Albert the Bear

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Albert the Bear

 

(Albrecht der Bär), born circa 1100; died Nov. 18, 1170. Became first margrave of Brandenburg in 1150; member of the house of Ascanians.

Upon receiving the lien of the North March from the emperor Lothar III, Albert began his conquest of the lands of the Liutich Slavs. With this aim, he took part in the abortive Crusade of 1147 against the Slavs. In 1150, after the death of Prince Pribyslav of the Havelland, Albert seized Branibor, the chief center of the Havelland. Albert the Bear’s conquests were accompanied by extermination and forced Christianization of the local populace and colonization by settlers from Germany and the Netherlands.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.