Of which big old Billungs I will say nothing at all;--this only, that they died out; and a certain Albert, 'Count of Ascanien and Ballenstadt' (say, of ANHALT, in modern terms), whose mother was one of their daughters, came in for the northern part of their inheritance.

He made a clutch at the Southern too, but did not long retain that.

Being a man very swift and very sharp, at once nimble and strong, in the huge scramble that there then was,--Uncle Billung dead without heirs, a SALIC line of emperors going or gone out, and a HOHENSTAUFFEN not yet come in,--he made a rich game of it for himself; the rather as Lothar, the intermediate Kaiser, was his cousin, and there were other good cards which he played well.
"This is he they call 'Albert the Bear '_Albrecht der Bar_;' first of the ASCANIEN Markgraves of Brandenburg;--first wholly definite MARKGRAF OF BRANDENBURG that there is; once a very shining figure in the world, though now fallen dim enough again.

It is evident he had a quick eye, as well as a strong hand; and could pick what way was straightest among crooked things.

He got the Northern part of what is still called Saxony, and kept it in his family; got the Brandenburg Countries withal, got the Lausitz; was the shining figure and great man of the North in his day.
The Markgrafdom of SALZWEDEL (which soon became of BRANDENBURG) he very naturally acquired (A.D.1142 or earlier); very naturally, considering what Saxon and other honors and possessions he had already got hold of."-- We can only say, it was the luckiest of events for Brandenburg, and the beginning of all the better destinies it has had.