The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church - Biographical Dictionary

The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church

Biographical Dictionary
Pope Julius II (1503-1513)
Consistory of November 29, 1503 (I)

(1) 1. GROSSO DELLA ROVERE, O.F.M.Conv., Clemente (ca. 1462-1504)

Birth. Ca. 1462, Savona. Second child of Antonio Grosso and Maria Basso della Rovere. Brother of Cardinal Leonardo Grosso della Rovere (1505). Grand-nephew of Pope Sixtus IV, on his mother's side. Nephew of Cardinal Girolamo Basso della Rovere (1477). Relative of Cardinal Galeotto Franciotti della Rovere (1503). Second cousin of Pope Julius II. He was also known as Cardinal Della Rovere.

Education. Entered the order of the Friars Minor Conventual (Franciscans) in Savona; member of the province of Liguria. (No further educational information found).

Sacred orders. (No information found).

Early life. Referendary of the Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature. Papal treasurer in Perugia.

Episcopate. Elected bishop of Mende, October 27, 1483. Consecrated (no information found). Abbot comendatario of the Cistercian monastery of Notre-Dame de Bonnecombe, diocese of Rodez, April 29, 1493. Named vice-legate in Avignon by Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, with faculty to represent him, 1495; rector of Comtat Venaissin, 1496. For reasons of health, he asked to be relieved from that post in 1501 but the citizens opposed this and sent a delegation to Cardinal della Rovere in Spring 1502; on April 11, 1502, he left Avignon and was replaced by Galeotto Franciotto della Rovere. Received into the corporation of doctors of the University of Avignon, June 26, 1496; its primicerius, May 1500.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of November 29, 1503; received the red hat, December 4, 1503; and the title of Ss. XII Apostoli (1), December 6, 1503. Due to his bad health, he retired to Perugia in the summer of 1504.

Death. August 18, 1504, near 4 a.m., suddenly after having returned to Rome. Buried in the chapel of Sixtus IV in the patriarchal Vatican basilica, Rome. It is not known with certitude if he remained buried there or if he was translated to the church of S. Francesco a Ripa, where his family had right of burial (2).

Bibliography. Berton, Charles. Dictionnaire des cardinaux, contenant des notions générales sur le cardinalat, la nomenclature complète ..., des cardinaux de tous less temps et de tous les pays ... les détails biographiques essentiels sur tous les cardinaux ... de longues études sur les cardinaux célèbre ... Paris : J.-P. Migne, 1857 ; Facsimile edition. Farnborough ; Gregg, 1969, col. 1480; Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, III, 309; 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, 1630, II, col. 1374; Clément Grosso della Rovere" in "Essai de liste générale des cardinaux. VIII. Les cardinaux du XVIe siècle;. Annuaire Pontifical Catholique 1939. Paris : Maison de la Bonne Presse, 1939, p. 78; Eubel, Conradus and Gulik, Guglielmus van. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen II (1431-1503). Münich : Sumptibus et Typis Librariae Regensbergianae, 1914; reprint, Padua : Il Messagero di S. Antonio, 1960, p. 192; Eubel, Conradus and Gulik, Guglielmus van. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Münich : Sumptibus et Typis Librariae Regensbergianae, 1935; reprint, Padua : Il Messagero di S. Antonio, 1960, III, 10, 60 and 244; Ritzler, Remigius. "I cardinali e i papi dei Frati Minori Conventuali." Miscellanea Franciscana, LXXI (Gennaio-Giugno 1971), Fasc. I-II, 55-57; Weber, Christoph and Becker, Michael. Genealogien zur Papstgeschichte. 6 v. Stuttgart : Anton Hiersemann, 1999-2002. (Päpste und Papsttum, Bd. 29, 1-6), I, 336.

Webgraphy. Biography by Raissa Teodori, in Italian, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 60 (2003), Treccani; his effigy on a coin (right side); on the left is Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, future Pope Julius II; attributed to Giovanni Candida, British Museum, London, England.

