Bernard (between 1358 and 1364 – 11 June 1434) was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the early 15th century, co-ruling Brunswick with his younger brother Henry the Mild from 1400 to 1409, then as sole ruler of Brunswick from 1409 to 1428 and of Lüneburg from 1428 until his death in 1434. In the genealogy of the

House of Welf The House of Welf (also Guelf or Guelph) is a European dynasty that has included many German and British monarchs from the 11th to 20th century and Emperor Ivan VI of Russia in the 18th century. The originally Franconian family from the Meuse-Mo ...

, he is considered the first member of the Second House of Lüneburg. Bernard was the second son of Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg. After the death of his father in 1373, he and his brothers agreed with the

Ascanian The House of Ascania () was a dynasty of German rulers. It is also known as the House of Anhalt, which refers to its longest-held possession, Anhalt. The Ascanians are named after Ascania (or Ascaria) Castle, known as ''Schloss Askanien'' in ...

dukes of

Saxony-Wittenberg The Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg () was a medieval duchy of the Holy Roman Empire centered at Wittenberg, which emerged after the dissolution of the stem duchy of Saxony. The Ascanian dukes prevailed in obtaining the Saxon electoral dignity until th ...

to alternate rule in the

Principality of Lüneburg The Principality of Lüneburg (later also referred to as Celle) 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 ...

. From 1375 on, Bernard took part in the government ''de jure'', and from 1385 on ''de facto.'' After his elder brother

Frederick Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Given name Nobility = Anhalt-Harzgerode = * Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) = Austria = * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria fro ...

was murdered in 1400, Bernard and Henry the Mild began a revenge campaign against the

Archbishopric of Mainz The Electorate of Mainz ( or '; ), previously known in English as Mentz and by its French name Mayence, was one of the most prestigious and influential states of the Holy Roman Empire. In the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, the Archbishop-Elec ...

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 Otto is a masculine German given name and a surname. It originates as an Old High German short form (variants '' Audo'', '' Odo'', '' Udo'') of Germanic names beginning in ''aud-'', an element meaning "wealth, prosperity". The name is recorded fr ...

(died 1446) *

(died 1478) *Catherine (died 1429), married

Casimir V, Duke of Pomerania Duke Casimir V of Pomerania (or, counting differently, Casimir VI; after 1380 – 13 April 1435) 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 ...

References

*''Braunschweigisches Biographisches Lexikon,'' Appelhans 2006,
Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, vol. 2, p. 416-418
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bernard I, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg 14th-century births 1434 deaths Princes of Lüneburg Princes of Wolfenbüttel Year of birth uncertain Middle House of Lüneburg