Educated at Gorze Abbey, he was nominated to succeed the Bishop of Verdun, Wigfrid. Instead, Hugues II was chosen, but he renounced his seat after a year, and Adalbero succeeded to the seat.[1] The death of Dietrich I of Metz on 7 September 984 prevented Adalbero from being officially appointed,[2] and the same year, on 16 October, he was chosen to become the bishop of Metz, leaving the Bishopric of Verdun to one of his cousins, Adalbero II of Ardennes.[3]
Thierry of Luxembourg served as his coadjutor, before succeeded to the Bishopric.[4]
At Metz, he favoured monastic reform in his diocese, strengthening the influence of the Cluny order in Lorraine by appealing, amongst others, to Guillaume de Volpiano. He also supported Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor against various marriages of his relatives.
He died on 14 December 1005, and was buried at the Saint-Symphorien Abbey in Metz.[5]