Bernard I, Duke of Saxony
Bernard I (c.
950 –
9 February 1011) was the
duke of Saxony (
973 –
1011), the second of the
Billung dynasty, a son of
Duke Herman and Oda. He extended his father's power considerably.
He fought the
Danes in
974,
983, and
994 during their invasions. He supported the succession of
Otto III over
Henry the Wrangler. In
986, he was made
marshal and in
991 and
995 he joined the young Otto on campaign against the
Slavs. He increased his power
vis-à-vis the crown, where his father had been the representative of the king to the tribe, Bernard was the representative of the tribe to the king [
1]. Bernard died in 1011 and was buried in the Church of
Saint Michael in
Lüneburg.
In
990, Bernard married Hildegard, daughter of the count of
Stade. They had the following issue:
*Herman, died young
*
Bernard II, his successor
*Thietmar, a count, died in a duel on
1 April 1048 in
Pöhlde*Gedesdiu (or Gedesti) (died
30 June c.
1040), abbess of Metelen (from
993) and Herford (from
1002)
and probably:
*Matilda, nun
*Othelindis (died
9 March 1044), married
Dirk III of Holland
