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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Albert of Brandenburg Biography ALBERT (1490-1545).
Archbishop of Magdeburg and Elector of Mainz, generally called Albert of
Brandenburg. He was the younger son of the Elector John Cicero of Brandenburg,
and was born in Brandenburg, June 20, 1490. In 1513 he became Archbishop of
Magdeburg, and also administrator of the bishopric of Halberstadt, and in the
next year Archbishop and Elector of Mainz. He was put in charge of the
preaching, within a certain district, of the jubilee indulgence granted by Leo
X, on the condition that one-half the proceeds was to be sent to Rome. He
appointed the Dominican Tetzel sub-commissioner in the work, whose preaching
gave occasion to Luther to post up his well-known 95
theses. He was made a Cardinal in 1518. Even in the Archbishop's own diocese the
reformer's doctrines found not a few adherents, so that Albert was compelled at
the Imperial Diet at Augsburg (1530) to act the part of peacemaker. When he
joined the holy alliance against the League of Schmalkalden, Luther made a
fierce attack on him in writing. He was the first of all the German princes who
received the Jesuits into his dominions. In 1541 he granted religious liberty to
his subjects, under the condition that they should pay his debts, amounting to
500,000 florins. He died at Mainz, Sept. 24, 1545. For his life consult J. May
(Munich, 1865-75), and Redlich, Albert and das Neue Stift zu Halle
(Mainz, 1900).
The New International
Encyclopaedia, Vol. I
(New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920) 332-333. |