Editing Bernard of Saxe-Weimar (section)

==Biography==
Born in [[Weimar]] in the Duchy of [[Saxe-Weimar]], Bernard was the eleventh son of [[Johann, Duke of Saxe-Weimar]], and [[Dorothea Maria of Anhalt]].

Bernard received an unusually good education and studied briefly at the [[University of Jena]], but soon went to the court of [[John Casimir, Duke of Saxe-Coburg|Duke John Casimir of Saxe-Coburg]] to engage in knightly exercises. At the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War he took the field on the [[Protestant]] side, and served under [[Ernst von Mansfeld|Mansfeld]] at [[Battle of Mingolsheim|Wiesloch]] (1622), under the [[Margrave]] of [[Baden]] at [[Battle of Wimpfen|Wimpfen]] (1622), and with his brother William at [[Battle of Stadtlohn|Stadtlohn]] (1623). Undismayed by these defeats, he took part in the campaigns of King [[Christian IV of Denmark]]. After a severe defeat in [[Holstein]] in 1627, Bernhard left Danish service and went to the [[Dutch Republic]]. There he was present at the famous [[Siege of 's-Hertogenbosch]] in 1629.{{sfn|Menzel|1875}}

When King [[Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden]] landed in Germany Bernard quickly joined him, and for a short time he was [[colonel]] of the Swedish life horse guard. After the [[Battle of Breitenfeld (1631)]], he accompanied Gustavus in his march to the [[Rhine]] and, between this event and the [[Battle of the Alte Veste]], Bernard commanded numerous expeditions in almost every district from the [[Moselle]] to [[State of Tyrol|Tyrol]]. At the Alte Veste he displayed great courage, and at the [[Battle of Lützen (1632)]], when Gustavus was killed, Bernard assumed the command, killed a colonel who refused to lead his men to the charge, and finally by his furious energy won the victory at sundown.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

[[Image:BernhardSachsen.jpg|thumb|left|Bernard of Saxe-Weimar.]]
At first as a subordinate to his brother William, who as a Swedish lieutenant-general succeeded to the command, but later as an independent commander, Bernard continued to push his forays over southern Germany; and with the Swedish General [[Gustav Horn, Count of Pori|Gustav Horn]] he made in 1633 a successful invasion into [[Bavaria]], which was defended by the [[Holy Roman Empire|imperialist]] general [[Johann von Aldringen|Count Aldringer]]. In this year he was granted the former Bishoprics of [[Bishopric of Würzburg|Würzburg]] and [[Bishopric of Bamberg|Bamberg]], being granted the title of Duke of [[Franconia]].{{citation needed|date=October 2012}}  He installed one of his many brothers as [[Statthalter]], and returned to the wars. A stern Protestant, he exacted heavy contributions from the [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] cities which he took, and his repeated victories caused him to be regarded by German Protestants as the saviour of their religion. But in 1634 Bernard suffered a great defeat at [[Battle of Nördlingen (1634)|Nördlingen]], losing the best of the Swedish army.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

In 1635 Bernard entered the service of France, which had by then intervened in the war.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} He held a difficult dual position; in the following campaigns, ably and resolutely conducted as they were, Bernard sometimes pursued a purely French policy, whilst at other times he used French [[mercenary|mercenaries]] to forward his own cause.{{sfn|Menzel|1875}} From a military point of view his most notable achievements were on the common ground of the upper Rhine, in the [[Breisgau]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

In his great campaign of 1638, Bernard won the battles of [[Battle of Rheinfelden|Rheinfelden]], [[Battle of Wittenweiher|Wittenweiher]], and [[Battle of Thann (1638)|Thann]], and captured successively [[Rheinfelden (Aargau)|Rheinfelden]], [[Freiburg]], and [[Breisach]], the last reputed one of the strongest fortresses in Europe. Bernard had in the first instance received definite assurances from France that he should be given [[Alsace]] and [[Haguenau]], Würzburg having been lost in the debacle of 1634; he now hoped to make Breisach the capital of his new [[duchy]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

Bernard's health, however, was deteriorating. He died at [[Neuenburg am Rhein]] at the beginning of the campaign. The governor of Breisach [[Jean Louis d'Erlach]] was bribed to transfer the fortress to France. Bernard was temporarily buried at Breisach, his remains were not carried to Weimar until 16 years later.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}{{sfn|Menzel|1875}}