Pierre de La Baume
Encyclopedia
Pierre de La Baume was a grand seigneur of Savoy
and a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church
. He was a councillor of Charles III, Duke of Savoy
, whom he represented at the Fifth Lateran Council (1512–1517).
He was born at the château de Montrevel, in Bresse
, Savoy
, the second son of Gui de La Baume, seigneur of la Roche-du-Vanel, Mont-Saint-Sorlin, and Attalens, in Switzerland, and later count of Montrevel, a chevalier of the Order of the Golden Fleece
and chevalier d'honneur to Margaret of Habsburg, dowager Duchess of Savoy, and Jeanne de Longuy. Pierre matriculated at the University of Dole
, where he received his doctorate in theology
, 1502.
Worldly, highly-connected and cultivated, a courtier abbot, he held several abbacies in commendam
, of which he received the benefice
s but was not expected to be in residence: among them was the one he most favoured, the abbey of Saint-Oyend at Condat
, which was in the gift of Margaret of Austria, whom his father served and who nominated him abbot in 1511. With the abbey came the château de la Tour-du-May, with its little village of Saint-Christophe. It became the favoured seat of Pierre de La Baume. There he entertained in great splendour Charles, Connétable de Bourbon
, in 1524, who was fleeing the anger of François I
, en route for Italy with a grand escort of gentlemen and cavalry. He was godfather to the bell that he hung in the abbey church in 1529 which commemorated his name, as Pierrotte la Joyeuse. There eventually he was buried.
He was also a canon of the cathedral of Saint Jean, Aix-en-Provence
, and carried the purely courtesy title of comte de Lyon
, as a canon of the cathedral of Lyons. He was mentioned in the Dictionnaire de la noblesse as titular Bishop of Tarsus,, but the official lists of that diocese do not include him.
Having participated with distinction at the Lateran Council, La Baume was selected as Roman Catholic bishop of Geneva, 10 October 1522, following the death of the recent adversary of the Genevois, Jean de Savoie of the ducal house. He disappointed those who might have expected him to uphold the independent liberties of the city of Geneva
against the violent pretensions of the Charles III, duke of Savoy by devolving local responsibilities on his vicar, Amé Lévrier, during his frequent absences. Lévrier was arrested 12 March 1524 and put to death by the duke. A remonstrance sent to the pope was timidly abandoned when Charles took possession of the city, but as he was unwilling to make it his permanent capital, as soon as he had absented himself once more in Piedmont
, having forced the acquiescence of the Genevans to his sovereignty at the Conseil des hallebardes (15 December 1525), the Genevans erupted in revolution, disavowing all the acts passed under the menace of Savoyard halberd
iers and linking themselves with Bern and Fribourg
and the Swiss cantons. La Baume, returned from a two-year absence, was unable to raise any support for Savoyard claims of sovereignty; in 1527 the complaisant bishop devolved the administration of justice upon a tribunal of citizens, and withdrew to his favorite abbey of Condat. In a successful effort to bring his bishop to heel, Charles sequestered his benefices of Saint-Claude de Pignerol and of Suze, and La Baume made a complete submission in order to regain his revenues.
In Geneva, La Baume was strongly opposed by the dominant Calvinist party, who twice expelled him, definitively in 1533. After which he withdrew to Annecy
. He was created cardinal 19 December 1539 and bishop of Besançon, 29 December 1541 He was a courtier of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
, who made him a Prince of the Empire.
Survivals of La Baume's taste as a patron are the predella
panels of the grand retable he commissioned for the abbey of Saint-Oyend at Condat, today the cathedral of Saint-Pierre, Saint-Paul et Saint-André.
His nephew Claude de La Baume was made a cardinal in 1578. Two other nephews became abbots in commendam at the Abbey of Saint-Claude, establishing a precedent of abbots selected from the family that lasted until 1636.
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
and a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He was a councillor of Charles III, Duke of Savoy
Charles III, Duke of Savoy
Charles III of Savoy , often called Charles the Good, was Duke of Savoy from 1504 to 1553, although most of his lands were ruled by the French between 1536 and his death....
, whom he represented at the Fifth Lateran Council (1512–1517).
He was born at the château de Montrevel, in Bresse
Bresse
Bresse is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne, and Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term Bresse has two meanings: Bresse bourguignonne , which is situated in the east of the department of Saône-et-Loire, and Bresse, which is located...
, Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
, the second son of Gui de La Baume, seigneur of la Roche-du-Vanel, Mont-Saint-Sorlin, and Attalens, in Switzerland, and later count of Montrevel, a chevalier of the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
and chevalier d'honneur to Margaret of Habsburg, dowager Duchess of Savoy, and Jeanne de Longuy. Pierre matriculated at the University of Dole
University of Dole
The University of Dole was founded in 1422 by Philip the Good of Burgundy, and was a leading university in western Europe, historically notable for its teaching of canon and civil law...
