthood.

By 1453 the Duchy of Inner Austria was raised to Archduchy, so he became the ARCHDUKE OF INNER AUSTRIA, jointly with his brother.

And over the next years he succeeded in unifying again all Habsburg territories under his rule, as the Albertinian line became extinct with the death of Duke Ladislaus (the Posthumous) in 1457, and the whole of Inner Austria was left to him after his brother's death in 1463.

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Check my posts on FRIEDRICH III's children and their Royal Weddings!

FRIEDRICH III and his wife LEONOR had five children...

Christoph of Austria - died aged four months;

Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor - husband first of Marie (the Rich) of Burgundy, Duchess of Brabant, second of Anna, Duchess of Brittany and third of Bianca Maria Sforza;

Helene of Austria - died aged three months;

Kunigunde of Austria - wife of Albrecht IV, Duke of Bavaria; and

Johann of Austria - died aged six months.