Bernard, Margrave of the Nordmark
Bernard (or Bernhard) (died 1051) was the Margrave of the Nordmark from 1009 until his death. He was the son of Dietrich of Haldensleben and a rival of the counts of Walbeck, one of whom, Werner, he succeeded in the march following his deposition.
In 1016–1017, Bernard feuded with Gero, Archbishop of Magdeburg, and consequently with the Emperor Henry II over the ambitions of the Magdeburger church.[1] The Emperor interevened and forced Bernard to pay Gero 500 lbs of silver in compensation for the assault his men had made on the city of Magdeburg.[2] Bernard was treated as an equal of his legal lord, the Duke of Saxony, then Bernard II, in a 1028 letter of the Emperor Conrad II concerning the slaves of the church of Verden, which was located in the provinces "to whom we [Conrad] have committed [to the Bernards] the rule."[3]
He married Vladimirovna, an illegitimate daughter of Vladimir the Great, Grand Prince of Kiev. He was succeeded as margrave by his eldest son William, in 1051.[4] His second son, Conrad, succeeded to Haldensleben. He also left three daughters — Theutberga, Oda, and Othelindis — the youngest of whom married Dirk III, Count of Holland. His illegitimate son by a Slav mistress, Otto, tried to succeed his brother, but was defeated and killed in battle.
Sources
- Reuter, Timothy. Germany in the Early Middle Ages 800–1056. New York: Longman, 1991.
- Medieval Lands Project, Margraves of the Nordmark
