Bruno, Duke of Saxony

Who was Bruno, Duke of Saxony?

Bruno, Brun, or Braun was Duke of Saxony from 866 to his death. He was the eldest son of the Saxon count Liudolf and his wife, Oda of Billung. Bruno is rated as the progenitor of the Brunonen noble family, a branch of the Ottonian dynasty. However some mentions appear to refer to an earlier Saxon margrave Brun the Younger, possibly a grandfather, but this is unclear.

While his father is described as dux orientalis Saxonum, i.e. leader in East Saxony, it is possible that Bruno, according to the Res gestae saxonicae by chronicler Widukind of Corvey, was dux totius Saxonum, duke of all Saxony. The rise of his family is documented by the fact that Bruno's sister Liutgard in 874 married Louis the Younger, son of King Louis the German, whereafter he is called ducem et fratrem reinæ, "duke and the queen's brother".

He died, along with several other Saxon noblemen, in a battle against Viking warriors on 2 February 880. The battle at Ebstorf near Lüneburg was a crushing defeat and Duke Bruno, the bishops of Minden and Hildesheim, as well as twelve Saxon counts were killed. According to the chronicler Bishop Thietmar of Merseburg, Bruno died in a flooded river, which probably took place during the battle or a retreat. He was succeeded by his younger brother Otto the Illustrious.