He brought power and prosperity to Salzburg
His talents made the principality rich
A member of a Carinthian aristocratic family
Leonhard was born in 1442, probably at Viktring in Carinthia. His parents were Otto von Keutschach, a judge of the Viktring manorial court, and Gertrud von Möderndorf.
The ancestral seat of the Keutschach family was on the northern shore of Lake Keutschach in what is today South Carinthia.
Unpretentious but skilful
Leonhards biedere Art stieß bei den Salzburger Bürgern, die durch den Handel mit Venedig und Privilegien von Friedrich III. sehr selbstbewusst geworden waren, vielfach auf Kritik. So nannten sie ihn manchmal auch "Leonhard den Windischen" wegen seiner Kärntner Abstammung.
Leonhard was initially a canon of the Augustinians, subsequently being appointed the provost and then arch-provost of Eberndorf Abbey in 1490. In 1495 he was elected Archbishop of Salzburg. In his final years he lived in the palace in Hohensalzburg Fortress. He died on 8 June 1519 in Salzburg.
Salzburg flourishes
Leonhard von Keutschach made Salzburg one of the richest principalities of the Holy Roman Empire.
He secularised the cathedral chapter and dedicated himself to reforming the chaotic financial system of his archdiocese. During his reign, the local mining of silver and gold thrived and considerable income was generated by means of salt production.
The increasing prosperity of the inhabitants and the peaceful times ushered in one of the heydays of art and culture.
At the same time, Leonhard's attempt to impose a ban on the production of good quality beer by private breweries in order to promote the sale of beer from his own breweries proved abortive.
A positive outcome
On the whole, Leonhard's endeavours in the sphere of politics were successful both domestically and on the wider stage. He managed to keep Salzburg out of involvement in conflicts and the Landshut War of Succession by means of payment of 15,000 Guilders.
He was always considered to be a conscientious churchman. Even Martin Luther was willing to place considerable trust in him.
On his death, he left behind an Archdiocese of Salzburg that was among the richest of German states, behind only the Austrian crownlands, Bavaria and Cologne.
Construction projects
In addition to extending the defences of the fortress of Hohensalzburg and ordering the building of many palaces and castles, Leonhard was also responsible for the restoration of the old Roman road over the Radstädter Tauern Pass.
- Carinthia: Gmünd, Friesach, Althofen, Tanzenberg, Taggenbrunn, Stein, St. Andrä im Lavanttal
- Styria: Deutschlandsberg, Leibnitz
- Lower Austria: Traismauer
- Rupertiwinkel: Staufeneck, Lebenau
- Tyrol: Itter, Windisch-Matrei, Castle of Lengberg
- Salzburg: Castle of Mauterndorf, Castle of Glanegg, Radstadt
- Restoration of the old Roman road over the Radstädter Tauern Pass.
The development of Hohensalzburg
The state apartments in the fortress commissioned by him are outstanding examples of secular Late Gothic architecture that are almost without parallel. They demonstrate that the archbishop must have had a quite remarkable feeling for art. Leonhard von Keutschach also authorised the extension of the defences of the fortress (construction of the curtain wall, installation of cisterns and of the Chapel of St. George), adding the pipe organ known as the 'Salzburg Bull'. The first cable railway was also installed at that time, now considered the oldest cable railway still in existence.
On the southern bastions, Leonhard had vineyards and rose gardens planted; in the cellars he stored large quantities of the local Wachau Osterwein and sweet wines of which he was particularly fond. In the inner wards lived dozens of half-tame white peacocks.
(Picture: Altstadt Verband / Sajovic)
The von Keutschach coat of arms
Das Wappen besteht aus einem geviertelten Hauptschild. Rechts oben wird das Familienwappen der Keutschach, eine weiße Rübe im schwarzen Feld, vorgestellt. Links unten folgt das Wappen der Salzburger Domprobstei, ein silbernes Standkreuz auf rotem Grund. Das Wappen in dieser Form bezieht sich somit auf seine Tätigkeit als Domprobst. Abschließend ist rechts unten das Familienwappen der Möderndorfer zu sehen. Gertrud von Möderndorfer war die Mutter von Leonhard von Keutschach. Dieses Wappen wird verschiedenen gedeutet - einerseits als Köcher mit Pfeilen oder als gestürzter Hut mit Straußenfedern vor silbernen Grund.
The arms in this form thus reference Leonhard's appointment as provost. The arms of the Möderndorf family occupy the bottom right quarter. This device has been variously interpreted ‒ on the one hand as a quiver with arrows but also as an upset hat with ostrich feathers; the field in this case is silver.
Get the relating product:
- Spruce Liquor, a speciality made in the city of Salzburg