Already at the age of 20 Albert of Prussia, a member of the Brandenburg-Ansbach family, became Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. Descending from the powerful dynasty of the Hohenzollern, he refused to swear an oath of allegiance to his uncle Sigismund I, King of Poland, and waged war unsuccessfully. Without support in the Reich and on Martin Luther's advice, he resigned as the Grand Master against the will of the emperor in 1525. He paid homage to Sigismund I in Krakow in order to acquire the remaining land of the Order as a duchy and fiefdom.
Albert became a Protestant, married the Danish princess Dorothea and introduced the Reformation throughout the country. Since Protestants had to be able to read the Bible, he founded numerous schools and the university in Königsberg (today’s Kaliningrad), later named the "Albertina" after him. At the castle a representative, Renaissance-style courtyard was established.
After the death of his son, his Hohenzollern relatives who reigned in Brandenburg, also took control of the Duchy of Prussia.
Illustrations:
1.) Hans Krell (around 1490-1565): Albert as the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order 1522
Albert, son of Frederick V, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, and the Polish princess Sofia Jagiellonica, was the 37th Grand Master and at the same time the last one in Prussia.
© picture alliance / akg images
2.) Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553): Albert as the Duke of Prussia, 1528 The in the meantime married duke had himself portrayed as a worldly prince with a fur collar and hat decorated with brooches. Nothing reminds us of the friar who was committed to chastity and poverty. As his portraitist he chose one of the most important court painters of his time. Lucas Cranach was also the artist of the Reformation, best man at Luther’s wedding and godfather of his eldest son.
The original picture can be seen in the Herzog-Anton-Ulrich-Museum (Duke Anthony Ulrich Museum) in Brunswick.