Here is a summary of significant battles that brought great suffering for the surrounding area:

900: The Magyars (Hungarians) destroyed the villages that had existed since the Carolingian settlement.

1411:  The area around the castle was devastated during the battles of the “Walseer Feud“.

1418: The Hungarians destroyed the parish of Riegersburg. They also destroyed the villages between Friedberg (65 km to the north) and Radkersburg (40 km to the south).

1459: The Hungarians ravaged the area around Riegersburg.

1469: The land around the castle was severely damaged by the battles of “Baumkircher Feud” (an uprising of Styrian nobles against Emperor Frederick III, led by Andreas Baumkircher).  

1479: The Hungarians conquered Fürstenfeld (25 km northeast) and Radkersburg. The surrounding villages were burnt.

1480: The Turks devastated the land and one-third of the population perished.

1529: Following the first siege of Vienna, the Turks once again ravaged the land.

1532: The Turks burnt Friedberg, Pischelsdorf (30 km to the north), and Gleisdorf (25 km to the northwest).

1605: The Heiducken (bandit-like raiders and outlaws) raided the Raab and Ilz valleys. They burnt Fürstenfeld and 50 houses in Feldbach. In total, 1,551 houses were burnt, 3,513 people were killed or taken away, and 5,043 horses and 12,408 cattle were stolen.

1664: The battle of Mogersdorf (approximately 25 km to the east) took place. Reportedly, there were more than 10,000 dead.

1704 to 1711: The Kurucs (anti-Habsburg rebellious nobles in the Kingdom of Hungary) and Hungarians burnt markets and villages.

1945: The final battles with the advancing Russians in World War II took place in the southeast. The village of Riegersburg was largely destroyed, and the castle was heavily damaged by shelling.