Albert was born in Swabia (in present-day Germany), about the beginning of the thirteenth century. As a student he went to Padua and, while there, entered the Dominicans. As a Dominican he became a teacher of theology, spending most of his time in Germany, although he also taught in Paris for a few years. He was appointed bishop of Ratisbon in 1260 but resigned after only two years to spend most of is remaining years in the Dominican “stadium generale” at Cologne. He was one of the pioneers in the use of Aristotle in the elaboration of Christian theology, though he was eclipsed in this by a former student, Saint Thomas Aquinas. His work as a natural historian in geography, botany and animal study was especially well-founded.
Saint Albert died in 1280.
