Nicolas Perrenot de Granvelle facts for kids
Nicolas Perrenot de Granvelle (1486–1550) was an important politician from a region called Franc-Comté. He was a very trusted helper and advisor to Emperor Charles V. Nicolas also had a lot of power in the Netherlands. From 1530 until he passed away, he was one of the Emperor's most important advisors in Germany. His son, Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle, also became a famous cardinal and politician. Nicolas built a grand house called the Palace Granvelle in Besançon.
Nicolas Granvelle's Life
In 1518, Nicolas became a lawyer. When he was 34 years old, he was asked to join the Parliament of the Free County of Burgundy.
In 1519, Charles V was chosen as Emperor. He was only 19 years old. Nicolas Perrenot de Granvelle quickly became a very close and trusted advisor to the young Emperor. He was even made the chancellor of the empire. Nicolas's sons and sons-in-law also got important jobs at the Emperor's court.
In 1527, Nicolas bought a piece of land called Grandvelle. This land was in a place now known as Haute-Saône. It later became famous as Granvelle. In 1530, after another advisor named Mercurino Gattinara died, Nicolas became one of Emperor Charles V's most trusted advisors in the Holy Roman Empire. He kept this important role until he died.
Nicolas passed away on August 27, 1550. He was 64 years old. He died while attending an important meeting called the Imperial Diet in Augsburg. Nicolas owned a large collection of art and many books. His books are now kept in the Bibliothèque municipale de Besançon.
His Family and Legacy
In 1513, Nicolas married Nicole de Bonvalot. She was the daughter of Jacques de Bonvalot. Nicolas and Nicole had 15 children! Three of their children grew up to have very important jobs in politics.
Their oldest son who lived, Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle, became an Archbishop and a cardinal. He also worked as a diplomat and advisor for Emperor Charles V. Another son, Jérôme de Perrenot, became a diplomat for Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor. He also looked after the young William the Silent. The youngest son, Frédéric Perrenot de Champagney, worked for the Habsburg family as a soldier and diplomat.
The Perrenot family started with humble beginnings in the Franche-Comté region. But in just two generations, they became the most powerful and richest family there. The Granvelle Palace in Besançon is a great symbol of how quickly they became successful and important.
See also
In Spanish: Nicolás Perrenot de Granvela para niños
