St. Bernhard of Baden 14219

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Bernard II of Baden grew up in a deeply religious family. His father, for example, founded Fremersberg Abbey and expanded the Collegiate Church in Baden-Baden.

Bernard II received a careful education, which would prepare him for his later role as a sovereign. The intent was that he would be Margrave of Pforzheim, Eberstein, Besigheim and several districts in the northern part of the Margraviate.

Bernard II was related to the Habsburg dynasty via his older brother Karl I, who had married Catherine of Austria, a sister of Emperor Frederick III. This relationship should give Bernard access to the imperial court. But first, he assisted his uncle René of Anjou in an armed conflict in northern Italy. According to contemporary sources, he fought bravely. After his father's death in 1453, he returned to Baden, where he agreed with his brother to give up his claim to part of the margraviate.[1] Instead, he became Frederick III's personal envoy, despite his young age.

Bernard II saw a number of disgraceful situations and tried to alleviate hardship and poverty wherever he could. He spent most of his income assisting the poor and those in need. Even during his lifetime he impressed his contemporaries with his unusual piety.

Under pressure, after the fall of Constantinople to the Turks in 1453, the imperial Habsburg family began preparing a crusade against the expanding Ottoman Empire. Bernard II was sent to the European princely houses to promote this project. He died of the plague during one of these visits, on 15 July 1458 in Moncalieri in northern Italy. Bernardo, as they call him, is revered to this day by many people in this region.