Albert II Count of Hallermonde

Albert II Count Of Hallermonde and cardinalarchbishop of Magdeburg, enlisted on the side of king Philip of Suabia, and reconciled that prince with Innlocent IIi. At the death of Philip (1208), he made peace with Otho IV, whom he accompanied in 1209 to Rome. In the following year, as legate of the holy see in Germany, Albert promulgated the sentence of deposition pronounced by the pope against Otho, and in 1212, at the Diet of Mentz, he concurred in the election of Frederick II. This brought the arms of Otho into Magdeburg. Twice the prelate was made prisoner in the course of these hostilities, and twice he was delivered by the valor of his troops. In 1216 he brought under his jurisdiction the metropolitan bishopric of Camin. Albert had no peace until the death of Otho, which occurred in 1218. He assisted, in 1225, at the Dict of Aix-la-Chapelle, where he resolved on a new crusade to the Holy Land, but he had the prudence not to enroll himself for this expedition. In 1229 he raised a war between the prelate and the margraves of Brandenburg, Otho and John, to bring under subjection the house of Waldeck; but this was soon ended. The prelate was considered one of the most important men of his time. In 1207 he commenced to rebuild his cathedral church, which had been burned. He died about 1232. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.