French cardinal
Jean Bilhères de Lagraulas or Jean Villier de la Grolaie , or Groslaye etc., also called the Cardinal of Saint-Denis (died 1499), was a French Roman Catholic abbot , bishop and from 1493 cardinal . He died as French ambassador in Rome , and is remembered for commissioning Michelangelo in 1498 to sculpt his Pietà St. Peter's Basilica .
Biography
Jean Bilhères de Lagraulas was born in Gascony in 1435 or 1439, the son of a noble family.[ 1] seigneur Lagraulas , Camicas and, probably, Billère .[ 1]
Jean Bilhères de Lagraulas entered the Order of Saint Benedict at a young age.[ 1] Abbot of Pessan Abbey in Pessan .[ 1]
He served as a royal counselor to Louis XI of France .[ 1] John V, Count of Armagnac , John II of Aragon claimed control of the Quatre-Vallées , which were also claimed by John V's sister.[ 1] [ 1]
Michelangelo 's Pietà Chapel of St. Petronilla , the chapel of the King of France in St. Peter's Basilica .In gratitude for his service, Louis XI of France had him elected Bishop of Lombez on 5 July 1473.[ 1] [ 1] Abbey of Saint-Denis .[ 1] [ 1] Pope Sixtus IV , who had wanted Cardinal Guillaume d'Estouteville to become the abbot, so the pope initially withheld his approval, but eventually relented in summer 1475.[ 1]
In 1477, Bilhères was Louis XI's ambassador to the Catholic Monarchs .[ 1] regent , Anne of France , appointed Bilhères to the Council of State .[ 1] president of the Court of Aids in 1483.[ 1] president of the Estates General held at Tours .[ 1] Keeper of the Seals of France on several occasions.[ 1]
In 1485, Charles VIII of France named him president of the Exchequer of Normandy .[ 1] parlement the Duke of Orléans explain his conduct.[ 1] ambassador to the Holy Roman Empire .[ 1] Holy See in Rome .[ 1] coadjutor bishop of Santes from 2 December 1491 until August 1492.[ 1]
Charles VIII recommended that the pope make Bilhères a cardinal, and, before his death, Pope Innocent VIII named him governor of Rome.[ 1] Pope Alexander VI then made him a cardinal priest in the consistory of 20 September 1493.[ 1] red hat and the titular church of Santa Sabina on 23 September 1493.[ 1]
He accompanied King Charles VIII in his entrance in Rome on 31 December 1494 at the start of the Italian War of 1494–1498 .[ 1] [ 1] [ 1]
On 26 October 1496 he was named Bishop of Condom in commendam Bishop of Viviers in commendam ; he occupied both of these sees until his death.[ 1]
In 1498, he commissioned Michelangelo to sculpt his Pietà Chapel of Santa Petronilla , the chapel of the King of France in St. Peter's Basilica .[ 1]
He died in Rome on 6 August 1499.[ 1] [ 1]
References
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