Editing Albert of Brandenburg (section)

=== Career ===
[[File:Albrecht of Brandeburg Duerer VandA E.653-1940.jpg|thumb|right|Cardinal Albert, Archbishop of Magdeburg and Mainz, by [[Albrecht Dürer]]]]
Born in [[Kölln|Cölln]] on the Spree, now a central part of [[Berlin]], into the ruling [[House of Hohenzollern]], Albert was the younger son of [[John Cicero, Elector of Brandenburg]] and [[Margaret of Thuringia]].

After their father's death in 1499, Albert's older brother [[Joachim I Nestor]] became [[elector of Brandenburg]] while Albert held only the title of a [[margrave of Brandenburg]]. Albert studied at the university of [[Frankfurt (Oder)]], and in 1513 became [[Archbishop]] of [[Archbishopric of Magdeburg|Magdeburg]] at the age of 23 and administrator of the [[Diocese of Halberstadt]].<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline= y|wstitle= Albert I. (elector of Mainz)|display= Albert|volume= 1|pages= 496-497}} Endnote: See
* J. H. Hennes, ''Albrecht von Brandenburg, Erzbischof von Mainz und Magdeburg'' (Mainz, 1858)
* J. May, ''Der Kurfürst, Kardinal, und Erzbischof Albrecht II. von Mainz und Magdeburg'' (Munich, 1865–1875)
* W. Schum, ''Kardinal Albrecht von Mainz und die Erfurter Kirchenreformation'' (Halle, 1878)
* P. Redlich, ''Kardinal Albrecht von Brandenburg, und das neue Stift zu Halle (Mainz, 1900).''</ref>

In 1514 he was also elected Archbishop of Mainz and thus sovereign of the [[Electorate of Mainz]] and [[archchancellor]] of the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. By electing him, the Mainz cathedral chapter hoped for the support of the Elector of Brandenburg in defending the city of [[Erfurt]], which belonged to the archbishopric of Mainz, against the expansionist efforts of the neighboring Saxon dukes. However, this choice violated the canonical prohibition to hold more than one bishopric. Albert also did not meet the requirements for taking over any diocese, since he had not yet reached the age, and he didn't have a college degree; therefore he received a study dispensation in 1513. Albert borrowed 20,000 guilders from [[Jacob Fugger]] to pay the confirmation fee to the [[Roman Curia]] (see: [[simony]]).<ref>[http://www.hab.de/ausstellungen/reformstau/kapitel02/bild06.html Luther's nuisance: indulgence for the new building of St. Peter's], Letter of indulgence for the good of the new building of St. Peter's in Rome, 1517, [[Herzog August Library]], Wolfenbüttel</ref> In 1514 Albert suggested to [[Pope Leo X]] that a special [[indulgence]] be announced in his three dioceses as well as in his native diocese of Brandenburg and that half of the income should be used for the construction of the new [[St. Peter's Basilica]] and half for Albert's own cash register. The papal bull was issued on 31 March 1515.<ref>Christiane Schuchard: ''What is an indulgence commissioner?''; in: ed. H. Kühne, ''Johann Tetzel and the indulgence: Companion volume to the exhibition »Tetzel - indulgence - purgatory«''; exhibition in [[St. Nikolai church (Jüterbog)]] and in the monks' monastery; ISBN 978-3-86732-262-1 publisher Lukas Verlag, July 2017, p. 122</ref> The indulgence was entrusted to Albert in 1517 for publication in [[Saxony]] and [[Brandenburg]]. It cost him the considerable sum of ten thousand [[ducat]]s,<ref>At first, "the pope demanded twelve thousand ducats for the twelve apostles. Albert offered seven thousand ducats for the seven deadly sins. They compromised on ten thousand, presumably not for the Ten Commandments". Bainton, Roland. ''Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther'' (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1950), p. 75, [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.155980 online]</ref> and Albert employed [[Johann Tetzel]] for the actual preaching of the indulgence. Later, [[Martin Luther]] addressed a letter of protest to Albert concerning the conduct of Tetzel.<ref>{{cite web |last1=O'Malia |first1=Joseph |title=Albert of Brandenburg |url=https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01262a.htm |website=The Catholic Encyclopedia |publisher=New York: Robert Appleton Company |access-date=16 May 2020}}</ref>

Largely in reaction to Tetzel's actions, Luther wrote his famous [[95 Theses|''Ninety-five Theses'']], which led to the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]]. Luther sent these to Albert on 31 October 1517, and according to a disputable<ref>According to [[Roland Bainton]], for example, it is true. Bainton, Roland. ''Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther'' (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1950), p. 79, [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.155980 online]</ref> tradition, nailed a copy to the door of [[All Saints' Church, Wittenberg|Castle Church]] in [[Wittenberg]]. Albert forwarded the theses to Rome, suspecting Luther of [[heresy]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Wengert|first=Timothy|title=The Annotated Luther: The Roots of Reform|publisher=1517 Media|year=2015|isbn=9781451462692|location=Minneapolis|pages=48}}</ref>

