ALBERT, last grand-master of the Teutonic order, and first duke of Prussia, was b. in 1490. He was the son of the margrave Frederic of Anspach and Baireuth, who, having several children, wished to make him enter the church. Ile was educated under the care of archbishop Hermann, of Cologne, where he became canon. He did not, however, neglect knightly exercises. He accompanied the emperor Maximilian I. in his expedi tion against Venice, and was present at the seige of Pavia. In 1511, when scarcely 21 years old, he was chosen grand-master of the Teutonic order, the knights expecting their feudal allegiance to Poland to be abolished, on account of his near relationship to Sigismund, the monarch of that country, while they also hoped for protection against the latter from his friends in Germany. He was consecrated at Mergentheim with his father's consent. In 1512 he removed to Konigsberg, having been acknowledged by Poland likewise; but refusing to take the oath of allegiance, he was plunged into a war with Sigismund in 1520. The year after, a four years' truce was agreed to at Thorn. A. next made his appearance at the imperial diet at Ntlrnberg, as :German prince of the empire, to induce the other princes to assist him against the Poles. But Germany could at that time grant no assistance to any one. Dissappointed in his hopes, A. threw
himself into the cause of the reformation, which had rapidly spread into Prussia, and broken the last strength of the declining order, whose possessions now appeared a certain prey to Poland. A. still hoped to preserve these, by acting upon Luther's advice, which was, to declare himself secular to the duke of Prussia, and place his land under the sovereignty of Sigismund. This was done with great pomp at Cracow, on the 8th April 1525, the duchy being secured to him and his descendants. During the remainder of his life, A. zealously sought to further the welfare of his duchy. He regulated the administration of all affairs, both secular and ecclesiastical, established the ducal library, founded in 1543 the university of Konigsberg, gathered many literary men around him, and caused their works to be printed. In 1527, he married Dorothea, daughter of Frederick, king of Denmark. A. earnestly desired peace, but his was not an age in which peace could be purchased. The transition period from the old to the new is always i violent, and the duke found himself entangled in conflicts with the nobles, and in theo logical disputes, which, along with other crosses of a more personal character, saddened the close of his life. He d. in 1568. See PRUSSIA.