"You jest. Austria had originally been a remote frontier land, mountainous and barren.
To the north lay powerful Bohemia; to the west were Saxony and Lionheart, Duke of Bavaria, who had only recently settled down and remained deeply dissatisfied with our escape from vassalage; to the east was the ambitious Bela III.
Since inheriting the throne, I have risen early and retired late, never daring to slacken in the slightest. At last, Austria has shown some small signs of improvement."
Leopold led Lothar into the cabin and began pouring out his grievances.
Lothar smiled faintly. "I recall that, in your early years, you were chosen as the heir of Otto IV, count of Styria in southern Austria. After his death, you will inherit the County of Styria. Added to Austria proper, the Babenberg family will likely become a Vassal Lord no less powerful than the 'Four Great States of the Empire.'"
Leopold gave a bitter smile. "Your Majesty, perhaps you have never heard the saying, 'The gargoyle that sticks out rots first.' Your rise was simply too swift. But if the Babenberg family rises too quickly, the challenges before me will only multiply."
Even if he had no intention of challenging the Hohenstaufen family's imperial throne as Lionheart had, there was no guarantee that the Emperor and Leopold's neighbors would not strike at him out of fear.
Moreover, Leopold harbored an ambition he had never openly spoken of to outsiders: like the Duke of Bohemia, he wished to be granted the title of "King." Even if he became only a nominal King of Austria rather than truly elevating the Duchy of Austria into a kingdom, that goal alone was enough for generations of Babenberg family heads to devote their lives to.
Lothar said with a smile, "Very well. Since you