Author Ladislaus Sunthaym

The historical background of the Babenberg Family Tree shapes the work of author Ladislaus Sunthaym. The scholar from Ravensburg, later canon in Vienna, is commissioned by Klosterneuburg Monastery to compile a history of Margrave Leopold III and his family. Sunthaym takes his commission very seriously; rather than simply writing down lore he does intensive source research which is highly unusual for the time. And he writes in German - again somewhat unconventional for the mid 15th century when most scholars prefer Latin. The result is still seen today as an important academic achievement.

Most of the bynames he creates for the Babenbergs are still used. The manuscript is the basis for the pictorial Babenberg Family Tree. In 1491 it becomes the first Austrian history to appear in print. In the same year it is also copied on to 8 large pieces of parchment and decorated with rich illustrations. Hung in the cloister, they serve to interpret the great Babenberg Family Tree.