Otto II was born into the
House of Ascania as the eldest son of
Otto I and
Judith, a daughter of the
Piast Duke of Poland Bolesław III Wrymouth. Some time after his father died, Otto II married his father's widow,
Ada of Holland. The marriage was ultimately childless however.
Margrave of Brandenburg After succeeding his father, he improved the defense and settlement of Brandenburg and waged campaigns against the
Slavs and
Canute VI of Denmark. In the winter of 1198–99, he devastated Danish-occupied
Pomerania and consolidated his territorial gains in the subsequent year with a campaign that pressed to
Rügen and threatened
Hamburg. In 1200 and 1203, he supported the
Hohenstaufen king
Philip of Swabia against the
Welfen
Holy Roman Emperor,
Otto IV.
Succession After his death, his half-brother
Albert II inherited the margraviate. ==References==