Margaret, Duchess of Austria

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For other persons named Margaret of Austria, see Margaret of Austria (disambiguation).

Margaret of Austria (born in c 1204, died 29 October 1266) was (titularly) reigning Duchess of Austria in 1252-60, Queen Consort of the Romans 1225-35, and Queen consort of Bohemia 1253-60.

She was born as the eldest aughter of Leopold VI, Duke of Austria and Theodora Angelina, from Byzantine imperial family.

Margaret was the eldest sister of Frederick II, Duke of Austria, last Duke from the Babenberg dynasty, who died childless in 1246, leaving a succession crisis.

Margaret was first married to Henry, the son of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, who was elected King of Romans and then rebelled against his father.

Much after his death, she married in 1252 the prince of Bohemia, who next year ascended the throne Premysl Ottokar II of Bohemia. On basis of Privilegium Minus, this marriage allowed him to claim the duchies of Austria and Styria. She was the heiress in proximity of blood of the last duke. Bohemian supporters proclaimed her the Duchess Margaret of Austria as successor to her late brother Duke Frederick, whose inheritance had been under quarrel and most recently (1248-50) held by Herman VI, Margrave of Baden as duke in right of Margaret's niece Gertrude, Duchess of Austria. Otakar's administrators ruked the duchies in name of Margaret ad Otakar.

Unfortunate for King Otakar II of Bohemia (1233-78), his much older wife was already barren and they got divorced in 1260, Otakar marrying a younger woman, Kunigunde of Galizia. Margaret was kept in Bohemia. The rival heir was Gertrude's son the young Frederick I, Margrave of Baden (1249-68) in whose name a number of Austrians asserted the rights of genuine heirs of the Babenberg against king Otakar.

Margaret died in 1266 and left no children (so her heiress would be Gertrude again).

But Otakar 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.