Bernard I, Margrave of Baden-Baden facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bernard I of Baden
Seal (sigillum) of Bernard I.
Born	1364
Died	(1431-04-05)5 April 1431 Baden
Noble family	House of Zähringen
Spouse(s)	Margarete of Hohenberg (m. 1384 – div. 1391) Anna of Oettingen (m. 1398 – his death)
Father	Rudolf VI, Margrave of Baden-Baden
Mother	Matilda of Sponheim

Bernard I of Baden (born 1364, died 5 April 1431 in Baden) was a significant ruler. He was the Margrave of the Margraviate of Baden from 1391 until his death. A Margrave was a type of noble ruler, similar to a count or duke, who governed a border region. Bernard I played a key role in expanding and securing his family's lands.

Life of Bernard I

Bernard was the older son of Rudolf VI and Matilda of Sponheim. In 1380, he and his brother, Rudolf VII, made an important agreement. This agreement stated that their lands could only be divided among male family members for two generations. Rudolf VII received the southern parts of the Margraviate, including areas from Ettlingen to Baden-Baden. Bernard received the lands around Durlach and Pforzheim.

Bernard's main home was the Hohenbaden fortress. This castle stood high above the town of Baden, known for its thermal baths. During his time as ruler, he made the castle bigger and stronger.

In 1415, Bernard bought more land in Upper Baden. For a large sum of money (80,000 Rhenish guilders, an old type of currency), he acquired Hachberg, Höhingen, Ober-Usenberg, and the town of Sulzburg. He bought these from Otto II, who was the last ruler of a related family line. Bernard also had many disagreements with important cities like Strasbourg and Speyer, and even with King Ruprecht I. After Bernard, his successor, Jacob I, continued to improve the Hohenbaden castle, turning it into an even stronger fortress.

Bernard's Family

Bernard I was first engaged to Margarete of Hohenberg in 1368. She was the only daughter and heir of Count Rudolph III of Hohenberg. They officially married in 1384, but they did not have any children together. They later divorced in 1391.

In 1397, Bernard received special permission from the Pope. This permission, called a Papal dispensation, allowed him to marry Anna of Oettingen. They needed this permission because they were distantly related. They married on 27 March 1398. Bernard and Anna had ten children:

• Anna (born 1399), who married Louis IV of Lichtenberg.
• Beatrix (born 1400), who married Count Emich VI of Leiningen-Hartenburg.
• Matilde (born 1401).
• Margarete (born 1404), who married Count Adolph II of Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein.
• Jacob (born 1407), who later became Margrave of Baden-Baden.
• Agnes (born 1408), who married Count Gerhard VII of Holstein-Rendsburg.
• Ursula (born 1409), who married Count Gottfried IX of Ziegenhain and later Duke Ulrich II of Teck.
• Bernard (born 1412).
• Brigitte (born 1416), who became a nun.
• Rudolph (born 1417).

Bernard also had two children born outside of marriage:

• Bernhard, who became a priest and a church official.
• Anna, who married Paul Lutran von Ertrin.

See also

• List of rulers of Baden