As Archbishop of Mainz, he tried unsuccessfully in 1515 and 1516 to expel the Jews living in Mainz.<ref>Arye Maimon: ''Der Judenvertreibungsversuch Albrechts II. von Mainz und sein Mißerfolg (1515/.16)'', in: ''Jahrbuch für westdeutsche Landesgeschichte'' Albert II of Mainz's attempt to expel the Jews and its failure (1515/16). In: Yearbook for West German regional history. Volume 4, 1978, pp. 191-220.</ref> In 1518, at the age of 28, he was made a [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinal]]. When the [[imperial election of 1519]] drew near, partisans of the two leading candidates (kings [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles I of Spain]] and [[Francis I of France]]) eagerly solicited the vote of the [[Prince-bishop|Prince-Archbishop]] of Mainz, and Albert appears to have received a large amount of money for his vote. The electors eventually chose Charles, who became the Emperor Charles V.<ref name="EB1911"/>

Like other high-ranking clergymen of his time, Archbishop Albert lived in concubinage, gave his lovers gifts and favored his children as far as possible without causing much offense. Recent research assumes that he lived in a marriage-like relationship at first with Elisabeth "Leys" Schütz from Mainz and then with the Frankfurt widow Agnes Pless, née Strauss. With Leys Schütz he had a daughter named Anna, whom he married to his secretary Joachim Kirchner.<ref>Kerstin Merkel: ''Albrecht and Ursula. A hike through literature and the formation of legends.'' In: Andreas Tacke (ed.): ''»... we want to give love space«. Concubinage of ecclesiastical and secular princes around 1500'' (= publication series of the Moritzburg Foundation, Art Museum of the State of Saxony-Anhalt. Original title: ''Albrecht und Ursula. Eine Wanderung durch Literatur und Legendenbildung.'' In: Andreas Tacke (Hrsg.): ''»... wir wollen der Liebe Raum geben«. Konkubinate geistlicher und weltlicher Fürsten um 1500'' (= Schriftenreihe der Stiftung Moritzburg, Kunstmuseum des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt; 3). Wallstein-Verlag, Göttingen 2006, ISBN 3-8353-0052-0, p. 157–187.</ref>

[[File:CranachBrandenburgasJerome.jpg|thumb|left|Cardinal Albert, Archbishop of Mainz, as Saint Jerome while studying, by Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1526]]

Albert's large and liberal ideas, his correspondence with leading [[Humanism|humanists]], his friendship with [[Ulrich von Hutten]] whom he drew to his court, and his political ambitions, appear to have raised hopes that he could be won over to [[Protestantism]]; but after the [[German Peasants' War]] of 1525 he ranged himself definitely among the supporters of [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]], and was among the princes who joined the [[League of Dessau]] in July 1525.<ref name="EB1911"/>

From 1514 until his flight on 21 February 1541, Albert ruled mostly from his residence [[Moritzburg (Halle)|Moritzburg]] in [[Halle (Saale)|Halle]]. In 1531, he had a spacious new residential palace built there. Albert also needed a prestigious church that met his expectations at a central location in his ''[[residenz]]'' town. He feared for his peace of mind in heaven, and collected more than 8,100 [[relics#Catholic classification and prohibitions|relics]] and 42 holy [[human skeleton|skeletons]] which needed to be stored. From 1529, he had two parish churches standing next to each other demolished and only their four towers from {{circa|1400}} with pointed helmets stood. Between these towers he had a large new nave built, which was named [[Marktkirche Unser Lieben Frauen|Market Church of Our Lady]] since she received a Marian patronage. However, these precious treasures, known as ''Hallesches Heilthum'' (the Halle sanctuary), indirectly related to the sale of indulgences which had triggered the Reformation a few years before because it should attract pilgrims willing to pay. Then, the cardinal and the Catholic members of the town council wanted to repress the growing influence of the Reformation by holding far grander [[Mass in the Catholic Church|Masses]] and [[church service|services]] in a new church dedicated solely to the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose excessive worship Luther disliked.{{Citation needed|date=January 2017}}

[[File:Mathis Gothart Grünewald 011.jpg|thumb|Meeting of Saint [[Erasmus of Formiae]] and [[Saint Maurice]], by [[Matthias Grünewald]], between 1517 and 1523.  Grünewald used Albert of Mainz, who commissioned the painting, as the model for St. Erasmus (left).]]
Albert's hostility towards the reformers, however, was not so extreme as that of his brother Joachim I; and he appears to have exerted himself towards peace, although he was a member of the League of Nuremberg, formed in 1538 as a counterpoise to the [[League of Schmalkalden]]. New doctrines nevertheless made considerable progress in his dominions, and he was compelled to grant religious liberty to the inhabitants of Magdeburg in return for 500,000 [[florin]]s. In his later years, he showed more intolerance towards the Protestants, and favoured the teaching of the [[Society of Jesus|Jesuits]] in his dominions.<ref name="EB1911"/>

The [[Marktkirche Unser Lieben Frauen|Market Church of Our Lady]] in [[Halle (Saale)|Halle]], which had been built to defend against the spread of Reformation sympathies,{{citation needed|date=May 2017}} was the spot where [[Justus Jonas]] officially introduced the Reformation into Halle with his [[Good Friday]] sermon in 1541. The service must have been at least partly conducted in the open air, because at that time construction had only been finished at the eastern end of the [[nave]]. Jonas began a successful preaching crusade and attracted so many people that the church overflowed. Albert left the town permanently after the [[Estates of the realm|estates]] in the city had announced that they would take over his enormous debt at the bank of [[Jacob Fugger|Jakob Fugger]]. Halle became Protestant and in 1542 Jonas was appointed as priest to St. Mary's and, in 1544, bishop over the city.{{Citation needed|date=January 2017}}