Bruno, Duke of Saxony

St. Bruno of Saxony
Bruno dux, depiction in the Chronica sancti Pantaleonis (about 1237)
Duke and Martyr
Born	c. 830/840
Died	2 February 880 Battle of Luneburg Heath
Venerated in	Catholic Church
Major shrine	Ebstorf Abbey
Feast	2 February
Patronage	Brunswick

Bruno, also called Brun or Braun (c. 830/840 – 2 February 880), a member of the Ottonian dynasty, was Duke of Saxony from 866 until his death. He is rated as an ancestor of the Brunonids, a cadet branch of the Ottonians, though an affiliation is uncertain. Bruno was killed fighting against Norse warriors in the Battle of Luneburg Heath and is venerated as one of the Ebsdorf Martyrs.

He was the eldest son of the Saxon count Liudolf (died 866) and his wife, Oda of Billung. His father held large estates in Eastphalia along the Leine river, where in 852 he founded the Brunshausen monastery. Bruno succeeded his father and is mentioned as a count in 877.

While Liudolf is described as dux orientalis Saxonum, i.e. leader in East Saxony (Eastphalia), it is possible that Bruno, according to the Res gestae saxonicae by the medieval chronicler Widukind of Corvey, already was dux totius Saxonum, duke (Herzog) of all Saxony. The rise of his family in East Francia is documented by the fact that Bruno's sister Liutgard in 874 married the Carolingian prince Louis the Younger, second son of King Louis the German, whereafter he is called ducem et fratrem reinæ, "duke and the queen's brother" in the Annales Fuldenses. Nothing is known of Bruno's marriage and children.