Georgenberg Pact

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The Georgenberg Pact was signed on August 17, 1186 on the Georgenberg above Enns and consisted of two parts. The first part is an agreement between the Duke of Styria, Ottokar IV from the dynasty of the Otakars and the Duke of Austria, Leopold V from the Babenberg dynasty. The childless and deadly sick Ottokar (he had contracted leprosy on a crusade) was to give his duchy to Leopold and to his son Frederick under the stipulation that Austria and Styria would henceforth remain undivided. The second part consists of a delineation of rights of the Styrian estates.

The territory of Styria back then went far beyond the modern state and included lands not only in modern Slovenia (see Styria, Slovenia), but also in Upper Austria, more precisely the Traungau (the area around Wels and Steyr).

The case of succession came to pass in 1192. With the exception of an interlude between 1194 and 1196, Styria has since then remained connected to Austria. The Georgenberg Pact thus was the first step towards the creation of the complex of lands of Austria, which was continued under the Habsburgs during the Late Middle Ages.