Bernhard's vassals in Nordalbingia and the areas between the Elbe and the Baltic Sea had soon rebelled against him and had given their support to Henry the Lion.

Bernhard had tried to assert his claims, thanks to the support of his brothers Otto I of Brandenburg and Siegfried, Archbishop of Bremen.

At first the vassals of Artlenburg had sworn an oath of fidelity.

After them, the counts of Ratzeburg, Danneberg, Luckow and Schwerin had also sworn.

However, the most powerful of these vassals, Count Adolf of Holstein, had not accepted Bernhard's lordship and had become his adversary.

Conflicts break out around Dithmarschen, in western Holstein, but without success for Adolf.

After Adolf's defeat, Lauenburg (Polabenburg) on the lower Elbe, has become the focal point for opposition to Bernhard's rule.

Determined to eliminate the opposition against him in his lands, he levies high taxes on rebellious territories, which lead to an attack against Lauenburg and its destruction in 1182, followed by the restoration of the fortress.