Gaspar de Quiroga y Vela
Encyclopedia
Gaspar de Quiroga y Vela (Madrigal de las Altas Torres
, Ávila, 13 January 1512 - 20 November 1595) was a prominent Catholic official who rose to become General Inquisitor of Spain, from 1573 to 1595, and Archbishop of Toledo from 1577 to 1595. He was named a Cardinal
by Pope Gregory X in 1578. He was the nephew of the 1st Bishop of Michoacán
, Mexico
, Vasco de Quiroga
, (1470 - 1565).
. He was sent by King Philip II
as an envoy to Rome
and to the Spanish-administered territories in the Italian peninsula.
He served as a member of the Spanish High Council of Justice since 1563 and as Bishop of Cuenca, (1561–1577), being then promoted to Archbishop of Toledo, to replace former Imperial diplomat Archbishop of Toledo, Navarrese from the Dominican Order
Bartolomé de Carranza,(Miranda de Arga
, Navarra, 1503 – Rome
, Italy
, 2 May 1576) in prison in Rome
for some further 9 years, while defended there in front of Pope Pius V, deceased May 1572, by Navarrese Martín de Azpilizcueta y Jaureguizar, ( Barásoain, Navarra, 13 December 1492 - Rome
, Italy
, 21 June 1586) to take him out of the clutches of Inquisitor
Fernando de Valdés Salas, (1483 - 1567), who had detained him previously for the period August 1559 - April 1567, some 8 years.
He was a patron in Toledo of the Greek-Spanish painter Doménikos Theotokópoulos, usually known as El Greco
, (1541 - resident in Toledo
, Spain
, since 1577 - Toledo
, Spain
, 1614).
It is claimed that Quiroga portrait is found in the face of Saint Augustine in the famous Greco painting The Burial of the Count of Orgaz
.
Quiroga liberated from the Inquisition's prisons the mystical poet Fray Luis de León, (1527 - 1591) who had been imprisoned for over 4 years at Valladolid
, from March 1572 until December 1576, for publishing, amongst other things, a Spanish translation of the Song of Solomon
, both of his parents having Jewish ancestry albeit being himself an Augustinian monk expert in Greek, Latin and Hebrew.
Around 1584, Quiroga built at the other side of the River Tagus, in the area known as the "Cigarrales", a summer house now occupied by a hotel.
Madrigal de las Altas Torres
Madrigal de las Altas Torres is a municipality located in the province of Ávila, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2005 census , the municipality has a population of 1,825 inhabitants. In this village, Isabella I of Castille was born in 1451....
, Ávila, 13 January 1512 - 20 November 1595) was a prominent Catholic official who rose to become General Inquisitor of Spain, from 1573 to 1595, and Archbishop of Toledo from 1577 to 1595. He was named a Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
by Pope Gregory X in 1578. He was the nephew of the 1st Bishop of Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Vasco de Quiroga
Vasco de Quiroga
Vasco de Quiroga was the first bishop of Michoacán, Mexico and one of the judges in the second Audiencia that governed New Spain from January 10, 1531 to April 16, 1535....
, (1470 - 1565).
Life
He was educated as a Doctor in Theology and Law at the University of SalamancaUniversity of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
. He was sent by King Philip II
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
as an envoy to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and to the Spanish-administered territories in the Italian peninsula.
He served as a member of the Spanish High Council of Justice since 1563 and as Bishop of Cuenca, (1561–1577), being then promoted to Archbishop of Toledo, to replace former Imperial diplomat Archbishop of Toledo, Navarrese from the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
Bartolomé de Carranza,(Miranda de Arga
Miranda de Arga
Miranda de Arga is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain.-External links:*...
, Navarra, 1503 – Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, 2 May 1576) in prison in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
for some further 9 years, while defended there in front of Pope Pius V, deceased May 1572, by Navarrese Martín de Azpilizcueta y Jaureguizar, ( Barásoain, Navarra, 13 December 1492 - Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, 21 June 1586) to take him out of the clutches of Inquisitor
Inquisitor
An inquisitor was an official in an Inquisition, an organisation or program intended to eliminate heresy and other things frowned on by the Roman Catholic Church...
Fernando de Valdés Salas, (1483 - 1567), who had detained him previously for the period August 1559 - April 1567, some 8 years.
He was a patron in Toledo of the Greek-Spanish painter Doménikos Theotokópoulos, usually known as El Greco
El Greco
El Greco was a painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. "El Greco" was a nickname, a reference to his ethnic Greek origin, and the artist normally signed his paintings with his full birth name in Greek letters, Δομήνικος Θεοτοκόπουλος .El Greco was born on Crete, which was at...
, (1541 - resident in Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, since 1577 - Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, 1614).
It is claimed that Quiroga portrait is found in the face of Saint Augustine in the famous Greco painting The Burial of the Count of Orgaz
The Burial of the Count of Orgaz
The Burial of the Count of Orgaz is a painting by El Greco, a painter, sculptor, and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. Widely considered among his finest works, it illustrates a popular local legend of his time. An exceptionally large painting, it is very clearly divided into two sections,...
.
Quiroga liberated from the Inquisition's prisons the mystical poet Fray Luis de León, (1527 - 1591) who had been imprisoned for over 4 years at Valladolid
Valladolid
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...
, from March 1572 until December 1576, for publishing, amongst other things, a Spanish translation of the Song of Solomon
Song of Solomon
The Song of Songs of Solomon, commonly referred to as Song of Songs or Song of Solomon, is a book of the Hebrew Bible—one of the megillot —found in the last section of the Tanakh, known as the Ketuvim...
, both of his parents having Jewish ancestry albeit being himself an Augustinian monk expert in Greek, Latin and Hebrew.
Around 1584, Quiroga built at the other side of the River Tagus, in the area known as the "Cigarrales", a summer house now occupied by a hotel.