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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;talerman, post: 3270335, member: 89314&quot;]You are absolutely right. Albrecht Alcibiades was a warloving thug.&nbsp; Here is his Wikipedia bio:</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Albert II</b> (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_language" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_language" rel="nofollow">German</a>: <i>Albrecht</i>; 28 March 1522 – 8 January 1557) was the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margrave" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margrave" rel="nofollow">Margrave</a> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Bayreuth" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Bayreuth" rel="nofollow">Brandenburg-Kulmbach</a>(Brandenburg-Bayreuth) from 1527 to 1553. He was a member of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franconia" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franconia" rel="nofollow">Franconian</a> branch of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Hohenzollern" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Hohenzollern" rel="nofollow">House of Hohenzollern</a>. Because of his bellicose nature, Albert during his lifetime was given the cognomen <i>Bellator</i> (&quot;the Warlike&quot;). Posthumously, he became known as <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcibiades" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcibiades" rel="nofollow">Alcibiades</a></i></p><p><br /></p><p>Albert was born in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansbach" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansbach" rel="nofollow">Ansbach</a> and, losing his father <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casimir,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Bayreuth" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casimir,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Bayreuth" rel="nofollow">Casimir</a> in 1527, he came under the guardianship of his uncle <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Ansbach" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Ansbach" rel="nofollow">George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach</a>, a strong adherent of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism" rel="nofollow">Protestantism</a>. In 1541, he received <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayreuth" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayreuth" rel="nofollow">Bayreuth</a> as his share of the family lands, but as the chief town of his principality was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kulmbach" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kulmbach" rel="nofollow">Kulmbach</a>, he is sometimes referred to as the Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach. His restless and turbulent nature marked him out for a military career; and having collected a small band of soldiers, he assisted Emperor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_V,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_V,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" rel="nofollow">Charles V</a> in his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_War_of_1542%E2%80%931546" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_War_of_1542%E2%80%931546" rel="nofollow">war with France</a> in 1543.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" rel="nofollow">[1]</a></p><p><br /></p><p>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_of_Cr%C3%A9py" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_of_Cr%C3%A9py" rel="nofollow">Peace of Crépy</a> in September 1544 deprived him of this employment, but he won a considerable reputation, and when Charles was preparing to attack the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmalkaldic_League" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmalkaldic_League" rel="nofollow">Schmalkaldic League</a>, he took pains to win Albert&#039;s assistance.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" rel="nofollow">[1]</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Sharing in the attack on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electorate_of_Saxony" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electorate_of_Saxony" rel="nofollow">Electorate of Saxony</a>, Albert was taken prisoner at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochlitz" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochlitz" rel="nofollow">Rochlitz</a> in March 1547 by Elector <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Frederick,_Elector_of_Saxony" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Frederick,_Elector_of_Saxony" rel="nofollow">John Frederick</a> of Saxony, but was released as a result of the Emperor&#039;s victory at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_M%C3%BChlberg" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_M%C3%BChlberg" rel="nofollow">Battle of Mühlberg</a> in the succeeding April.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" rel="nofollow">[1]</a></p><p><br /></p><p>He then followed the fortunes of his friend Elector <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice,_Elector_of_Saxony" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice,_Elector_of_Saxony" rel="nofollow">Maurice</a> of Saxony, deserted Charles, and joined the league which proposed to overthrow the Emperor by an alliance with King <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_II_of_France" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_II_of_France" rel="nofollow">Henry II of France</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" rel="nofollow">[1]</a></p><p><br /></p><p>He took part in the subsequent campaign, but when the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_of_Passau" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_of_Passau" rel="nofollow">Peace of Passau</a> was signed in August 1552 he separated himself from his allies and began a crusade of plunder in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franconia" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franconia" rel="nofollow">Franconia</a>,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" rel="nofollow">[1]</a> which led to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Margrave_War" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Margrave_War" rel="nofollow">Second Margrave War</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>Having extorted a large sum of money from the citizens of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg" rel="nofollow">Nuremberg</a>, he quarrelled with his supporter, the French King, and offered his services to the Emperor.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" rel="nofollow">[1]</a> Charles, anxious to secure such a famous fighter, gladly assented to Albert&#039;s demands and gave the imperial sanction to his possession of the lands taken from the bishops of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishopric_of_W%C3%BCrzburg" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishopric_of_W%C3%BCrzburg" rel="nofollow">Würzburg</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishopric_of_Bamberg" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishopric_of_Bamberg" rel="nofollow">Bamberg</a>; and his conspicuous bravery was of great value to the Emperor on the retreat from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Metz_(1552)" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Metz_(1552)" rel="nofollow">Siege of Metz</a> in January 1553.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" rel="nofollow">[1]</a></p><p><br /></p><p>When Charles left Germany a few weeks later, Albert renewed his depredations in Franconia. These soon became so serious that a league was formed to crush him, and Maurice of Saxony led an army against his former comrade.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" rel="nofollow">[1]</a> The rival forces met at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Sievershausen" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Sievershausen" rel="nofollow">Sievershausen</a> on 9 July 1553, and after a combat of unusual ferocity Albert was put to flight. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_V,_Duke_of_Brunswick-L%C3%BCneburg" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_V,_Duke_of_Brunswick-L%C3%BCneburg" rel="nofollow">Henry, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel</a>, then took command of the troops of the league, and after Albert had been placed under the imperial ban in December 1553 he was defeated by Duke Henry, and compelled to flee to France.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" rel="nofollow">[1]</a> He there entered the service of Henry II of France and had undertaken a campaign to regain his lands when he died at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pforzheim" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pforzheim" rel="nofollow">Pforzheim</a> on 8 January 1557.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Alcibiades,_Margrave_of_Brandenburg-Kulmbach#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911-1" rel="nofollow">[1]</a>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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