Viltuš (Wildhaus) branch of the Lords of Maribor (Marburg) before 1311

Abstract

The contribution presents the origin, early operations, and achievements of the Viltuš (Wildhaus) family, a side branch of the Lords of Maribor (Marburg). At the time of the formation of the family, the territory of present-day Styria was faced with a rather volatile political situation. One of the reasons was that, at the end of the twelfth century, the Duchy of Styria obtained a new master – the Babenberg dynasty. This was of a major consequence for the ministerial family of Viltuš, even though according to sources, they passed the thirteenth century without being elevated to a notable territorial rank. The reconstruction of the developments was made possible by an analysis of preserved written sources, especially the Austrian Rhyme Chronicle, and a substantial number of documents.