The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church

Biographical Dictionary
Clement VI (1342-1352)
Consistory of May 19, 1344 (II)


(12) 1. BERTRAND, iuniore, Pierre (1299-1361)

Birth. March 25, 1299, Colombier, near Annonay, diocese of Viviers, France. Son of Barthélemy, seigneur of Colombier. Nephew of Cardinal Pierre Bertrand, seniore (1331), on his mother's side. He changed his last name (originally Colombier) in honor of his uncle the cardinal. He is also listed as Pierre Bertrand de Colombier; and as Pierre de Colombiers; and his last name as Bertrandi; and as Bertrand de Colombier.

Education. Studied at La Sorbonne University, Paris.

Early life. Counselor of the parliament in 1329. Professor of law at the University of Montpellier. Dean of Saint-Quentin, diocese of Noyon. Canon of the cathedral chapter of Le Mans in 1330. Later, canon of the cathedral chapters of Lyon and Autun.

Sacred orders. He was a subdeacon at the time of his promotion to the episcopate.

Episcopate. Elected bishop of Nevers, January 20, 1335. Consecrated (no information found). Transferred to the see of Arras, March 5, 1339.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest of S. Susanna in the consistory of May 19, 1344. Participated in the conclave of 1352, which elected Pope Innocent VI. Opted for the order of cardinal bishops and the suburbicarian see of Ostia e Velletri, at the beginning of 1353.

Death. July 13, 1361, of the plague, priorate of Montaut, near Avignon. Buried in the Celestine monastery of Colombier-le-Cardinal, near Annonay, which he had founded and endowed.

Bibliography. Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, II, 170-172; 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. 498-499; 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, 525-531; "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. 151; 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. 18, 36, 48, 116 and 369.

Webgraphy. Biography by Joseph Sollier, in English, The Catholic Encyclopedia; biography, in English. Wikipedia; his engraving and biography, Histoire de tous les cardinaux françois de naissance, ou qui ont esté promeus au cardinalat. [Volume 1] / ... par François Duchesne (1616-1693). Auteur du texte, in French, Gallica, p. 525-531; his image, wall medallion of the third quarter of the 17th century, château Colombier (probably the former convent of the Celestines), Centre de Recherche des Monuments Historiques, Ministère de la culture (France), Médiathèque de l'architecture et du patrimoine; his engraving and arms, Araldica Vaticana.

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(13) 2. BESSE, Nicolas de (?-1369)

Birth. (No date found), diocese of Limoges, France. Son of Jacques de Besse, seigneur of Bellafaye, and Dauphine (or Almodie) Roger. Nephew of Pope Clement VI, on his mother's side. Cousin of Pope Gregory XI. His last name is also listed as de Bellefaye; as de Bella; and as de Bessa.

Education. Studied law.

Early life. Professor of law at the University of Orléans. Archdeacon of Ponthieu, diocese of Amiens. Chaplain and commensal of the pope.

Episcopate. Elected bishop of Limoges, August 27, 1343; he never received the episcopal consecration.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal deacon of S. Maria in Via Lata in the consistory of May 19, 1344; he entered the papal curia in Avignon on June 1, 1344. Participated in the conclave of 1352, which elected Pope Innocent VI. Participated in the conclave of 1362, which elected Pope Urban V. He accompanied Pope Urban V to Rome in 1367. Cardinal protodeacon in April 1368. Protector of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans).

Death. November 5, 1369, Rome. His body was transferred to Limoges and buried in its cathedral.

Bibliography. Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, II, 172-173; 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. 499-500; 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, 517-518; "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. 151; 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. 18, 52 and 301.

Webgraphy. His arms and biography, Histoire de tous les cardinaux françois de naissance, ou qui ont esté promeus au cardinalat. [Volume 1] / par François Duchesne (1616-1693). Auteur du texte, in French, Gallica, p. 517-518; his engraving and arms, Araldica Vaticana.

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