He was first mentioned on 8 November 1231. From 28 September 1246, he was co-ruler with his father, Prince
Vitslav I. During the early years of his reign, he tried to maintain peaceful relations with his neighbours, the Dukes of
Pomerania, especially with the princes of
Gützkow, who were vassals of
Barnim I. He promoted trade by outlawing
wrecking and providing safe passage for merchant ships from
Lübeck. In 1249, troops from Lübeck destroyed the city of
Stralsund; this resulted in a war which lasted four years, during which Stralsund's privateers were allowed to capture ships from Lübeck. All privileges granted to Lübeck were suspended until they paid compensation for the damage done to Stralsund. Jaromar II donated land to the three
Cistercian monasteries in his territory, in
Bergen auf Rügen,
Neuenkamp, and
Hilda. In 1252, he donated the Radevice Land in
Mönchgut to Hilda Abbey, near
Greifswald. He supported the settlement of other religious orders in his territory. The
Dominicans founded the St. Catherine monastery in Stralsund; the
Franciscans founded the St. John monastery, also in Stralsund, in 1254. In 1255, he granted Lübeck style
city rights to
Barth and in 1258 to
Damgarten. in Copenhagen Jaromar II was an ardent supporter of the archbishops in the Danish domestic struggle between the Danish king and the archbishops
Jakob Erlandsen of
Lund and
Peder Bang of
Roskilde. In 1259 Peder Bang escaped from a Danish prison, into exile in
Schaprode in Rügen. In April of the same year, Jaromar II and Peder Bang landed on the main Danish island of
Zealand and took the city of
Copenhagen. They burned down a large part of Copenhagen, after looting the city. King
Christopher I of Denmark suddenly died in
Ribe in May 1259. His widow,
Margaret Sambiria, took up the regency for her underage son
Eric V. She raised a peasant army, which was defeated by Jaromar II at
Næstved. After devastating Zealand,
Scania and
Lolland, he landed with his army on
Bornholm, where he destroyed the royal fortress at
Lilleborg. A woman seeking revenge stabbed him with a dagger on Bornholm, or in Skane in 1260. It is unknown where he was buried; perhaps in
Bergen auf Rügen Abbey or in Neuenkamp Abbey in
Franzburg. The
Jarmers Tower on ("Jaromar Place") in Copenhagen is a reminder of the devastation Jaromar II brought to the city. == Marriage and issue ==