Ordulf, Duke of Saxony
Encyclopedia
Ordulf ( – 28 March 1072) was the duke of Saxony from 1059, when he succeeded his father Bernard II
, until his death. He was a member of the Billung
family.
. He was allied with Denmark
, strengthening the alliance by marrying (1042) Wulfhild
(died 24 May 1071), daughter of Olaf II of Norway
. Their son Magnus
succeeded Ordulf as Duke of Saxony.
His second wife, Gertrude of Haldensleben, daughter of a Count Conrad, was imprisoned in Mainz
in 1076 and died 21 February 1116. Their son Bernard died after a fall from a horse at Lüneburg
on 15 July (year unknown).
Ordulf is buried in the church of Saint Michael at Lüneburg.
Bernard II, Duke of Saxony
Bernard II was the Duke of Saxony , the third of the Billung dynasty, a son of Bernard I and Hildegard. He had the rights of a count in Frisia....
, until his death. He was a member of the Billung
Billung
The House of Billung was a dynasty of Saxon noblemen in the 9th through 12th centuries.The first known member of the house was Count Wichmann, mentioned as a Billung in 811...
family.
Reign
His entire reign was occupied by wars with the WendsWends
Wends is a historic name for West Slavs living near Germanic settlement areas. It does not refer to a homogeneous people, but to various peoples, tribes or groups depending on where and when it is used...
. He was allied with Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, strengthening the alliance by marrying (1042) Wulfhild
Wulfhild
Wulfhild , Old West Norse: Úlfhildr Ólafsdóttir, Swedish: Ulfhild Olofsdotter, was a Norwegian princess and a duchess of Saxony, wife of Ordulf, Duke of Saxony....
(died 24 May 1071), daughter of Olaf II of Norway
Olaf II of Norway
Olaf II Haraldsson was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was posthumously given the title Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae and canonised in Nidaros by Bishop Grimkell, one year after his death in the Battle of Stiklestad on 29 July 1030. Enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral...
. Their son Magnus
Magnus, Duke of Saxony
Magnus was the duke of Saxony from 1072 to 1106. Eldest son and successor of Ordulf and Wulfhild of Norway, he was the last member of the House of Billung.-Rebellion:...
succeeded Ordulf as Duke of Saxony.
His second wife, Gertrude of Haldensleben, daughter of a Count Conrad, was imprisoned in Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
in 1076 and died 21 February 1116. Their son Bernard died after a fall from a horse at Lüneburg
Lüneburg
Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...
on 15 July (year unknown).
Ordulf is buried in the church of Saint Michael at Lüneburg.