Styria (duchy)

The Duchy of Styria (German: Herzogtum Steiermark) was a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, and a crownland of Austria-Hungary until its dissolution in 1918. This mountainous and scenic region, which became a center for mountaineering in the 19th century, is often called the "green march", because half of the area is covered with forests and one quarter with meadows, grasslands, vineyards and orchards. Styria is also rich in minerals, soft coal and iron, which has been mined at Erzberg since the time of the Romans. The Windisch Buheln is a famous Austrian wine-producing district. Styria was for long the most densely-populated and productive mountain region of Europe.

Religious history of Styria

The Protestant Reformation made its way into the country about 1530. Duke Karl (ruling 1564-90), whose wife was the Catholic Duchess Maria of Bavaria, introduced the Counter-Reformation into the country; in 1573 he invited the Jesuits into Styria and in 1586 he founded the Catholic University of Graz. In 1598 his son and successor Ferdinand suppressed all Protestant schools and expelled the teachers and preachers: Protestant doctrines were maintained only in a few isolated mountain valleys, as in the valley of the Inn and the valley of the Mur. On a narrow reading of the Peace of Augsburg, 1555, with its principle of cuius regio eius religio, only the nobility were not forced to return to the Roman Church; each could have Protestant services privately in his own house.

Related Topics:
Protestant Reformation - 1530 - Duke Karl - 1564 - 90 - Counter-Reformation - 1573 - Jesuits - University of Graz - 1598 - Ferdinand - Peace of Augsburg - 1555 - Cuius regio eius religio

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After Ferdinand had become Holy Roman Emperor in 1619 and had defeated his Protestant opponents in the Battle of the White Mountain near Prague in 1620, he forbade all Protestant church services whatsoever (1625). In 1628 he commanded the nobility also to return to the Catholic faith. A large number of noble families, consequently, emigrated from the country; but most of them either returned, or their descendants did so, becoming Catholics and recovering their possessions.

Related Topics:
1619 - Battle of the White Mountain - Prague - 1620 - 1625 - 1628

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the second half of the 17th century renewed action against the Protestants in the isolated mountain valleys resulted in the expulsion of Protestant ministers with the peasants who would not give up Protestantism; about 30,000 chose compulsory emigration to Transylvania over conversion. Only an Edict of Toleration issued by Emperor Joseph II as late as 1781 put an end to religious repression. The Protestants then received the right to found parish communities and to exercise their religion in those enclaves undisturbed.

Related Topics:
Compulsory emigration - Transylvania - Joseph II - 1781

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1848 all the provinces of the Habsburg Monarchy received complete liberty of religion and of conscience, parity of religions, and the right to the public exercise of religion.

Related Topics:
1848 - Habsburg Monarchy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ecclesiastically the province was historically divided into two Catholic prince-bishoprics, Seckau and Lavant. Ever since the time of their foundation both have been suffragans of the Archdiocese of Salzburg. The Prince-Bishopric of Sekau was established in 1218; since 1786 the see of the prince-bishop has been Graz. The Prince-Bishopric of Lavant was founded as a bishopric in 1228, and raised to a prince-bishopric in 1446; since 1847 Marburg an der Drau (Maribor) has been the see of the prince-bishop.

Related Topics:
Prince-bishoprics - 1218 - 1786 - 1228 - 1446 - 1847 - Maribor

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Styria contains many old abbeys and monasteries: the collegiate foundation of the Reformed Augustinian Canons of Vorau (founded 1163); the Benedictine abbeys at Admont (1074); at St. Lambrecht (1066); at Seckau (founded as a house of the Augustinian Canons in 1140, suppressed in 1782, from 1883 a monastery, since 1887 abbey of the Beuronese Benedictines); the Cistercian abbey at Rein (1120); the Franciscan monastery at Graz (since 1515; founded in 1230 as a monastery of the Minorites), at Maria-Lankowitz (1467), at Maria-Nazareth (1632); the Minorite monasteries at Graz (1526), and of St. Peter and Paul at Pettau (Ptuj 1239); the Capuchin monasteries at Cilli (Celje 1611), Leibnitz (1634), Hartberg (1654), and Schwanberg (1706).

Related Topics:
Augustinian - Vorau - 1163 - Benedictine - Admont - 1074 - St. Lambrecht - 1066 - Seckau - 1140 - 1782 - 1883 - 1887 - Benedictines - Cistercian - Rein - 1120 - Franciscan - Graz - 1515 - 1230 - Maria-Lankowitz - Maria-Nazareth - 1632 - 1526 - Ptuj - 1239 - Capuchin - Celje - 1611 - Leibnitz - 1634 - Hartberg - 1654 - Schwanberg - 1706

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~