Bernhard II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (ca. 1260 or 1265 – aft. 26 December 1323), was a prince of the

House of Ascania 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, Principality of Anhalt, Anhalt. The Ascanians are named after Ascania (or Ascaria) Castle, known as ' ...

and ruler of the principality of

Anhalt-Bernburg Anhalt-Bernburg was a Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, principality of the Holy Roman Empire and a duchy of the German Confederation ruled by the House of Ascania with its residence at Bernburg in present-day Saxony-Anhalt. It emerged as a subd ...

. He was the third son of Bernhard I, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg, by his wife Princess Sophie, daughter of King Abel of Denmark.

Life

After the death of his father in 1287, Bernhard inherited the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg. In accordance with the family law of the House of Ascania, he was obliged to rule jointly with his older brother

John I John I may refer to: People Religious figures * John I (bishop of Jerusalem) * John Chrysostom (349 – c. 407), Patriarch of Constantinople * John I of Antioch (died 441) * Pope John I of Alexandria, Coptic Pope from 496 to 505 * Pope John I, P ...

without division of their patrimony. John died four years later (1291) and Bernhard became the sole ruler. In the year 1300 Bernhard adopted the title "Count of Bernburg". His princely title was confirmed the next year. After the Anhalt-Aschersleben line became extinct in 1315, Bernhard inherited the senior princely title of Ascania as well as the title prince of

Anhalt-Aschersleben Anhalt-Aschersleben was a short-lived principality of the Holy Roman Empire ruled by the House of Ascania with its residence at Aschersleben in present-day Saxony-Anhalt. It emerged as a subdivision from the Principality of Anhalt from 1252 to 131 ...

. However, he could not take actual possession of his cousin

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 ...

's lands

or retain title to this fief, because the territory was lawfully expropriated by the Bishopric of Halberstadt as payment for the debts of the late Prince Otto. Bernhard agreed to this arrangement in writing in 1316, however his descendants continued to dispute the loss of the principality for centuries. Aschersleben was finally awarded to Brandenburg-Prussia in the

Treaty of Westphalia The Peace of Westphalia (, ) is the collective name for two Peace treaty, peace treaties signed in October 1648 in the Westphalian cities of Osnabrück and Münster. They ended the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) and brought peace to the Holy R ...

in 1648. In

Frankfurt am Main Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...

on 27 September 1320, Bernhard was created

Count palatine A count palatine (Latin ''comes palatinus''), also count of the palace or palsgrave (from German ''Pfalzgraf''), was originally an official attached to a royal or imperial palace or household and later a nobleman of a rank above that of an or ...

Saxony Saxony, officially the Free State of Saxony, is a landlocked state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Bavaria, as well as the countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. Its capital is Dresden, and ...

and Count of

Brehna Brehna is a town and a former municipality in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 July 2009, it is part of the town Sandersdorf-Brehna. It is situated southwest of Bitterfeld. Important in this city is the churc ...

. He died three years later.

Marriage and issue

On 27 December 1302 Bernhard married Helene (b. 1270 – d. 9 August 1315), daughter of Wizlaw II, Prince of Rügen and widow of John III, Lord of Mecklenburg. They had three sons: #

Bernhard III, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg Bernhard III, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (died 20 August 1348) was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg. He was the eldest son of Bernhard II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg, by his wife Helene, daug ...

(d. 20 August 1348) #Henry (d. aft. 19 August 1337), a Dominican friar at

Halberstadt Halberstadt (; Eastphalian dialect, Eastphalian: ''Halverstidde'') is a town in the state of Saxony-Anhalt in central Germany, the capital of Harz (district), Harz district. Located north of the Harz mountain range, it is known for its old town ...

(1330) #Otto, a Franciscan friar at

Magdeburg Magdeburg (; ) is the Capital city, capital of the Germany, German States of Germany, state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is on the Elbe river. Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archbishopric of Mag ...

(1323). {{DEFAULTSORT:Bernhard Ii, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg Bernard 02 Bernard 02 13th-century nobility from the Holy Roman Empire 1260s births 1323 deaths