(1) This is according to Eubel, Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, III, 10 and 60; Clément Grosso della Rovere" in "Essai de liste générale des cardinaux. VIII. Les cardinaux du XVIe siècle;. Annuaire Pontifical Catholique 1939, p. 78; and Ritzler, "I cardinali e i papi dei Frati Minori Conventuali." Miscellanea Franciscana, LXXI (Gennaio-Giugno 1971), Fasc. I-II, 56; Chacón, Vitæ, et res gestæ Pontificvm Romanorum et S. R. E. Cardinalivm, II, col. 1374, says that he received the title of S. Clemente; Ferdinando Ughelli, in his addition to Chacón, in that same column, says that the former was wrong and that the cardinal received the title of Ss. XII Apostoli; Berton, Dictionnaire des cardinaux, col. 1480, says that he first received the title of S. Clemente and later that of Ss. XII Apostoli; all the other sources consulted say that he received this latter title.
(2) This is according to Riztler, "I cardinali e i papi dei Frati Minori Conventuali." Miscellanea Franciscana, LXXI (Gennaio-Giugno 1971), Fasc. I-II, 57.

(2) 2. FRANCIOTTI DELLA ROVERE, Galeotto (1471-1507)

Birth. 1471, Lucca (or Rome). Of a noble family. Son of Francesco Franciotti and Luchina Della Rovere. Grand-nephew of Pope Sixtus IV. Nephew of Pope Julius II, on his mother's side. Half-brother of Cardinal Sisto Gara della Rovere (1507). Relative of Cardinals Clemente Grosso della Rovere, O.F.M.Conv. (1503); Leonardo Grosso della Rovere (1505); and Marcantonio Franciotti (1633). He was known as Cardinal Della Rovere. He is also listed as Galeottus de Franciottis.

Education. He had a singolare erudizione (1). (No further educational information found).

Sacred orders. (No information found).

Episcopate. Elected bishop of Lucca, October/November 1503; he was assisted in the government of the diocese by his nephew Giorgio Franciotti; occupied the see until his death. Consecrated, April 9, 1504, at the Vatican, Rome, by Pope Julius II, assisted by Cardinal Antonio Pallavicini, bishop of Orsense, and by Cardinal Giovanni San Giorgio, bishop of Parma; in the same ceremony were consecrated Cardinal Raffaele Sansone Riario, bishop of Albano; and future cardinals Francesco Alidosi, bishop of Mileto; Antonio Ferrero, bishop of Noli; and Gabriele de' Gabrielli, archbishop of Urbino.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of November 29, 1503; published, December 4, 1503; received the red hat and the title of S. Pietro in Vincoli, December 6, 1503. Administrator of the metropolitan see of Benevento, August 30, 1504; occupied the post until his death. Administrator of the see of Cremona, May 27, 1505; resigned the post shortly before his death. Vice-chancellor of the Holy Roman Church, May 31, 1505 until his death. Legate in Bologna , May 1506; and later in Rome. Administrator of the see of Vicenza, August 1507 (2). Abbot commendatario of Nonatola and of S. Benigno di Fruttaria. He was a patron of artists and intellectuals and a good friend of Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici, future Pope Leo X.

Death. September 11, 1507, of fever, Rome. Buried the following day in the chapel of S. Maria in the basilica of Ss. XII Apostoli (3), Rome (4). The funeral oration was pronounced by Tommaso Fedro Inghirami da Volterra. In Lucca, an honorary sepulchre was built in the chapel of the in the church of S. Agostino.

Bibliography. Berton, Charles. Dictionnaire des cardinaux, contenant des notions générales sur le cardinalat, la nomenclature complète ..., des cardinaux de tous less temps et de tous les pays ... les détails biographiques essentiels sur tous les cardinaux ... de longues études sur les cardinaux célèbre ... Paris : J.-P. Migne, 1857 ; Facsimile edition. Farnborough ; Gregg, 1969, col. 1480; Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, III, 309-310; 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, 1630, II, col. 1374; "Galeotto Franciotti della Rovere" in "Essai de liste généale des Cardinaux. VIII. Les Cardinaux du XVIe siècle." Annuaire Pontifical Catholique 1939. Paris : Maison de la Bonne Presse, 1939, p. 79; Eubel, Conradus and Gulik, Guglielmus van. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Münich : Sumptibus et Typis Librariae Regensbergianae, 1935; reprint, Padua : Il Messagero di S. Antonio, 1960, III, 10, 68, 132, 181, 228 and 333; Nicolai, Umberto. I vescovi di Lucca. Lucca : Tipografia Ricchielli, 1966, p. 23, no. 78; Sanclemente, Enrico. Series critico-chronologica episcoporvm cremonensivm svb avspiciis prætantissimi antistitis Homoboni Offredi ex authenticis monvmentis avcta et emendata svaqve integritati maxima ex parte restitvta. Cremonæ : apvd Josephvm Feraboli, MDCCCXI, p. 152; Weber, Christoph and Becker, Michael. Genealogien zur Papstgeschichte. 6 v. Stuttgart : Anton Hiersemann, 1999-2002. (Päpste und Papsttum, Bd. 29, 1-6), I, 428.

