All Topics  
Billung

 

   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link






 

Billung



 
 
The House of Billung was a dynasty
Dynasty

A dynasty is a succession of rulers who belong to the same family for generations. A dynasty is also often called a "Royal House", e.g. the House of Saud or House of Habsburg....
 of Saxon
Duchy of Saxony

The medi?val Duchy of Saxony was a late Early Middle Ages "Carolingian stem duchy" covering the greater part of Northern Germany. It covered the area of the modern German states of Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt and most of Schleswig-Holstein....
 noblemen in the 9th through 12th centuries.

The first known member of the house was Count Wichmann, mentioned as a Billung in 811. Oda, the wife of Count Liudolf
Liudolf, Duke of Saxony

Liudolf was a Duchy of Saxony count; later authors called him duke of the Eastern Saxons. He was also named as count of Eastphalia. Liudolf had possessions in eastern Saxony, and was involved in wars against Normans and Slavic peopless....
, oldest known member of the Liudolfing House, was also a Billung.

In the 10th century, the property of the family was centered in the Bardengau around Lüneburg
Lüneburg

L?neburg, also known as Lueneburg and Lunenburg in English language, is a city in the Germany Bundesland of Lower Saxony. The city is located about 45 km — a thirty-minute train ride — southeast of fellow Hanseatic League city Hamburg....
 and they controlled the march named after them.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Billung'
Start a new discussion about 'Billung'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


The House of Billung was a dynasty
Dynasty

A dynasty is a succession of rulers who belong to the same family for generations. A dynasty is also often called a "Royal House", e.g. the House of Saud or House of Habsburg....
 of Saxon
Duchy of Saxony

The medi?val Duchy of Saxony was a late Early Middle Ages "Carolingian stem duchy" covering the greater part of Northern Germany. It covered the area of the modern German states of Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt and most of Schleswig-Holstein....
 noblemen in the 9th through 12th centuries.

The first known member of the house was Count Wichmann, mentioned as a Billung in 811. Oda, the wife of Count Liudolf
Liudolf, Duke of Saxony

Liudolf was a Duchy of Saxony count; later authors called him duke of the Eastern Saxons. He was also named as count of Eastphalia. Liudolf had possessions in eastern Saxony, and was involved in wars against Normans and Slavic peopless....
, oldest known member of the Liudolfing House, was also a Billung.

In the 10th century, the property of the family was centered in the Bardengau around Lüneburg
Lüneburg

L?neburg, also known as Lueneburg and Lunenburg in English language, is a city in the Germany Bundesland of Lower Saxony. The city is located about 45 km — a thirty-minute train ride — southeast of fellow Hanseatic League city Hamburg....
 and they controlled the march named after them. In the middle of the 10th century, when the Saxon dukes of the House of Liudolfing had also become German kings, King Otto the Great entrusted more and more of his ducal authority to Hermann Billung. For five generations, the House of Billung ruled the Duchy of Saxony.

The house became extinct when Duke Magnus
Magnus, Duke of Saxony

Magnus was the duke of Saxony from 1072 to 1106. Eldest son and successor of Ordulf, Duke of Saxony and Wulfhild of Norway, he was the last member of the Billung....
 died in 1106 without sons; the family's property was divided between his two daughters. His daughter Wulfhild married Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria
Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria

Henry IX , called the Black, a member of the House of Welf, was duke of Bavaria from 1120 to 1126.Henry was the second son of Welf I, Duke of Bavaria and Judith of Flanders....
, a member of the House of Welf
Welf

The House of Welf is a European dynasty that has included many Germany and United Kingdom monarchs from the 11th to 20th century.The House of Welf is the older branch of the House of Este, a dynasty whose oldest known members lived in Lombardy in the 9th century....
; his daughter Eilika
Eilika of Saxony

Eilika of Saxony was the younger daughter of Magnus, Duke of Saxony and Sophia , daughter of B?la I of Hungary. After the death of her father, she became the heiress of Werben and count palatine of Saxony....
 married Otto, Count of Ballenstedt
Otto, Count of Ballenstedt

Otto, Count of Ballenstedt, called Otto the Rich , was the first Ascanian prince to call himself count of Anhalt, and was also briefly named duke of Duchy of Saxony....
, a member of the Ascanian
Ascanian

The House of Ascania was a dynasty of German rulers. It was also known as the House of Anhalt, after Anhalt, its longest possession.The Ascanians are named after Ascania Castle, which is located near and named after Aschersleben....
 House. As a consequence, for the following decades control of Saxony was contested among Welfs and Ascanians.

The Billung dukes of Saxony were:

  • Hermann, died 973
  • Bernard I
    Bernard I, Duke of Saxony

    Bernard I was the duke of Saxony , the second of the Billung dynasty, a son of Herman, Duke of Saxony and Oda. He extended his father's power considerably....
    , died 1011
  • Bernard II
    Bernard II, Duke of Saxony

    Bernard II was the Duke of Saxony , the third of the Billung dynasty, a son of Bernard I, Duke of Saxony and Hildegard. He had the rights of a count in Frisia....
    , died 1059
  • Ordulf
    Ordulf, Duke of Saxony

    Ordulf was the duke of Saxony from 1059, when he succeeded his father Bernard II, Duke of Saxony, until his death. He was a member of the Billung family....
    , died 1072
  • Magnus
    Magnus, Duke of Saxony

    Magnus was the duke of Saxony from 1072 to 1106. Eldest son and successor of Ordulf, Duke of Saxony and Wulfhild of Norway, he was the last member of the Billung....
    , died 1106