Eberhard was canon of Augsburg; his name was the same as the first bishop’s of Bamberg (1007-1040) and another bishop’s of Augsburg (1029-1047), who were probably relations to him. He became patriarch of Aquileia in 1045, the see he held until his death (13 November 1048). He was for long in conflict with the patriarch of Grado for the dependence of the bishops of Istria: a conflict settled by pope Leo IX in favour of Grado.