Henri Spondanus
Encyclopedia
Henri Spondanus (born at Mauléon
, in the French Department of Basses-Pyrénées, January 6, 1568; died at Toulouse
, May 18, 1643) was a French Catholic jurist, historian and continuator of the Annals compiled by Cardinal Baronius, and Bishop of Pamiers. He was a convert from Calvinism
.
After studying humanities at the Calvinist college of Orthez
, he accompanied the royal ambassador to Scotland and, upon his return, took up the study of jurisprudence
. In 1589 he was jurist at the Parlement
of Tours
.
Convinced by the writings of Robert Bellarmine
and the instructions of Duperron
, he became a Catholic, 21 September 1595. In 1600 he accompanied Cardinal François de Sourdis
to Rome, where he was ordained priest on 7 March 1606; Pope Paul V
then appointed him reviser of the briefs of the Apostolic Penitentiary
.
In 1625 he was created Bishop of Pamiers. He labored for the preservation of Catholicism and converted numerous Protestants. Owing to ill-health, he resigned his diocese in 1639 and retired to Toulouse.
His writings are:
Mauléon
Mauléon is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Mauléon, in the Deux-Sèvres département* Mauléon-Licharre, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département...
, in the French Department of Basses-Pyrénées, January 6, 1568; died at Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, May 18, 1643) was a French Catholic jurist, historian and continuator of the Annals compiled by Cardinal Baronius, and Bishop of Pamiers. He was a convert from Calvinism
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
.
After studying humanities at the Calvinist college of Orthez
Orthez
Orthez is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It lies 40 km NW of Pau on the Southern railway to Bayonne. The town also encompasses the small village of Sainte-Suzanne thus residents of the town are called either Orthéziens or Sainte-Suzannais...
, he accompanied the royal ambassador to Scotland and, upon his return, took up the study of jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
. In 1589 he was jurist at the Parlement
Parlement
Parlements were regional legislative bodies in Ancien Régime France.The political institutions of the Parlement in Ancien Régime France developed out of the previous council of the king, the Conseil du roi or curia regis, and consequently had ancient and customary rights of consultation and...
of Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
.
Convinced by the writings of Robert Bellarmine
Robert Bellarmine
Robert Bellarmine was an Italian Jesuit and a Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was one of the most important figures in the Counter-Reformation...
and the instructions of Duperron
Duperron
Duperron or du Perron is a demonym of the Perron region of northwestern France, and may refer to:* Abraham Hyacinthe Anquetil-Duperron , French orientalist* Charles Edgar du Perron , Dutch poet and author...
, he became a Catholic, 21 September 1595. In 1600 he accompanied Cardinal François de Sourdis
François de Sourdis
François d'Escoubleau de Sourdis was a French Catholic prelate, the Archbishop of Bordeaux and founder of the Irish College there in 1603.-Biography:...
to Rome, where he was ordained priest on 7 March 1606; Pope Paul V
Pope Paul V
-Theology:Paul met with Galileo Galilei in 1616 after Cardinal Bellarmine had, on his orders, warned Galileo not to hold or defend the heliocentric ideas of Copernicus. Whether there was also an order not to teach those ideas in any way has been a matter for controversy...
then appointed him reviser of the briefs of the Apostolic Penitentiary
Apostolic Penitentiary
The Apostolic Penitentiary, formerly called the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary, is one of the three tribunals of the Roman Curia. The Apostolic Penitentiary is chiefly a tribunal of mercy, responsible for issues relating to the forgiveness of sins in the Catholic Church.The...
.
In 1625 he was created Bishop of Pamiers. He labored for the preservation of Catholicism and converted numerous Protestants. Owing to ill-health, he resigned his diocese in 1639 and retired to Toulouse.
His writings are:
- Les cimetières sacrés (Bordeaux, 1596)
- Annales ecclesiastici Cæsaris Baronii in Epitomen redacti (Paris, 1612)
- Annales sacri a mundi creatione ad ejusdem redemptionem (Paris, 1637), an epitome of the "Annals" of Agostino Tornielli
- Annalium Baronii continuatio ab a. 1197 quo is desinit ad a. 1622 (Paris, 1639).