Gil de Albornoz y Espinosa facts for kids
Gil de Albornoz y Espinosa (born in 1581, died on December 19, 1649) was an important Spanish Cardinal in the Catholic Church. He was known in Italian as Egidio Carillo Albornozio. He led the Spanish group during the big meeting in 1644 where a new Pope was chosen.
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Early Life and Education
Gil de Albornoz was born in 1581 in a town called Talavera de la Reina in Spain. His father, Francisco de Albornoz, was a knight in the Order of Calatrava. His mother, Felipa de Espinosa, was related to a very powerful Cardinal named Diego de Espinosa.
Gil de Albornoz studied to become a civil lawyer. He went to universities in Oviedo and Salamanca.
Becoming a Cardinal
In 1630, Gil de Albornoz became the Archbishop of Taranto. This was a very important religious position. Just a few months later, in August 1630, he was made a Cardinal. A Cardinal is a high-ranking official in the Catholic Church, just below the Pope.
He became a trusted religious advisor to King Philip IV of Spain. He helped the King talk with Pope Urban VIII. The Pope was friendly with France, and Gil de Albornoz helped manage these discussions. He also helped with talks about the Wars of Castro, which were conflicts in Italy. From 1632, he was Spain's main representative among all the Cardinals.
Governor of Milan
Between July 1634 and November 1635, Gil de Albornoz had another important job. He was appointed the Governor of the Duchy of Milan. This area in Italy was controlled by Spain at the time. As Governor, he was in charge of ruling the region.
The Papal Election of 1644
Gil de Albornoz played a big part in the Papal Conclave of 1644. This was a special meeting where Cardinals chose the next Pope. During this meeting, he used Spain's power to stop one Cardinal, Giulio Cesare Sacchetti, from becoming Pope. This was called the "Spanish veto." Cardinal Sacchetti was supported by France and its leader, Cardinal Jules Mazarin.
Even though he was asked to go back to Spain, Gil de Albornoz stayed in Rome. He lived there until he passed away on December 19, 1649. He was buried in a church in Rome called S. Anna nel Quirinale.
See also
In Spanish: Gil de Albornoz y Espinosa para niños
