ALBERT III. (1443-15oo), duke of Saxony, surnamed ANIMOSUS or THE COURAGEOUS, younger son of Frederick II., the Mild, elector and duke of Saxony, was born Jan. 27, after escaping from the hands of Kunz von Kaufungen, who had abducted him and his brother Ernest, passed some time at the court of the Emperor Frederick III. in Vienna. After the death of ,the Elector Frederick in 1464, Albert and Ernest ruled their i443, and, lands together, but in 1485 a division was made by the Treaty of Leipzig, and Albert received Meissen, together with some adjoin ing districts, and founded the Albertine branch of the family of Wettin.
In 1475, Albert took a prominent part in the imperial campaign against Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy, and in 1487 led an expedition against Matthias Corvinus, king of Hungary, which failed owing to lack of support on the part of the emperor. In 1488 he marched with the imperial forces to free the Roman king maxhnilian from his imprisonment at Bruges, and after the king returned to Germany in 1489, Albert restored the authority of Maximilian in Holland, Flanders and Brabant. In 14g8 Maxi milian bestowed upon him the title of hereditary governor (potestat) of Friesland, but he had to make good his claim by force of arms. He was engaged in repressing a rising in Friesland when he died at Emden, Sept. 12, 1500. Albert, who was a man of great strength and considerable skill in feats of arms, delighted in tournaments and knightly exercises. His rule was a period of prosperity in Saxony in spite of the large sums which he spent campaigning in the emperor's service.
See F. A. von Langenn, Herzog Albrecht der Beherzte, Stammvater des koniglichen Hauses Sachsen (Leipzig, 1838) ; O. Sperling, Herzog Albrecht der Beht>rzte von Sachsen als Gubernator Frieslands (Leipzig, 1892).