Albert II of Habsburg
Albert II of Habsburg was the son-in-law of Sigismund and his successor, representing the moment at which the Habsburg dynasty permanently attached itself to the imperial throne. His election in 1438 inaugurated a period of unbroken Habsburg imperial rule that, with only a single brief exception, would last until the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806. Already King of Hungary and Bohemia through his marriage to Sigismund's daughter Elizabeth, Albert was already one of the most powerful princes in Central Europe at the time of his election. Albert died on October 27, 1439, after a reign of barely eighteen months, leaving his wife pregnant with a posthumous son. His election marked the true beginning of the Habsburg era in imperial history.
- Lived: 1397 CE – 1439 CE
- Nationality: austrian
- Roles: emperor, head_of_state, military_leader
