   albert iii of austria (9 september 1349 â 29 august 1395), known as albert with the pigtail (), a member of the house of habsburg, was duke of austria from 1365 until his death. ==life== albert iii was born in the ducal residence of vienna, the third son of the habsburg duke albert ii of austria and his wife joanna of pfirt. even though his father had determined a house law, whereby the four sons were obliged to rule jointly and equally, the eldest brother rudolf iv assumed the reins of government after his father's death in 1358. he reaffirmed his supremacy issuing the privilegium maius, however, as his marriage remained childless he again had to share his power with his younger brothers. in 1365 rudolf iv, albert iii, and leopold iii together signed the foundation certificate of the vienna university (alma mater rudolphina vindobonensis); rudolf died a few months later at the age of 25. ===divided rule=== albert, then the eldest surviving brother (the second-born son frederick iii had already died in 1362), inherited the rule and shared it with his younger brother leopold iii. both were formally enfeoffed with the austrian, styrian, carinthian and carniolan duchies by emperor charles iv. in 1369 the habsburg dukes could succeed the late gorizia count meinhard iii in the county of tyrol, when after a drawn-out conflict the wittelsbach duke stephen ii of bavaria finally had renounced his rights. in 1368 the habsburg brothers could also purchase the swabian city of freiburg, while their attempt to gain control over 
1349_births 1395_deaths Counts_of_Tyrol Dukes_of_Austria Dukes_of_Carinthia Dukes_of_Styria House_of_Habsburg People_of_the_Northern_Crusades