Webgraphy. Biography by Paolo Cherubini, in Italian, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 50 (1998), Treccani; his genealogy, A7 B4 C2, Genealogy.EU; his portrait (1700-1749), diocese of Vicenza, Beni Ecclesiastici in Web (BeWeb); his engraving and arms, Araldica Vaticana.

(1) Cardella, Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa, III, 309.
(2) Berton, Dictionnaire des cardinaux, col. 1408; Chacón, Vitæ, et res gestæ Pontificvm Romanorum et S. R. E. Cardinalivm, II, col. 1374; Cardella, Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa, III, 310, say that he occupied the see of Padua; but neither Eubel, Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, III, 267; nor Pius Bonfatius Gams, Series episcoporum Ecclesiae catholicae. (3 v. in 1. Graz : Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt, 1957), p. 798, list him among the occupants of that see; "Galeotto Franciotti della Rovere" in "Essai de liste généale des Cardinaux. VIII. Les Cardinaux du XVIe siècle." Annuaire Pontifical Catholique 1939, p. 79, does not mention either that he occupied the see of Padua.
(3) This is according to "Galeotto Franciotti della Rovere" in "Essai de liste généale des Cardinaux. VIII. Les Cardinaux du XVIe siècle." Annuaire Pontifical Catholique 1939, p. 78; Chacón, Vitæ, et res gestæ Pontificvm Romanorum et S. R. E. Cardinalivm, II, col. 1374, says that he was buried in the patriarchal Vatican basilica; and Cardella, Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa, III, 310, says that he was buried in the patriarchal Vatican basilica and that in 1625, his remains were transferred to the chapel of SS. Sagramento and placed next to the tomb of Pope Sixtus IV.
(4) This is the brief text of his epitaph taken from Chacón, Vitæ, et res gestæ Pontificvm Romanorum et S. R. E. Cardinalivm, II, col. 1374: DEPOSITVM. GALEOTTI. CARDINALIS S. PETRI. AD. VINCVLA.

(3) 3. CASTELNAU DE CLERMONT-LUDÈVE, François Guillaume de (1480-1541)

Birth. 1480, Clermont- Lodève, France. Of a noble family. Fourth child of Pierre Guillaume de Castelnau, signeur de Clermont-Lodève, grand sénéchal of France, and Catherine d'Amboise. His last name is also listed under Clermont-Lodève; and as Clermont only. Nephew of Cardinal Georges I d'Amboise (1498), on his mother's side. Cousin of Cardinal Louis II d'Amboise (1506). Related to Cardinals Georges d'Armagnac (1544) and Georges II d'Amboise (1545).

Education. Educated by his uncle the cardinal; obtained a licentiate in theology (no further educational information found).

Early life. Provost of Beaumont. Canon of the cathedral chapter of Albi. Abbot commendatario of the Benedictine monastery of Saint-Thibery, diocese of Agde, 1499; resigned after his promotion to the cardinalate. Protonotary apostolic.

Sacred orders. (No information found).

