On August 26, 1278, the armies of King Rudolph I of Germany and King Ladislaus IV of Hungary decisively defeated King Ottokar II of Bohemia at the Battle of Marchfield (Dürnkrut) in present-day Austria. The battle was one of the largest in medieval Europe, with over 80,000 knights engaged. Ottokar was killed in the battle, which effectively ended his expansionist ambitions and secured Habsburg control over Austria, marking the rise of the Habsburg dynasty.

The Battle of Marchfield was a dramatic event that was celebrated in contemporary chronicles and songs across Europe. The battle and its aftermath were recorded in the Austrian Chronicle, which became a source of national pride and identity. The Habsburg victory was later commemorated in epic poems and patriotic literature, solidifying the dynasty's place in European history and inspiring literary works that glorified the house of Habsburg.