, where he received his doctorate in theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, 1502.
Worldly, highly-connected and cultivated, a courtier abbot, he held several abbacies in commendam
In Commendam
In canon law, commendam was a form of transferring an ecclesiastical benefice in trust to the custody of a patron...
, of which he received the benefice
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
s but was not expected to be in residence: among them was the one he most favoured, the abbey of Saint-Oyend at Condat
Condat Abbey
Condat Abbey was founded in the 420s in the valley of Bienne, in the Jura mountains. Condat became the capital of Haut Jura. The founders were local monks, Romanus , who had been ordained by St...
, which was in the gift of Margaret of Austria, whom his father served and who nominated him abbot in 1511. With the abbey came the château de la Tour-du-May, with its little village of Saint-Christophe. It became the favoured seat of Pierre de La Baume. There he entertained in great splendour Charles, Connétable de Bourbon
Charles III, Duke of Bourbon
Charles III, Duke of Bourbon was a French military leader, the Count of Montpensier and Dauphin of Auvergne. He commanded the Imperial troops of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in what became known as the Sack of Rome in 1527, where he was killed.-Biography:Charles was born at Montpensier...
, in 1524, who was fleeing the anger of François I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
, en route for Italy with a grand escort of gentlemen and cavalry. He was godfather to the bell that he hung in the abbey church in 1529 which commemorated his name, as Pierrotte la Joyeuse. There eventually he was buried.
He was also a canon of the cathedral of Saint Jean, Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
, and carried the purely courtesy title of comte de Lyon
Comte de Lyon
In France of the Ancien Régime, the title of comte de Lyon was purely honorific. There had been a comes Lugdunensis, a military governor, in the early 5th-century Roman Notitia dignitatum, and among the Merovingians an Armentarius was comes Lugdunensis during the tenure of Nicetius, Bishop of Lyons...
, as a canon of the cathedral of Lyons. He was mentioned in the Dictionnaire de la noblesse as titular Bishop of Tarsus,, but the official lists of that diocese do not include him.
Having participated with distinction at the Lateran Council, La Baume was selected as Roman Catholic bishop of Geneva, 10 October 1522, following the death of the recent adversary of the Genevois, Jean de Savoie of the ducal house. He disappointed those who might have expected him to uphold the independent liberties of the city of Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
against the violent pretensions of the Charles III, duke of Savoy by devolving local responsibilities on his vicar, Amé Lévrier, during his frequent absences. Lévrier was arrested 12 March 1524 and put to death by the duke. A remonstrance sent to the pope was timidly abandoned when Charles took possession of the city, but as he was unwilling to make it his permanent capital, as soon as he had absented himself once more in Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
, having forced the acquiescence of the Genevans to his sovereignty at the Conseil des hallebardes (15 December 1525), the Genevans erupted in revolution, disavowing all the acts passed under the menace of Savoyard halberd
Halberd
A halberd is a two-handed pole weapon that came to prominent use during the 14th and 15th centuries. Possibly the word halberd comes from the German words Halm , and Barte - in modern-day German, the weapon is called Hellebarde. The halberd consists of an axe blade topped with a spike mounted on...
iers and linking themselves with Bern and Fribourg
Fribourg
Fribourg is the capital of the Swiss canton of Fribourg and the district of Sarine. It is located on both sides of the river Saane/Sarine, on the Swiss plateau, and is an important economic, administrative and educational center on the cultural border between German and French Switzerland...
and the Swiss cantons. La Baume, returned from a two-year absence, was unable to raise any support for Savoyard claims of sovereignty; in 1527 the complaisant bishop devolved the administration of justice upon a tribunal of citizens, and withdrew to his favorite abbey of Condat. In a successful effort to bring his bishop to heel, Charles sequestered his benefices of Saint-Claude de Pignerol and of Suze, and La Baume made a complete submission in order to regain his revenues.
In Geneva, La Baume was strongly opposed by the dominant Calvinist party, who twice expelled him, definitively in 1533. After which he withdrew to Annecy
Annecy
Annecy is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy , 35 kilometres south of Geneva.-Administration:...
. He was created cardinal 19 December 1539 and bishop of Besançon, 29 December 1541 He was a courtier of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
, who made him a Prince of the Empire.
Survivals of La Baume's taste as a patron are the predella
Predella
A predella is the platform or step on which an altar stands . In painting, the predella is the painting or sculpture along the frame at the bottom of an altarpiece...
panels of the grand retable he commissioned for the abbey of Saint-Oyend at Condat, today the cathedral of Saint-Pierre, Saint-Paul et Saint-André.
His nephew Claude de La Baume was made a cardinal in 1578. Two other nephews became abbots in commendam at the Abbey of Saint-Claude, establishing a precedent of abbots selected from the family that lasted until 1636.