Episcopate. Named administrator of the see of Saint Pons de Tomières, November 17, 1501. Promoted to the metropolitan see of Narbonne, June 22, 1502; he had not yet received the priestly ordination; occupied the see until his death. Prior of Notre-Dame du Parc, diocese of Rouen, December 6, 1502.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal deacon in the consistory of November 29, 1503; published and received the red hat, December 4, 1503; and received the deaconry of S. Adriano, December 6, 1503. Abbot commendatario of Saint-Pierre de Jumièges, 1505-1510. Transferred to the see of Auch, July 4, 1507; granted the pallium, July 30, 1518; resigned the government of the see, June 14, 1538. Ambassador of King Louis XIII to Pope Julius II, who was disgusted with France, 1507. Named bishop of Senez, 1508; occupied the see until September 19, 1509. Sent in a mission to Milan and later to Rouen; returned to Rome by sea on Sunday October 15, 1508. His episcopal palace in Auch was occupied by a group of rebellious people; Pope Julius II asked the Parliament of Toulouse to punish them. Opted for the title of S. Stefano al Monte Celio, May 2, 1509; retained the deaconry of S. Adriano in commendam until March 17, 1511. Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals, 1509-1510. On June 29, 1510, he was arrested with one of his cousins and imprisoned for some time in Castello Sant'Angelo for having wanted to leave Rome without the pope's permission. He signed the bull of convocation of the 5th Lateran Council, 1511. Administrator of the see of Saint Pons de Tomières, July 9 1511; occupied the post until July 28, 1514; in exchange he received the town and the maison of Villeneuve in that diocese. Abbot commendatario of Saint-Pierre de Lagny, 1512-1521. Legate in Avignon until his death. Did not participate in the conclave of 1513, which elected Pope Leo X. The pope confirmed him as prior commendatario of the Augustinian priorate of Santa Maria de la Fuente de Dios Tanbien, diocese of Astorga, March 19, 1513. Abbot comendatario of the abbeys of San Pedro de Besalu, diocese of Gerona, 1513 to 1516. Cardinal primoprete, June 1521. Abbot commendatario of Saint-Martin de Villamagne, diocese of Béziers, 1521-1528. Did not participate in the conclave of 1521-1522, which elected Pope Adrian VI. Arrived in Rome as French ambassador and legate in Avignon, December 6, 1522; returned to Avignon, June 23, 1523. Named bishop of Valence, January 11, 1523; resigned the see in favor of his nephew Antoine du Vesc, May 10, 1531. Participated in the conclave of 1523, which elected Pope Clement VII. Opted for the order of cardinal bishops and the suburbicarian see of Frascati, December 18, 1523 (1). Named bishop of Agde, May 10, 1531; occupied the see until his death. Did not participate in the conclave of 1534, which elected Pope Paul III. Administrator of the see of Saint Pons de Tomières, November 20, 1534; resigned the post, March 24, 1539.

Death. Shortly before March 13, 1541 (2), Avignon. Buried in the church of the Celestines in Pont-sur-Sorgues.

Bibliography. Berton, Charles. Dictionnaire des cardinaux, contenant des notions générales sur le cardinalat, la nomenclature complète ..., des cardinaux de tous less temps et de tous les pays ... les détails biographiques essentiels sur tous les cardinaux ... de longues études sur les cardinaux célèbre ... Paris : J.-P. Migne, 1857 ; Facsimile edition. Farnborough ; Gregg, 1969, col. 686; Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, III, 307-308; 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, 1630, II, col. 1373; "François-Guillaume de Castelanu de Clermont-Lodève" in "Essai de liste générale des Cardinaux. VIII. Les Cardinaux du XVIe siècle." Annuaire Pontifical Catholique de 1939. Paris : Maison de la Bonne Presse, 1939, p. 79; Eubel, Conradus and Gulik, Guglielmus van. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen II (1431-1503). Münich : Sumptibus et Typis Librariae Regensbergianae, 1914; reprint, Padua : Il Messagero di S. Antonio, 1960, pp. 218 and 199; Eubel, Conradus and Gulik, Guglielmus van. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Münich : Sumptibus et Typis Librariae Regensbergianae, 1935; reprint, Padua : Il Messagero di S. Antonio, 1960, III, 10, 58, 70, 72, 84, 97, 125, 277, 297 and 326; Fisquet, Honoré Jean Pierre. La France pontificale (Gallia Christiana) : histoire chronologique et biographique des archevêques et évêques de tous les diocèses de France depuis l'etablissement du Christianisme jusqu' à nos jours, divisée en 18 provinces ecclésiastiques. 21 vols. Paris : E. Repos, 1864-1874, VI, 506-511.

Webgraphy. Biography, in Italian, Diocesi Suburbicara Tuscolana; biography, in French, under "1540 GUILHEM"; biography, in French, pp. 506-511.

(1) Berton, Dictionnaire des cardinaux, col. 686; Chacón, Vitæ, et res gestæ Pontificvm Romanorum et S. R. E. Cardinalivm, II, col. 1373; and "François-Guillaume de Castelanu de Clermont-Lodève" in "Essai de liste généale des Cardinaux. VIII. Les Cardinaux du XVIe siècle." Annuaire Pontifical Catholique de 1939, p. 79, say that he was dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals; the latter source says that he never occupied the see of Ostia e Velletri.
(2) This is according to Eubel, Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, III, 10; Fisquet, La France pontificale (Gallia Christiana), VI, 506, says that he died in 1540; and on VI, 511, indicates that the cardinal died in February 1541; this is according to the vieux style, which counted the years from Easter to Easter instead of from January to December; therefore, March 2, 1540, translated to the normal calendar is March 2, 1541; Fisquet adds that the news of his death reached Rome on March 3, 1541; Ferdinando Ughelli, Cist. in his addition to Chacón, Vitæ, et res gestæ Pontificvm Romanorum et S. R. E. Cardinalivm, II, col. 1373, says that he died in 1540.

