Albert II, Duke of Austria

Albert II
Duke of Austria
Albert II of Austria by Anton Boys
Predecessor	Frederick the Fair
Successor	Rudolf IV
Spouse(s)	Johanna of Pfirt
Noble family	House of Habsburg
Father	Albert I of Germany
Mother	Elizabeth of Carinthia
Born	(1298-12-12)12 December 1298 Habsburg Castle, Duchy of Swabia
Died	16 August 1358(1358-08-16) (aged 59) Vienna, Duchy of Austria

Albert II (12 December 1298 – 16 August 1358), known as the Wise or the Lame, a member of the House of Habsburg, was Duke of Austria and Styria from 1330, as well as Duke of Carinthia from 1335 until his death.

Albert II was born at Habsburg Castle in Swabia, a younger son of King Albert I of Germany and his wife Elizabeth of Carinthia, a member of the House of Gorizia (Meinhardiner). He initially prepared for an ecclesiastical career and, though still a minor, was elected Bishop of Passau in 1313. However, he had to rival with an opposing candidate and finally renounced the office in 1317.

After the death of their elder brother Frederick the Fair in 1330, the surviving sons Albert II and Otto the Merry became joint rulers of all Habsburg dominions in Austria and Styria. Albert was able to further increase his possessions by the inheritance of his wife Joanna of Pfirt, which was made up of the Alsatian county of Pfirt and several cities. Furthermore, upon the death of his maternal uncle Duke Henry of Carinthia in 1335, Albert succeeded in establishing his claims on the Duchy of Carinthia and the March of Carniola, when he reached his enfeoffment by Emperor Louis IV against the claims raised by his mighty Luxembourg rival King John of Bohemia.