14 CultureShock! Austria
Roman settlements at this time included Iuvavum, presently
Salzburg, Brigantium at Bregenz, and the largest, Carnuntum,
a major city with approximately 20,000 inhabitants located
east of Vienna.
Eventually, the Romans were overtaken by their enemies
and withdrew from the area in the 5th century AD, leaving
Austria to the so-called Dark Ages. During this time, Austria
was at the centre of shifting populations, which included
Germanic tribes, Teutons, Huns, Slavs, Magyars and Avars.Between 791 and 796, the Frankish ruler Charlemagne
founded the Holy Roman Empire to succeed the Roman
Empire. Austria became the eastern border of the empire, and
was referred to as Ostmark or the Eastern March. At the end
of the 9th century, this area succumbed to the Magyars. The
region remained under Magyar control until their defeat by
King Otto the Great. In 976, his successor, Otto II, presented
the province to Margrave Leopold von Babenberg.The Babenberg Dynasty
The Babenberg family ruled the Ostmark for 270 years,
gradually expanding their territory. The Babenberg holdings
increased when Leopold V obtained the duchy of Styria in- Vienna was granted a city charter in 1221 and cultural
life at the Babenberg court flourished. Under its leadership,
Austria became one of the richest duchies in the Holy Roman
Empire, and Vienna the second most important city. In 1246,