(4) 4. ZÚÑIGA Y PIMENTEL, Juan (1465-1504)

Birth. 1465 (1), Béjar, diocese of Plasencia, Spain. Son of Álvaro de Zúñiga, duke of Plasencia, and Leonor de Pimentel, duchess of Arévalo (2). They were also the dukes of Béjar. His last name is also listed as Stúñiga, Stunniga; as Zunniga; as Zubiga; and as Estunica.

Early life. At a young age, he demonstrated aptitude for the arms and his parents provided the occasion for him to cultivate it (3). Grand maestre of the Order of Alcántara, January 23, 1475. He distinguished himself in the sieges of Málaga, Baeza and Granada against the Moors; greatly contributed to the conquest of the kingdom of Granada from the infidels in 1492. On November 20, 1494, he resigned as grand maestre of the order into the hands of King Ferdinand I of Spain (4), who united the order to his crown. He retired to Villanueva de la Serena and had a monastery built to live in solitude with other knights under the rule of Saint Benedict, which was the rule of his former military order.

Education. After resigning his post of grand maestre, he studied at the monastery of La Serena under the direcction of Antonio de Nebrija, who taught him Latin and dedicated to him the Diccionario latino-español (1492); Fray Gutierre de Trejo, knight of Alcántara, taught him law; Fr. Domingo, O.P., taught him theology; Abasurto, a Jewish astrologer, taught him the esfera; and Maestro Solórzano, music. At the same time, he developed a passion for hunting. He obtained a prebend in the cathedral of Burgos. The Spanish monarchs named him archbishop of Sevilla and he accepted in 1502.

Sacred orders. (No information found).

Episcopate. Elected archbishop of Sevilla, May 5, 1503; took possession by procurator, January 18, 1504; he made the solemn entrance in June 1504; occupied the see until his death. Consecrated (no information found). He was promoted to the cardinalate at the instance of the Spanish monarchs.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of November 29, 1503; published, December 4, 1503; received the title of Ss. Nereo ed Achilleo, December 6, 1503; the red hat was sent to him with a papal bull on February 24, 1504. He left Sevilla for the court on July 17, 1504; while he was travelling through Extremadura, he died. He was a patron of the arts.

Death. July 26, 1504 (5), after a brief illness that lasted only one day, granja Mirabal of the monastery of Guadalupe, Cáceres, Extremadura. His body was deposited temporarily in the church of Santa Catalina of that monastery; in 1533 it was transferred to the main chapel of the Dominican convent of San Vicente de Ferrer, Plasencia, founded by his mother, and buried there. On August 17, 1504, Pope Julius II expressed his sorrow for the death of the cardinal.

Bibliography. Berton, Charles. Dictionnaire des cardinaux, contenant des notions générales sur le cardinalat, la nomenclature complète ..., des cardinaux de tous less temps et de tous les pays ... les détails biographiques essentiels sur tous les cardinaux ... de longues études sur les cardinaux célèbre ... Paris : J.-P. Migne, 1857 ; Facsimile edition. Farnborough ; Gregg, 1969, col. 1702; Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, III, 308-309; 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, 1630, II, col. 1373-1374; "Jean de Zuniga" in "Essai de liste généale des Cardinaux. VIII. Les Cardinaux du XVIe siècle." Annuaire Pontifical Catholique de 1939. Paris : Maison de la Bonne Presse, 1939, p. 79; Eubel, Conradus and Gulik, Guglielmus van. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen II (1431-1503). Münich : Sumptibus et Typis Librariae Regensbergianae, 1914; reprint, Padua : Il Messagero di S. Antonio, 1960, p. 165; Eubel, Conradus and Gulik, Guglielmus van. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Münich : Sumptibus et Typis Librariae Regensbergianae, 1935; reprint, Padua : Il Messagero di S. Antonio, 1960, III, 10, 67 and 211; Goñi, J. "Zúñiga, Juan de." Diccionario de historia eclesiástica de España. 4 vols and Supplement. Dirigido por Quintín Aldea Vaquero, Tomás Marín Martínez, José Vives Gatell. Madrid : Instituto Enrique Flórez, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 1972-1975, IV, 2816-2817; Guitarte Izquierdo, Vidal. Episcopologio Español (1500-1699). Españoles obispos en españa, América, Filipinas y otros países. Rome : Instituto Español de Historia Eclesiástica, 1994. (Publicaciones del Instituto Español de Historia Eclesiástica; Subsidia; 34), p. 20.

