Albert III of Austria - Definition and Overview

Albert III (born September 9, 1349 in Vienna; died August 29, 1395 on Castle Laxenburg; known as Albert with the Pigtail) was a duke of Austria.

Albert III was born as the son of Albert II of Austria. Even though the latter had determined that the eldest son should the sole successor, after his death in 1358, Albert shared the rule with his three brothers Rudolf IV, Frederick III and Leopold III. In 1377, Albert went on a crusade agaist the pagan Lithuanians and Samogitians. After Rudolf's and Frederick's death without a heirs, Albert entered into the Treaty of Neuberg with to divide the Habsburg territories with Leopold III in 1379, in which he received Austria proper, while Leopold should rule Styria (duchy), Carinthia, Tyrol and Further Austria. His government was beneficial to the realm, as he supported the arts and science. Albert was an apt scholar himself, particularly a mathematician. He expanded the University of Vienna and attempted to refurbish Vienna.

His son Albert succeeded him.