Albert III, Margrave of Brandenburg-Salzwedel

Who is Albert III, Margrave of Brandenburg-Salzwedel?

Albert III, Margrave of Brandenburg-Salzwedel was a Margrave of Brandenburg. He was a member of the Brandenburg-Salzwedel branch of the House of Ascania, which existed from 1266 to 1317. He was a son of Otto III and his wife, Beatrice of Bohemia.

As a son of Otto, he was entitled to use the title of Margrave and he did sign some official documents, be he was never more than a co-ruler. The real power was wielded by his cousin Otto IV "with the arrow". Albert III administered the Lordship of Stargard, which Brandenburg had acquired from Pomerania in 1236. Albert III was from 1284 the sole ruler of Stargard and Lychen. After his sons Otto and John died, Albert III sold Stargard to his son-in-law Henry II of Mecklenburg. The 1304 Treaty of Vietmannsdorf confirmed Henry II as Lord a Stargard and enshrined that it was held as a fief from Brandenburg.

In 1299, a year before his death, he founded the Cistercian monastery Coeli Porta in Lychen.

Albert III died on 3 December 1300 and was initially buried at Lehnin Abbey. In 1309, his body was transferred to the Coeli Porta monastery. It was subsequently lost.