"Bernhardo" is named as son of "Teoderici ducis et marchionis" in the Annalista Saxo, which also specifies that he was avunculus of Dietrich Graf von Merseburg.
He was appointed as BERNHARD Markgraf der Nordmark in 1009.
The name and origin of Bernhard´s [first] wife is not known. The Annales of Lambert von Hersfeld record in 1057 “Otto frater Wilhehelmi marchionis, sed matrimonio impari, matre...Slavia”. It is not clear from this passage whether Otto´s mother was the second wife or the mistress of Bernhard. Baumgarten states that the wife of Markgraf Bernhard was --- Vladimirovna, illegitimate daughter of Vladimir Sviatoslavich "Velikiy/the Great" Grand Prince of Kiev & his mistress ---. He cites a single German secondary source, dated to 1722, but this in fact makes no mention of Bernhard´s wife. The authority for his statement is therefore unknown and it is preferable to assume that it is incorrect until further information comes to light. If Baumgarten is correct, this person could have been the unknown second wife/mistress of Bernhard who is described as “Slavia” by Lambert von Hersfeld. As the birth of Bernhard´s son by his second wife/mistress can be dated to [1040], this daughter would have been one of the youngest children of Vladimir (who died in 1015) if this is the correct parentage for Bernhard´s wife/mistress. 1
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