Alberon II

prince-bishop of Liege, was born of the house of the counts of Namur. He was dean of the Church of Metz, and in 1136 was made bishop. In 1140 he had a war with the count of Namur, Henry II, the most fierce and daring of his neighbors. This was soon ended by a treaty of peace which made him the ally of his enemy. He then turned his attention towards the recovery of what he had lost, and sought to engage the emperor and the pope in his behalf; but the money which the count of Bar had lavished in these two courts made this attempt useless, and therefore he resorted to arms. In 1141 Alberon made a league with the count of Namur; and the two, having united their forces, besieged the chateau of Bouillon. After long and painful effort they became discouraged; and the prelate proposed a journey to the place where rested the remains of St. Lambert. At length the supplies failed, and they surrendered. Historians relate this as a miracle; and Nicholas of Liege, a writer of the time, has given us a full account of it under the title Triomphe de Saint Lambert. Some believe that the character of Alberon was such that it would not call down the special favor of Heaven; and it is certain that under his episcopacy the license of the people and the debalchery of the clergy reached their climax. Henry of Leyen, provost of the Church, at length came to the rescue. He went to Rome, and carried the reports of these disorders to the tribunal of the sacred court. The pope called for the bishop of Liege, who, accordingly, presented himself at Rome. It is not known what passed between him and the pope, but on his return from Rome he was attacked with a violent fever, and died at Otride, Italy, March 27, 1145. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.