Bernard I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
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Bernard Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
, ruled over several principalities of Brunswick-Lüneburg. In the genealogy of the House of Welf, he is considered the first member of the Second House of Lüneburg.
Bernard was the second son of Magnus with the Necklace
. After the death of his father in 1373, he and his brothers agreed with the Ascanian
dukes of Saxony-Wittenberg to alternate rule in the Principality of Lüneburg
. From 1375 on, Bernard took part in the government de jure, and from 1385 on de facto.
After their oldest brother, Frederick
, had been murdered in 1400, Bernard and his brother Henry
went on a revenge campaign against the Archbishopric of Mainz
and the County of Waldeck, since the archbishop of Mainz was the suspected instigator of the murder plot, and the count of Waldeck performed the deed.
Bernard and Henry ruled the Principality of Brunswick together after Frederick's death; in a treaty of 1409, Bernard received sole rule over Brunswick. After a second treaty in 1428, Bernard switched to the Principality of Lüneburg.
Brunswick-Lüneburg
The Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , or more properly Duchy of Brunswick and Lüneburg, was an historical ducal state from the late Middle Ages until the late Early Modern era within the North-Western domains of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, in what is now northern Germany...
, ruled over several principalities of Brunswick-Lüneburg. In the genealogy of the House of Welf, he is considered the first member of the Second House of Lüneburg.
Bernard was the second son of Magnus with the Necklace
Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Magnus , called Magnus with the Necklace or Magnus II, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, ruling the Brunswick-Lüneburg principalities of Wolfenbüttel and, temporarily, Lüneburg....
. After the death of his father in 1373, he and his brothers agreed with the Ascanian
Ascanian
The House of Ascania was a dynasty of German rulers. It was also known as the House of Anhalt, after Anhalt, its longest-held possession.The Ascanians are named after Ascania Castle, which is located near and named after Aschersleben...
dukes of Saxony-Wittenberg to alternate rule in the Principality of Lüneburg
Principality of Lüneburg
The Principality of Lüneburg was a territorial division of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg within the Holy Roman Empire, immediately subordinate to the emperor. It existed from 1269 until 1705 and its territory lay within the modern-day state of Lower Saxony in Germany...
. From 1375 on, Bernard took part in the government de jure, and from 1385 on de facto.
After their oldest brother, Frederick
Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Frederick , Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, was ruler of the Principality of Brunswick from 1373, and, according to some sources, briefly German king-elect in opposition to Wenceslaus in 1400....
, had been murdered in 1400, Bernard and his brother Henry
Henry the Mild, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Henry of Brunswick-Lüneburg , Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, called Henry the Mild, was prince of Lüneburg from 1388 to 1409 jointly with his brother Bernard I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, from 1400 to 1409 also of Wolfenbüttel, and from 1409 until his death sole prince of Lüneburg.Henry was the...
went on a revenge campaign against the Archbishopric of Mainz
Archbishopric of Mainz
The Archbishopric of Mainz or Electorate of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire between 780–82 and 1802. In the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Archbishop of Mainz was the primas Germaniae, the substitute of the Pope north of the Alps...
and the County of Waldeck, since the archbishop of Mainz was the suspected instigator of the murder plot, and the count of Waldeck performed the deed.
Bernard and Henry ruled the Principality of Brunswick together after Frederick's death; in a treaty of 1409, Bernard received sole rule over Brunswick. After a second treaty in 1428, Bernard switched to the Principality of Lüneburg.
Family
Bernard married Margaret, daughter of Wenceslaus, Elector of Saxony, in 1386. They had three children:- Otto (died 1446)
- FrederickFrederick II, Duke of Brunswick-LüneburgFrederick II , also known as Frederick the Pious was the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Prince of Lüneburg from 1434 to 1457 and from 1472 to 1478.- Life :...
(died 1478) - Catherine (died 1429), married Casimir V, Duke of PomeraniaCasimir V, Duke of PomeraniaDuke Casimir V of Pomerania was a member of the House of Griffins and a Duke of Pomerania. He ruled in Pomerania-Stettin together with his brother Otto II from 1413 to 1428...