Johann Tetzel (c. 1460 to 1519): Dominican, inquisitor and indulgence preacher whose sales of 1517 provoked Luther's theses; the Britannica calls him a salesman, the Catholic Encyclopedia unjustly reviled

Johann Tetzel of Leipzig became a Dominican, an inquisitor and from about 1502 an indulgence preacher. In 1517 Archbishop Albrecht of Mainz appointed him sub-commissioner. Albrecht had paid his dues to Rome with money from the Fuggers and was allowed to recoup himself from indulgences; half of the proceeds went to Leo X for St Peter's. A Fugger clerk travelled with him. Against this Luther published his theses in 1517. The Catholic Encyclopedia considers Tetzel's bad reputation undeserved.

Life dates

1460-1519 (about 59 years old)

Country

Germany

Institutions

Dominican Order
Archdiocese of Mainz

Category

Financial misconduct

Level of evidence

B two independent scholarly sources · what does this mean?

Background

Course of events

1. Tetzel was born in Leipzig around 1460, the son of a goldsmith, and entered the Dominican convent in 1489. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia he became prior at Glogau and inquisitor for Poland, later for the Saxon province.
   Evidence: Cambridge University Press (Wikisource), Artikel Tetzel, Johann

   „was born there about 1460“

   Evidence: Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource), Artikel Johann Tetzel

   „he was appointed inquisitor for Poland by the master-general, Cajetan“

Who received the assets, who profited?

1. According to the Britannica, Tetzel preached indulgences with the shrewdness of an auctioneer. At Freiberg he took 2,000 gulden in two days. Albrecht of Mainz was allowed to recoup himself from indulgences, with half of the proceeds going to him and half to Leo X for St Peter's. A clerk of the Fuggers, from whom Albrecht had borrowed the money, accompanied Tetzel.
   Evidence: Cambridge University Press (Wikisource), Artikel Tetzel, Johann

   „he combined the elocutionary gifts of a revivalist orator with the shrewdness of an auctioneer“

   Evidence: Cambridge University Press (Wikisource), Artikel Tetzel, Johann

   „where he extracted 2000 gulden in two days“

   Evidence: Cambridge University Press (Wikisource), Artikel Tetzel, Johann

   „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: Cambridge University Press (Wikisource), Artikel Tetzel, Johann

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

Response of the Church

1. The Britannica attributes to Tetzel the saying that as soon as the coin clinks in the chest the soul is freed from purgatory. The Catholic Encyclopedia speaks of unmerited odium and denies that his preaching was the immediate cause of Luther's theses.
   Evidence: Cambridge University Press (Wikisource), Artikel Tetzel, Johann

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

   Evidence: Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource), Artikel Johann Tetzel

   „branded him with an unmerited odium“

   Evidence: Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource), Artikel Johann Tetzel

   „was not the primary and immediate cause that precipitated the promulgation of Luther's ninety-five theses“

See also

• 1300-1562 · 262 years

  Sale of indulgences, forgiveness of sins for money

  • Germany
  • Vatican City
  • United Kingdom
  • Financial misconduct
• Person 1475-1521 · about 46 years old

  Pope Leo X (Giovanni de' Medici)

  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Vatican City
  • Financial misconduct
• Person 10 Nov 1483-18 Feb 1546 · 62 years old

  Martin Luther

  • Germany
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Heresy trials
• Person 28 Jun 1490-24 Sep 1545 · 55 years old

  Albrecht of Brandenburg (1490 to 1545): Archbishop of Magdeburg and Mainz, whose accumulation of offices was paid for with Fugger loans and indulgences; he took 100,000 gulden for his vote in the imperial election

  • Germany
  • Financial misconduct

Scholarly literature and reference works

1. Reference work
   Cambridge University Press (Wikisource): Tetzel, Johann, in: Encyclopædia Britannica (1911), Bd. 26, 1 January 1911. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
2. Reference work
   Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource): Johann Tetzel, in: Catholic Encyclopedia (1912), Bd. 14, 1 January 1912. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.