General Notes

Albert I, b.  c.1250, king of the Germans (1298-1308), was the son of Rudolf
I, the first Habsburg to wear the German crown. In 1282 Rudolf granted Albert
the duchies of Austria and Styria.  When Rudolf died in 1291, however, the
German princes, fearful of the growing Habsburg power, denied Albert the crown
and instead elected Adolf of Nassau as king.  Discontent with Adolf soon
enabled Albert to win over the princes, who deposed Adolf in 1298 and elected
Albert king.  The new king defeated the old at Gollheim (July 1298), where
Adolf was slain.
As king, Albert attempted to add Holland and Zealand to the Habsburg domains.
This unsuccessful effort, coupled with his alliance with the French king
Philip IV, provoked a revolt in the Rhineland that was backed by Pope Boniface
VIII.  The revolt was finally crushed in 1302, and the following year Albert
secured papal confirmation of his election in return for an oath of obedience
to the pope.
Albert was assassinated on May 1, 1308, by accomplices of his nephew, John
"Parracide" of Swabia.  He was succeeded by Henry VII.