[March 27] Herman, duke of Saxony

The March of the Billungs, circa 1000.

Parents: Billung von Strubenskorn and Ermengarde of Nantes

Date of Birth: circa 900

House: Billung

Predecessor: Otto I

Spouse: Oda, then Hildegarde of Westerbourg

Reign: 961 – 973

Summary: A relatively unknown duke of Saxony during the transitional years before the House of Wettin took the throne, Herman was originally a margrave (marcher lord) of the Holy Roman Empire. His father was a little known local lord and his wife a Frankish woman. He ruled an area north of the Elbe River between the Limes Saxoniae and Peene Rivers. Herman began expanding his domains to the east, pushing into Slavic land and creating what became known as the March of the Billungs, named after his family. The Saxons at this time were in an almost constant state of warfare with the eastern Slavs. Otto I, the Holy Roman Emperor, was the duke of Saxony at this time but entrusted increasing amounts of authority to Herman while Otto was away on Imperial business. It is unclear if Herman was ever officially duke, but Otto relinquished the title during his reign and it is fairly certain Herman received it around the year 961.

The new duke ruled in his own right but under the authority of Otto. He was known as a military leader outside of Saxony and supported the emperor's prerogatives. His son, Bernard, was responsible for making Saxony a strong bastion in the center of Germany. Herman centralized his rule around Lüneburg in western Germany and founded the monastery of St. Michael there. He had five children, the eldest of whom succeeded him to Saxony in 973. Of his other children, one married two margraves of Meissen, a margraviate that would later inherit Saxony, another married the count of Flanders and then the count of Verdûn. A third became an abbess in Herford in Saxony. Herman died at Quedlinburg after a long and successful life. His family ruled Saxony for 150 years before the dynasty ended in dynastic warfare.

Date of Death: 27 March 973

Successor: Bernard I

Other Monarchs Who Died Today:

• Herman, duke of Saxony (973)
• Clement III, pope of Rome (1191)
• Alfonso XI, king of Castile (1350)
• Gregory XI, pope of Rome (1378)
• Vasili II, grand prince of Moscow (1462)
• Mary, duchess of Burgundy (1482)
• James VI/I, king of Scots, England & Ireland (1625)

[February 9] Bernard I, duke of Saxony

Map of Saxony (light orange), c. 1000

Parents: Herman, duke of Saxony, and Oda
Date of Birth: c. 950

Royal House: Billung

Spouse: Hildegard, daughter of Henry I the Bald, count of Stade

Reign: 973 – 1011

Predecessor: Herman

Summary: Bernard grew up in the tough times in Germany after the fall of the Carolingian empire when the Ottonians were just establishing themselves. Bernard's father, Herman, fought his whole life for acceptance as the leader of the Saxons and never achieved the status of duke. Bernard, therefore, succeeded where his father had failed. Taking strength from the military victories of his father and grandfather, Bernard inherited Saxony during its rise to greatness and expanded upon that. 

Bernard fought against the Slavs in order to secure his eastern border. He fought the Danes in the north in three separate invasion attempts. In 983, he was a strong supporter of Otto III for the Holy Roman Imperial throne against the claims of Otto's uncle, Henry the Wrangler. For his loyalty to the throne, Bernard was made a marshal of the reich in 986. In 991 and 995 he joined Otto in campaigns against the encroaching Slavs. Inso-doing, he unified the Saxons under his banner and served as their representative and confidant to the emperor. And while his son ratified the union with the tribal leaders of the Saxons, Bernard set the stage for such a union. Bernard died in 1011 after a reign of 38 years. He was buried in a the Church of Saint Michael in Lüneburg in western Germany.

Date of Death: 9 February 1011

Successor: Bernard II

Other Monarchs Who Died Today:

• Minamoto no Yoritomo, shogun of Japan (1199)