Francisco de Remolins facts for kids
Francisco de Remolins (born 1462, died 1518) was an important Spanish church leader. People also knew him as the Cardinal of Sorrento. He became a bishop and then a cardinal in the Catholic Church.
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Early Life and Education
Francisco de Remolins was born in a city called Lleida in 1462. He was a very smart student. He first studied law at the University of Lleida. Later, he continued his studies at the University of Pisa. There, he earned a special degree in law.
Joining the Church
When he was young, Remolins got married. However, his marriage was later ended. After this, he decided to join the church. He became a secretary for Ferdinand II of Aragon, who was the King of Aragon. The king then sent him to represent him at the Holy See, which is the main office of the Pope in Rome. Remolins also became a teacher for Cesare Borgia, who was a powerful figure at the time.
Remolins took on several roles in the church. He worked as a cantor (a church singer) in the main church of Mazzara. He also became a special church official called a protonotary apostolic. Later, he worked as an auditor (someone who checks things) for important church courts in Rome.
Becoming a Bishop and Cardinal
Around 1496, a cardinal named Luis Julian de Milà made Remolins an auxiliary bishop for the area of Lleida. This means he helped the main bishop. Cardinal de Milà officially made him a bishop that same year.
In 1498, Remolins was sent to Florence for a special task. He helped with a process against a famous preacher named Girolamo Savonarola.
Because his family was close to Pope Alexander VI, Remolins moved to work directly for the Pope. In 1501, the Pope made him the governor of Rome. In this role, he had to deal with the Pope's enemies, like the Colonna and Orsini families.
On March 3, 1501, he became the Archbishop of Sorrento. He held this important job for many years. At one point, he was captured by the Ottoman Empire and the church had to pay money to free him.
Pope Alexander VI made him a cardinal priest on May 31, 1503. This was a very high honor in the church. He was given a special church in Rome called Santi Giovanni e Paolo.
Papal Conclaves and Diplomacy
Remolins took part in two important meetings to choose a new Pope in 1503. He was there when Pope Pius III was elected. Then, he was also present when Pope Julius II became Pope.
After Pope Julius II was elected, Cardinal Remolins was worried. He thought he might be in trouble because of his past connections. So, he left Rome for a short time. However, the new Pope sent him a friendly letter, and Remolins returned to serve him.
As a diplomat, Remolins helped the Pope gain control of a region called the Romagna. He also worked for King Ferdinand II of Aragon during a war against France.
Later Career and Death
In 1504, Remolins became the Bishop of Fermo. He held this position until he died, even though he never visited the area in person. From 1511 to 1513, he served as the Viceroy of Naples, which meant he was the king's representative in that region.
He continued to hold many important church roles. He attended the Fifth Council of the Lateran, which was a major meeting of church leaders. He also became the apostolic administrator for the area of Palermo. He strongly supported the Roman Inquisition, which was a church court.
Remolins also participated in the meeting that elected Pope Leo X in 1513. He continued to serve as an administrator for several other church areas.
In 1517, he was part of a group of cardinals who investigated two other cardinals accused of plotting against the Pope. He was the head of this group and sentenced one of the cardinals to death. Later that year, he was part of a group of cardinals planning a war against the Ottoman Empire.
Francisco de Remolins died in Rome on February 5, 1518. He was first buried in a church called Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. Later, he was reburied in another church, Santa Maria sopra Minerva.
