ALBERT OF RIGA (or of Buxhöwden). - Died 17 January 1229. Of the noble family of the Appelderen, in 1189 he was a canon of Bremen and in 1199 bishop of Livonia, with the difficult task of restoring the mission there, which had fallen into decline. Zealous and a warrior, he was one of the greatest missionaries and an eminent propagator of Germanic culture in those regions. He conquered the country with a crusade, founded the city of Riga (1201), established the military Order of the Sword-Bearers (Schwertbrüder), founded monasteries, and on 8 April 1207 was invested with the principality of Livonia by Philip, king of Germany. From there he proceeded to the conquest of Estonia, completed by 1217. In 1207 he founded the bishopric of Leal, then Dorpat; in 1219 that of Semgallen, and in 1276 another bishopric on the island of Osel. Around 1224 he obtained exemption from Bremen; but he did not succeed in obtaining the elevation of the see of Riga to an archbishopric. He was venerated as a saint until the Reformation (feast on 1 June).
Enciclopedia Cattolica Vol. I, 1948 Missions Missionaries and missiologists
Albert of Riga (or of Buxhöwden)
ALBERTO DI RIGA (O DI BUXNÖVDEN)
Also known as: German: Albert von Buxhövden, Albert von Buxthoeven; Bishop Albert, Albert of Buxhoeveden; Latin: Albertus de Buxhoeveden
About this entry
By Giuseppe Löw
How we know signed in print
Translated from the Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. I (1948), col. 694.
More by Giuseppe Löw: Albert (Adalbert) of Oberaltaich · Albert I (Albrecht), King of Germany and Duke of Austria · Albert I (Albrecht) of Brandenburg, called the Bear · Albert of Behaim (also called Bohemus) · Albert of Bardowick
Cite this article
Chicago
Lów, Giuseppe. “Alberto di Riga (O di Buxnövden).” In Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. I, col. 694. Città del Vaticano: Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1948. https://azioneromana.com/article/alberto-di-riga-o-di-buxnovden.
MLA
Lów, Giuseppe. “Alberto di Riga (O di Buxnövden).” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. I, Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1948, col. 694. Azione Romana, https://azioneromana.com/article/alberto-di-riga-o-di-buxnovden.
BibTeX
@incollection{ec1_alberto_di_riga_o_di_buxnovden,
author = {Lów, Giuseppe},
title = {Alberto di Riga (O di Buxnövden)},
booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica},
volume = {I},
pages = {694},
note = {Cited by column},
publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico},
address = {Città del Vaticano},
year = {1948},
url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/alberto-di-riga-o-di-buxnovden}
}
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