Albert of Brandenburg

Cardinal Albert of Brandenburg (German: Albrecht von Brandenburg; 28 June 1490 – 24 September 1545) was Elector and Archbishop of Mainz from 1514 to 1545, and Archbishop of Magdeburg from 1513 to 1545. His involvement in the sale of indulgences to fund his debt was to prompt Martin Luther, a friar, to complain about the abuse. His subsequent failure to meet with and take seriously the complaints from Luther, his failure to inform Rome of the seriousness of the situation and finally Rome's refusal to act properly faced with the situation, forced Luther to more serious action. These failures to respond adequately make him notable for his failure to prevent the Reformation.