Little is known about his early childhood except that his life was influenced by his education at the Jesuit college in Ingolstadt. The Jesuits gave him a strict Catholic upbringing but also an appreciation of the Renaissance humanism. He was good-natured, lazy but displayed ability and energy when required. Enjoying hunting and banquets, he also pursued the Renaissance art, sculpture, music and architecture. He spent extravagantly so that Bavaria was almost bankrupt when it was handed over to his son and heir.

His marriage, arranged by his father to Archduchess Anna, aligned him with the house of Habsburg and the Catholic world, but failed to bring the hoped-for Electoral title. However, through his excessive spending, the Protestant factions in the Bavarian Diet were able to extract religious concessions. The Protestants began to object to his centralizing efforts and resistance began to grow; but Albrecht moved to crush the Protestants and reduce the power of the Diet.

In 1563 he excluded Lutheran nobles after accusing them of conspiring against him; and some Catholic nobles, regarding themselves free from Bavarian rule, lost their independence. Albrecht created a Spriritual Council, largely controlled by him, which suppressed the Protestants, and imposed strict censorship while the Jesuits controlled the Bavarian schools and universities.

Albrecht's dogmatic approach enabled him to establish an absolutist state which enabled him to extend the Bavarian influence further into the Empire. Part of his policy was the acquisition of
bishoprics for Wittelsbach candidates, yet he failed to obtain Salzburg for his youngest son, Ernst, though he obtained Freising for him.

Source: Leo van de Pas