Background
He was the elder son of Rudolf VI and Matilde of Sponheim.
He was the elder son of Rudolf VI and Matilde of Sponheim.
Rudolf VII afterwards received the southern areas from Ettlingen via Rastatt to Baden-Baden, Bernard himself the areas around Durlach and Pforzheim. He had his family seat in the fortress of Hohenbaden high above the thermal baths of the town of Baden. During his reign he extended the castle from the underlying Gothic structure.
On 25 July 1415, he purchased Hachberg, Höhingen, Ober-Usenberg and the town of Sulzburg in Upper Baden for 80000Rhenish guilders to Otto II, the last margrave of the eponymous collateral line.
During this time he had many disputes with the towns of Strasbourg, Speyer and with king Ruprecht I. His successor Jacob I further expanded the castle into a fortress.