Sale of indulgences, forgiveness of sins for money

Indulgences were meant to remit the punishment due for sins; for centuries they were sold for money. As early as around 1270 the preacher Berthold of Regensburg warned that thousands believed they could buy themselves free of all their sins for a penny. In 1517 the Dominican Johann Tetzel sold indulgences for Archbishop Albrecht of Mainz: half of the proceeds went to Albrecht, who used it to pay off debts to the Fugger banking house, the other half to Pope Leo X for the building of St Peter's. Tetzel proclaimed that as soon as the coin rang in the box, the soul was freed from purgatory. Only in 1562 did the Council of Trent abolish the office of the indulgence seller.

Period

1300-1562 (262 years)

Country

Germany, Vatican City, United Kingdom

Institutions

Holy See
Archbishop Albrecht of Mainz
Indulgence preachers ("pardoners")
Fugger banking house

Category

Financial misconduct

Level of evidence

B two independent scholarly sources · what does this mean?

Persons

Johann Tetzel (Dominican, indulgence preacher)
Leo X (Pope)
Albrecht of Mainz (Archbishop of Mainz, Tetzel's principal)
Boniface VIII (Pope, introduced the jubilee indulgence)

Background

Course of events

1. Pope Boniface VIII introduced the great jubilee indulgence in 1300; it was at first to be celebrated every hundred years, from 1475 every 25 years.
   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Abschnitt „Jubilee“

   „This was instituted in 1300 by Boniface VIII., who pleaded a popular tradition for its celebration every hundredth year“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Abschnitt „Jubilee“

   „again in 1475 to 25 years“

2. Johann Tetzel, Dominican and inquisitor, appeared as an indulgence preacher from 1503; in 1516 he preached the indulgence for the building of St Peter's in Rome.
   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 14 (1912), Lebenslauf

   „In 1503 he made his first appearance as a preacher of indulgences“

   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 14 (1912), Lebenslauf

   „his appearance as an indulgence preacher in 1516, to aid the construction of St. Peter's at Rome“

Why? Justification and motives (according to the sources)

1. According to the Britannica, Tetzel promised: as soon as the coin rings in the box, the soul is freed from purgatory.
   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Lebenslauf, 1517

   „as soon as the coin clinks in the chest, he cried, the soul is freed from purgatory“

Who received the assets, who profited?

1. The business behind Tetzel's sermons: Albrecht, who had become Archbishop of Mainz at the age of 24, had to pay Rome a high fee for his office. He agreed with Pope Leo X to pay it in cash and to recoup himself by selling indulgences. Half of the proceeds went to Albrecht, the other half to the pope for the building of St Peter's. Tetzel was accompanied by an employee of the Fuggers, from whom Albrecht had borrowed the money.
   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Lebenslauf, 1517

   „Albrecht had been elected at the age of twenty-four to a see already impoverished by frequent successions and payments of annates to Rome“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Lebenslauf, 1517

   „He had agreed with Pope Leo X. to pay his first-fruits in cash, on condition that he were allowed to recoup himself by the sale of indulgences. Half the proceeds in his province were to go to him, half to Leo X. for building the basilica of St Peter’s at Rome“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Lebenslauf, 1517

   „was accompanied by a clerk of the Fuggers from whom Albrecht had borrowed the money to pay his first-fruits“

2. The Elector of Brandenburg, Albrecht's brother, also promoted Tetzel in the hope of sharing in the spoils.
   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Lebenslauf, 1517

   „the elector Joachim of Brandenburg, encouraged him at Berlin in the hope of sharing the spoils“

Response of the Church

1. In 1562 the Council of Trent abolished the office of the indulgence seller.
   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Abschnitt zu den Missbräuchen

   „In 1562 the Council of Trent abolished the office of “pardoner.”“

See also

• Person 10 Nov 1483-18 Feb 1546 · 62 years old

  Martin Luther

  • Germany
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Heresy trials

Scholarly literature and reference works

1. Reference work
   Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911): Tetzel, Johann, 1 January 1911. Original (retrieved 11 Oct 2026)
2. Reference work
   Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911): Indulgence, 1 January 1911. Original (retrieved 11 Oct 2026)
3. Reference work
   The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 14 (1912): Johann Tetzel, 1 January 1912. Original (retrieved 11 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 22 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.