March of Istria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The March (or Margravate) of Istria was originally a Carolingian frontier march covering the Istrian peninsula and surrounding territory. It was created in 799 following the death of Eric of Friuli, the margrave who had thitherto guarded the Pannonian plain which led into Italy and the heart of the Empire.
In the first decade of the 9th century, Istria was ruled by a Duke John nominally according to its ancient Byzantine customs, but in fact as Frankish duchy. The region then had nine cities. After that period, it falls into obscurity, but it was probably just reintegrated into the Duchy and March of Friuli. The original Carolingian march covered the Julian Alps and the Kras Plateau down to the Gulf of Kvarner. It was one of three marches, along with Friuli and Carniola, guarding eastern Lombardy from the Avars, Slavs, and Magyars successively.
In 952, the marches of Verona and Istria were granted to Henry I of Bavaria, who already controlled those of Carinthia and Carniola. In 976, Carinthia was created a duchy and was given suzerainty over the other marches, including Istria.
There appear counts of Istria late in the tenth century, but Istria was united to the March of Carniola in 1012, when both were bestowed on one Poppo I, heir by marriage to the last known count. Carniola gradually acquired much of the Istrian march. In 1209, the march was granted to the Patriarchate of Aquileia. By mid-century the patriarchas had ceased appointing margraves and had taken the region into the direct control. By 1250, the march of Istria ceased to effectively exist.
When the secular authority of the Patriarchs of Aquileia came to an end in 1420, Istria was divided between Venice and Austria, and the Habsburgs added the title of Margrave of Istria to their other titles.
[edit] Margraves
- Hunfrid, c. 799
- John, c. 804 (duke)
- Weriand (count)
- Hadamut (count)
- Poppo I, 1012–1044
- Ulric I, 1060–1070
- Henry I, 1077–1090
- Engelbert I, 1090–1096
- Burchard, 1093–1101
- Poppo II, 1096–1098
- Ulric II, 1098–1107
- Engelbert II, 1107–1124
- Engelbert III, 1124–1173
- Berthold I, 1173–1188
- Berthold II, 1188–1204
- Henry II, 1204–1228
- Otto I, 1228–1234
- Otto II, 1234–1248
[edit] Sources
- Semple, Ellen Churchill. "The Barrier Boundary of the Mediterranean Basin and Its Northern Breaches as Factors in History." Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Vol. 5. (1915), pp 27–59.
