The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church

Biographical Dictionary
John XXII (1316-1334)
Consistory of June 20, 1317 (II)
Celebrated in Avignon


(9) 1. VIA, Arnaud de (?-1335)

Birth. (No date found), Cahors, France. Son of Pierre de Via and Marie Duese. Nephew of Pope John XXII, on his mother's side. Brother of Cardinal Jacques de Via (1316). His first name is also listed as Arnaldus and his last name as de Veza.

Education. (No information found).

Early life. Protonotary apostolic. Archdeacon of Fréjus. Provost of Barjols in 1316. Prior of S. Nicola de Bari.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal deacon of S. Eustachio of in the consistory of June 20, 1317. Vicar of the pope in Avignon in 1317 (1). In 1333, he founded the collegiate church of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon; and he also built a palace for the residence of the bishops of Avignon. He wrote several works in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Participated in the conclave of 1334, which elected Pope Benedict XII.

Death. November 24, 1335, Avignon. Buried in the collegiate church of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, which he had founded.

Bibliography. Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, II, 113-114; Chacón, Alfonso. Vitæ, et res gestæ Pontificvm Romanorum et S. R. E. Cardinalivm ab initio nascentis Ecclesiæ vsque ad Vrbanvm VIII. Pont. Max. 2 volumes. Romae : Typis Vaticanis, 1677, II, col. 414; Du Chesne, François. Histoire de tous les cardinaux françois : de naissance, ou qui ont esté promeus au cardinalat par l'expresse recommandation de nos roys, pour les grands services qu'ils ont rendus a leur estat, et a leur couronne. Comprenant commairement leurs legations, ambassades & voyages par eux faits en divers pays & royaumes, vers les papes, empereurs, roys, potentats, republiques, communautex & universitez, pour affaires importantes à l'église universelle, & à l'auguste majesté de nos souuerains. Enrichie de leurs armes et de leurs portraits. Divisée en deux tomes, et justifiée par tiltres et chartres du thresor de sa majesté arrests des parlemens de France, registres des Chambres des comptes; donations, fondations, epitaphes, testamens, manuscripts, ancients monumens, chroniques & chartulaires d'abbayes, & autres histoires publiques & particlieres. 2 vols. A Paris : Aux despens de l'autheur, & se vendent chez luy ..., 1660, I, 429-430; "Essai de liste générale des cardinaux. Les cardinaux du XIVè siècle jusqu'au Grand Schisme". Annuaire Pontifical Catholique 1930. Paris : Maison de la Bonne Presse, 1930, p. 143; Eubel, Conradus and Gulik, Guglielmus van. Hierarchia Catholica Medii Aevi. Volumen I (1198-1431). Münich : Sumptibus et Typis Librariae Regensbergianae, 1913; reprint, Padua : Il Messagero di S. Antonio, 1960, pp. 15, and 49.

Webgraphy. His engraving and biography in Histoire de tous les cardinaux françois de naissance, ou qui ont esté promeus au cardinalat. [Volume 1] / by François Duchesne (1616-1693). Auteur du texte, in French, p. 429-430, Gallica; brief biographical data, in French, two-thirds down the page; portrait of a cardinal (17th-19th century), which is in the collegiate church of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon and possibly is Cardinal Arnaud de Via; the writing on the paper that the cardinal is holding in his hand says FUNDAVIT EAM ALTISSIMUS (founded by the Most High), which can be interpreted as saying that although he (the cardinal) was the founder, the merit of the foundation should be attributed to God.

(1) This is according to "Essai de liste générale des cardinaux. Les cardinaux du XIVè siècle jusqu'au Grand Schisme". Annuaire Pontifical Catholique 1930, p. 143; other sources say that he was the bishop of that see; Eubel, Hierarchia Catholica Medii Aevi, I, 123 and 330, says that and others say that Gasbert de la Val and Adhemar Ameli, both bishops of Marseille, were the administrators of the see of Avigon between February 3, 1323 and 1334; and the same source adds that Pope John XXII reserved the see for himself in 1324 and 1334.

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