Alberoni

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

GIULIO (al-ber-ö'nē), cardinal and minister of the King of Spain, was the son of a gardener. Born in 1664, at Firenzuola , a village of Parma, and educated for the Church, his first office was that of bell-ringer in the Cathedral of Piacenza . Possessed of uncommon talents, he soon became canon, chaplain, and favorite of the Count Roncovieri, and Bishop of St. Donnin. The Duke of Parma sent him as his minister to Madrid, where by cunning and intrigue he became privy councillor, prime minister, and cardinal. He engage I himself with schemes for the benefit of the Spanish nation; but, being undermined by foreign influence, he was deprived of his posts and banished to Rome. Died at Placentia, 1752 . ALBERT I., Duke of Austria, and afterward Emperor of Germany, was son of Rudolph of Hapsburg, who founded the Austrian imperial dynasty. He was crowned in 1298, after defeating and slaying his competitor, Adolphus of Nassau, and was assassinated in 1308 by his nephew John, son of the Duke of Suabia, whose paternal estates he had seized. The story of William Tell is connected with Albert I. ALBERT II., King of Hungary and Bohemia and Duke of Austria, succeeded Sigismund as Emperor of Germany in 1438. He held a great diet at Nuremberg, in which the Vehmic or secret courts were suppressed. He died the following year, as he was preparing to take the field against the Tur were ravaging Hungary. Turks, who ALBERT I., King of the Belgians, born April 8, 1875, son of Prince Philippe de Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and of Flanders, who died Nov. 1, 1905. At the death of his uncle, Leopold II., Dec. 17, 1909, Albert ascended the throne. His character has proved to be in complete whose profligate and shameless life had antithesis to that of his predecessor, been the scandal of Europe. His family and public life has been without reproach, and his winning qualities have ALBERT I., KING OF THE BELGIANS people. On Oct. 2, 1900, he married won him the esteem and affection of his Princess Elizabeth of Bavaria. He has three children, of whom Prince Leopold, born Nov. 3, 1901, is the heir to the the outbreak of the World War in 1914 throne. The reign of Albert prior to perity. The Socialist party was strong was one of marked progress and prosin Belgium, and labor troubles were frequent and at times serious, but the tact of the king was successful in composing them. When the war broke out, the king placed himself at the head of his army, and throughout the conflict shared the hardships of his men. When the overtaken possession of the little kingdom, whelming forces of the Germans had France. In the four years of conflict the government was removed to Havre , that ensued the king exhibited military prominent part in the 1918 operations qualities of a high order, and played a that compelled the Germans to evacuate his kingdom. After the armistice was signed he made a triumphal entry into gium, and was received with the wildest Ghent, Brussels , and other cities of Belrejoicings. In 1919 he visited the United States with his wife and the heir apparent, and everywhere was met with enthusiastic welcome . See WORLD WAR; BELGIUM.