Webgraphy. Biography by Feliciano Novoa Portela, in Spanish, DB~e, Diccionario Biográfico Español; Don Juán de Zúñiga, mecenas de las artes, in Spanish; his painting receiving lessons from Antonio de Nebrija in Villa de Gata, Extremadura, Spain; his arms, Araldica Vaticana; his tomb, Requiem Datenbank.

(1) This is according to Guitarte, Episcopologio Español (1500-1699), p. 20; Goñi, J. "Zúñiga, Juan de." Diccionario de historia eclesiástica de España, IV, 2816, says that he was born ca. 1492, which could be a typographical error for 1462; "Jean de Zuniga" in "Essai de liste généale des Cardinaux. VIII. Les Cardinaux du XVIe siècle." Annuaire Pontifical Catholique de 1939, p. 80, says that he was born in 1474. In 1461, the marriage of his parents was validated; they had contracted matrimony before, without the necessary dispensation because his mother, Leonor de Pimentel, was the niece and god-daughter of her husband, Alvaro de Zúñiga.
(2) According to Goñi, J. "Zúñiga, Diccionario de historia eclesiástica de España, IV, 2816, the chronicles of the Order of Preachers, Dominicans, and other ancient sources, while Juan was a boy, he died of an acute illness but was resuscitated hours later through the intercession of Saint Vincent Ferrer, whom his mother, who promised to found a convent in his honor, invoked.
(3) Fray Gómez de Cáceres y Solís, maestre of the Order of Alcánatra was deposed for his delicts and on October 19, 1472, Fray Alonso de Monroy was elected in his place; he supported King Enrique IV and later, the Catholic Monarchs, Fernando of Aragón and Isabel of Castilla. The duchess of Arévalo, mother of Juan, who was a ten year old boy, saw in this occasion the opportunity to advance his career; with permission of King Enrique, she asked the pope to reserve that office, when it became vacant, for her son; in the meantime, the deposed maestre had not accepted his removal and resisted it militarily. When Pope Sixtus IV was the master general of his order, before his election to the pontificate, he visited the Franciscan convents in Spain and Juan's parents hosted him with great magnificence; at this moment, they sent him many good presents in recognition of the old friendship; the pope assented to their request and by a bull of February 20, 1473, granted the new maestre dispensation for his young age. The deposed maestre died and Fray Alonso de Monroy made himself be elected again on May 28, 1473; everything seemed to be in his favor: the support of the Catholic Monarchs and the constitutions of his order; unfortunately, he was imprisoned when the duke of Arévalo, Juan's father, intimated the papal bull as administrator for his son during the latter's minority; Juan took the habit and the dignity of maestre on January 23, 1475. He was the last maestre of Alcántara.
(4) He resigned through an elaborated capitulació signed on that date; he reserved for himself for life the administration and the rents of the party of La Serena; he would from that time on depend directly on the pope and would receive a million in rent for the party of Alcántara; the capitulació also provided that the maestre could receive the sacred order and to enjoy ecclesiastical dignities; likewise, he would obtain, anticipatedly, dispensation for the simony incurred by the signing of this capitulació.
(5) This is according to Goñi, J. Zúñiga Diccionario de historia eclesiástica de España, IV, 2817; Eubel, Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, III, 10, 67 and 211; and "Jean de Zuniga" in "Essai de liste généale des Cardinaux. VIII. Les Cardinaux du XVIe siècle." Annuaire Pontifical Catholique de 1939, p. 79, say that he died on August 14, 1504; Chacón, Alfonso. Vitæ, et res gestæ Pontificvm Romanorum et S. R. E. Cardinalivm, II, col. 1373-1374, says that he died on anno sequenti 1504. in Hispania Guadolupi 6 Kalend. Augusti diem.