Bernard The Lightsome - Life

Life

Bernard actively supported the policy of his father Bolesław II and his brothers, Henry V the Fat and Bolko I the Strict (for example, he participated in the victorious Battle of Stolec). After the death of his father in 1278, Henry V give his younger brothers Bernard and Bolko I the Duchies of Lwówek (Löwenberg) and Jawor as a co-rulers. However, his independent rule began only three years later, in 1281, when he and Bolko made the division of their domains and Bernard received Lwówek. Little is known about this period in Bernard's life, and the only certain fact was (according to the chronicles), that he promoted and protect knights, a common practice among the medieval princes. This also maybe justificated his nickname "Zwinny" (Lightsome, Clever) give to him by contemporarie sources. Lwówek had a special gratitude to him after he kept the Silesian monastery of the Knights Hospitaller, were he was a generous benefactor, giving them among other things in 1281, the village of Cieplice.

Bernard died unmarried and childless in 1286. He was buried in the Dominican church in Legnica, and his lands were inherited by his brother Bolko.

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