of his life. Albert created a military order, the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, and began to build his cathedral in 1215. King Philip made him a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, with Livonia for a fief, and thus Albert became a "Prince-Bishop". In 1225 King Henry (VII) of Germany confirmed the title of Prince for Albert and his brother, Hermann. Albert declared his diocese independent of Bremen, and later Riga was raised to an archbishopric. A first-hand account of Albert is in the contemporary Livonian Chronicle of Henry by Henry of Latvia. Albert died in Riga in 1229. As a Catholic Bishop, he left no descendants. He was venerated as a Catholic saint until the Protestant Reformation. The present-day von Buxhoeveden are descendants of his cousin Johannes von Buxhoeveden. Albert's brother Theodoricus married a niece of the prince of Novgorod Mstislav Mstislavich and is the progenitor of the family de Raupena (de Ropa, known today as "von der Ropp") that founded manors in Livonia and Courland. Albert Street in Riga is named after Bishop Albert. References External links Albert von Buxhoeveden James A. Brundage, The Chronicle of Henry of Livonia : edited and translated, 2003 Catholic Encyclopedia article 1160s births 1229 deaths Livonian Brothers of the Sword Prince-bishops in Livonia People from Cuxhaven (district) Bishops of Riga Baltic-German people 12th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Livonia 13th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Livonia Christians of the Livonian Crusade Buxhoeveden family