ALBERT I (Albrecht), King of Germany and Duke of Austria. - Born around 1248, firstborn son of Rudolf I of Habsburg. A strong and warlike man, an excellent administrator, he soon knew how, both as duke in Austria (from 1282) and as king in Germany (from 1298), to assert the rights of the crown against the many feudatories, small or great, lay or ecclesiastical. His figure, delineated with bias by the chroniclers, according to their party, is still disputed on certain points.

His personal life is beyond all suspicion; he lived in a happy marriage and had twenty-one children by it. In Austria, where he opened the centuries-long dominion of the House of Austria, he had to overcome, after a long interregnum and after the earlier disputes of the claimants, no small number of difficulties; he reformed the administration, restored the rights of the duke, repressed the ambitions of the nobles. In Germany, set up by five electors (1298) against King Adolf of Nassau, he defeated him at Göllheim and was re-elected unanimously. Boniface VIII recognized him only in 1303. A. fought, in favor of the free cities along the Rhine, against the electors dominant in these parts. He also reaffirmed in Germany the sovereign rights against the manifold pretensions of the lords. He died, assassinated by his nephew John, called the Parricide, in 1308.

Bibliography4 works

BIBL.: The legend of the violent liberation of Switzerland (Tell, Gessler) is by now recognized as a fable. As for the disputed questions (A.'s conduct before his election, his behavior toward the Pope), special works should be read; many details are given by L. Boiteux, s. v. in DHG, I, coll. 1445-53. For the rest v. F. M. Mayer-R. F. Kaindl, Geschichte u. Kulturgeschichte Deutschösterreichs, I, 1929; E. Tomek, Kirchengeschichte Österreichs, I, s. l. 1935; H. Hantsch, Geschichte Österreichs, I, Innsbruck 1937, with a substantial bibliography.

Giuseppe Löw

@incollection{ec1_alberto_i_albrecht_re_di_germa, author = {Lów, Giuseppe}, title = {Alberto I (Albrecht), re di germania e duca d'austria}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {I}, pages = {690--691}, 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-i-albrecht-re-di-germania-e-duca-d-austria} }

One of some 20,000 entries brought back from the twelve printed volumes (1948–54). Spotted something? Help us improve it.

Albert I (Albrecht), King of Germany and Duke of Austria

About this entry