Who was Albert I of Germany and how did he rule?

Albert I of Germany was a Duke of Austria and Styria and later King of Germany from 1298 until his assassination in 1308. As the eldest son of King Rudolf I, he continued to expand the influence of the House of Habsburg. He was sometimes called 'Albert the One-eyed' due to a battle injury that left him with a hollow eye socket.

What we know

• Albert I was the eldest son of King Rudolf I of Germany and his first wife Gertrude of Hohenberg. [2, 5]
• He served as Duke of Austria and Styria starting in 1282 and became King of Germany in 1298. [2, 5]
• His reign as King of Germany lasted until his assassination in 1308. [2]
• He was sometimes referred to as 'Albert the One-eyed' following a battle injury that left him with a hollow eye socket and a permanent snarl. [2]

Where to go next

• whoWho was Rudolf I of Germany?
• the bigger pictureHow did the House of Habsburg rise to power?
• what caused itWhat led to the assassination of Albert I of Germany?
• compared withWho was Albert II of Germany?
• whereWhat was the Duchy of Austria and Styria?
• an unexpected connectionHow does a 20th-century Belgian monarch share a name and royal designation with a medieval German king?Both monarchs share the exact regnal name and number, yet Albert I of Belgium ruled during World War I centuries later and died in a mountaineering accident rather than facing medieval political assassination.

Sources

• [1]Albert I of Germany (Wikidata Q153956) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Albert I of Germany · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Albert I of Belgium · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Albert II of Germany · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Rudolf I of Germany · CC BY-SA 4.0