Adalbert was the Duke of Upper Lorraine from 1047 until his death. He was the first son of Gerard de Bouzonville (Gerhard), Count of Metz

Metz

Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...

, and Gisela (Gisella).

Gothelo I, Duke of Lower Lorraine and Upper Lorraine, died in 1044 and was succeeded by his son Godfrey II

Godfrey II, Duke of Lower Lorraine

Godfrey II , called the Childless, son of Godfrey I, Count of Verdun, was the count of Verdun from his father's death in 1002 and duke of Lower Lorraine after the death in 1012 of the Carolingian Otto, who left no sons....

 in Upper Lorraine but was refused Lower Lorraine. Irritated, to say the least, Godfrey rebelled in that same year and devastated his suzerain's lands in Lower Lorraine. He was soon defeated and Adalbert named in his place in Upper Lorraine. Godfrey, however, continued to fight for all Lorraine and Adalbert died in battle against him at Thuin on 11 November 1048. He had no known children, and Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor

Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor

Henry III , called the Black or the Pious, was a member of the Salian Dynasty of Holy Roman Emperors...

 immediately nominated his brother Gerhard

Gerard, Duke of Lorraine

Gerard IV, Duke of Alsace was the count of Metz and Chatenois from 1047/1048, when his brother Duke Adalbert resigned them to him on becoming the Duke of Upper Lorraine. On Adalbert's death the next year, Gerard became duke and was so until his death...

to succeed him.