Albert of Louvain
County of Brabant | |
|---|---|
| Died | 24 November 1192 (aged 26) Reims, Champagne-Ardenne, France |
| Sainthood | |
| Feast day | 24 November |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church |
| Canonized | 9 August 1613 Rome, Papal States by Pope Paul V |
| Attributes | Cardinal's attire, three swords |
| Shrines | Cathedral of Liège, Belgium |
Albert of Louvain (1166 – 24 November 1192) was a cardinal of the Catholic Church and the Prince-Bishop of Liège. He was canonized as a saint on 9 August 1613 and his feast falls on the date of his death.[1]
Biography
Albert de Louvain was born in 1166 as the second of two sons to Duke
Albert was educated at the cathedral school of Saint-Lambert in
In 1188, he became the
Albert's appointment was opposed by Baldwin, who had a second group of canons elect his own relative,
Albert took the matter to
Albert met three German knights in 1192 who persuaded him to ride on horseback with them outside of Reims. Outside of the city they attacked Albert with their swords and struck him on the head which crushed his skull and caused him to fall, where they made sure they killed him prior to making an escape.[1][4] He was buried at the cathedral of Reims.[5]
Aftermath
The immediate reaction to the murder was an uprising of the princes of Lower Lorraine led by the dukes of Brabant and Limburg, brother and uncle respectively of the slain bishop. They formed a group that eventually came to include the archbishops of Cologne and Mainz and other princes, and laid waste the territory of Dietrich of Hochstaden. Faced with the hostility of the people of Liège, Bishop-elect Lothar fled to the imperial court. He was excommunicated by Pope Celestine. The assassins, including one Otto of Barenste, fled to the imperial court, where Henry seems to have taken no particular action against them. Historians are divided as to the part the Emperor may or may not have played in planning the murder of the Bishop Albert.
Canonization
The reputation of the holiness of Albert de Louvain soon spread after his death and was hailed as a martyr, thus, leading to the opening of his cause for canonization. Pope Paul V canonized him on 9 August 1613 and instituted his feast day as the date of his death.[1] His body reposed at Rheims until 1921, when it was moved to Brussels.
Sources
The Vita Alberti episcopi Leodiensis was probably written around 1194 or 1195 by an anonymous monk of Lobbes, from information supplied by Abbot Werrich, who knew Albert well. Although a panegyric for the murdered bishop, Raymond H. Schmandt considers it generally accurate. A different viewpoint is found in the Chronicon Hanoniense of Gislebert of Mons, written shortly after 1196.[2]
References
- ^ a b c "ALBERT DE LOUVAIN (ca. 1166-1192)". Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- ^ a b c "Schmandt, Raymond H. "The Election and Assassination of Albert of Louvain, Bishop of Liège, 1191-92." Speculum 42.4 (1967): 639-60". Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ^ "Saint Albert Cardinal de Louvain". Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- ISBN 978-0-8028-4992-2.
- ^ "St. Albert's Namesake". Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "St. Albert". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
External links
Media related to Albert of Louvain at Wikimedia Commons- Schmandt, Raymond H. "The Election and Assassination of Albert of Louvain, Bishop of Liège, 1191-92." Speculum 42.4 (1967): 639-60
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