Individual

Go to List of Family Names Go to List of People < Previous Next >

____ Bernard II
Birth:          ABT  995 of Saxony
Death:          29 Jun 1059 

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_II,_Duke_of_Saxony
Bernard II (c. 995 – 29 June 1059) was the Duke of Saxony between 1011 and 1059, 
the third of the Billung dynasty as a son of Bernard I and Hildegard. Besides his 
position in Saxony, he had the rights of a count in Frisia.

Bernard expanded the powers of the duke in Saxony and is regarded as the greatest 
of the Billungers. He was originally a supporter of Holy Roman Emperor Henry II, and 
he accompanied him into Poland to negotiate the Peace of Bautzen of 1018. In 
1019–1020, however, he revolted against Henry[1] and gained the recognition of the 
tribal laws of Saxony, something his father had failed to do. He then returned to war 
with the Obodrites and Lutici (two Slavic tribes) and drew them into his sphere of 
influence through their leader Gottschalk.

He supported Holy Roman Emperor Conrad II in 1024 and his son Henry III, though he 
began to fear the latter for his closeness to the Archbishop Adalbert of Bremen, whom 
he considered a spy and inveterate enemy of the dukes of Saxony.[1] Although he 
was a critical ally of the Danes, who provided fundamental support for Henry's wars in 
the Low Countries, Bernard was on the brink of rebellion until the death of Adalbert. 
The remainder of his reign, however, was quiet.

In 1045, he erected the Alsterburg in Hamburg. He died in 1059 and was succeeded 
without incident by his son Ordulf. He is buried in the Church of Saint Michael in 
Lüneburg.

Marriage and issue[edit]

Bernard II, Duke of Saxony married to Eilika of Schweinfurt, daughter of Henry of 
Schweinfurt. They had these children together:
Gertrude of Saxony (c. 1030 – August 4, 1113), married firstly to Floris I, Count of 
Holland, secondly to Robert I, Count of Flanders
Ordulf, Duke of Saxony (c. 1020 – March 28, 1072), who married Ulfhilde or Wulfhilde 
of Norway (c. 1023 – May 24, 1070), daughter of King Olaf II (St.Olaf) of Norway and 
his wife Queen Astrid
Hermann
Ida of Saxony, who married Albert III, Count of Namur

Parents
BILLUNG Bernard (Benno) I (ABT  950 - 9 Feb 1011)
VON STADE Hildegarde (ABT  965 - 3 Oct 1011)

Siblings
____ Bernard II (ABT  995 - 29 Jun 1059)

Marriage To ____ Bertrade (ABT 990 - ) m. Notes Parents ____ Harold II "Graypelt" (ABT 940 - ) ----- ----- () Children by ____ Bertrade ABT 990 -
OF SAXONY Ida (ABT 1030 - AFT 1102)
Marriage To VON SCHWEINFURT Eilika (Elica) (ABT 1005 - 1059) m. ABT 1022 Notes Parents VON SCHWEINFURT Henry (Heinrich) (ABT 970 - 18 Sep 1017) VON GLEIBERG Gerberga (ABT 970 - AFT 1036) Children by VON SCHWEINFURT Eilika (Elica) ABT 1005 - 1059
____ Ordulph (Otto) (ABT 1022 - 28 Mar 1072) OF SAXONY Gertrude (ABT 1028 - 4 Aug 1113)
Produced by Fzip 1.7 6/20/2017