Albert Azzo I, Margrave of Milan


Albert Atto I was an Italian nobleman. He was a member of the Obertenghi family. From 1014 onward, he was margrave of Milan and count of Luni, Genoa and Tortona.

Life

Albert was the son of Oberto II, count palatine of Milan, and Railenda, daughter of Count Riprand, and widow of Sigfred, Count of Seprio.
Albert is attested in documents between 1011 and 1026. On 10 May 1013, he was acting as a missus in Italy. Also in May 1013 Albert is documented with iudiciaria in Monselice. In 1014, he inherited the counties of Luni, Tortona, Genoa, and Milan on the death of his father, Otbert II, Margrave of Milan. His holdings were extensive and both feudal and allodial. Albert and his brothers Hugh, Adalbert, and Obizzo all carried the title margrave. Their sister Bertha married Arduin of Italy to ally the Anscarid and Obertenga families. Another sister named Bertha married Ulric Manfred II of Turin. Albert himself married Adela of Milan, a Salian and relative of Lanfranc, Count of Piacenza and Aucia.
At first, Albert and his brothers supported their brother-in-law Arduin against the Emperor Henry II in the war for the Italian throne. In 1014, he did not oppose Henry's imperial coronation, but after Henry left in May, he sought to aid Arduin. Albert was named as one of Henry II's opponents in an imperial diploma issued in July 1014 at Solingen. The diploma indicates that Albert was among those who supported Arduin, and who had assaulted Pavia, Vercelli, and Novara. In 1019, he reconciled with Henry, but in 1022, all four brothers were captured by Henry's forces and Albert submitted. In Spring 1026, Albert joined Ulric Manfred in defending Pavia from Conrad II.

Marriage and children

With his wife, Adela of Milan, Albert had two children: