Albert Bishop of Livonia

Albert Bishop Of Livonia, was born in 1160. Being a native of Germany, he placed himself at the head of the nobility of Saxony and of Westphalia and came to Livonia in order to propagate the Catholic religion, He obtained of Innocent III in 1204 permission to found a monastic military order, which took the name "Chevaliers Porte-glaives" (in Latin, Ensiferi, and in German, Schwertbruder). Their first grand-master was Winno of Rorhbach. Albert established a number of colleges for the diffusion of the light of religion throughout all Livonia. He died at Riga, Jan. 17, 1229. See Hoefer, Nouv, Biog. Generale, s.v.