ALBERT I. (c. margrave of Brandenburg, sur named "the Bear," was the only son of Otto the Rich, count of Ballenstadt, and Eilika, daughter of Magnus Billung, duke of Saxony. He inherited the valuable Saxon estates of his father in 1123, and on his mother's death in 1142 succeeded to one-half of the lands of the Billungs. About 1123 he received from Lothair, duke of Saxony, the margraviate of Lusatia. In 1128 his brother in-law, Henry II., margrave of the Saxon north mark, died, and Albert, disappointed at not receiving this fief, attacked Udo, the succeeding margrave, and was consequently deprived of Lusatia by Lothair. His services in Italy in 1132 were rewarded in by the investiture of the north mark, which was again without a ruler. For three years he was occupied in campaigns against the Wends, and by an arrangement made with Pribislaus, duke of Brandenburg, Albert secured this district when the duke died in I150.
Taking the title margrave of Brandenburg, he pressed the war fare against the Wends, extended the area of his mark, did much for the spread of Christianity and civilization therein, and so be came the founder of the margraviate of Brandenburg. In 1137 his cousin, Henry the Proud, had been deprived by King Conrad III. of his Saxon duchy, which was given to Albert. But he was driven from Saxony and also from his mark by Henry, and com pelled to take refuge in South Germany, and when peace was made in 1142 he renounced the Saxon dukedom and received the coun ties of Weimar and Orlamunde.
It was possibly at this time that Albert was made arch-cham berlain of the empire, an office which afterwards gave the mar graves of Brandenburg the rights of an elector. In I162 Albert accompanied the Emperor Frederick I. to Italy, and distinguished himself at the storming of Milan. In 1164 he joined a league of princes formed against Henry the Lion, and peace being made in 1169, Albert divided his territories among his six sons. He died Nov. 13, 1170, and was buried at Ballenstadt. His personal qual ities won for him the surname of "the Bear," and he is also called by later writers "the Handsome." See L. von Heinemann, Albrecht der Bar (Darmstadt, 1864) .