Rodrigo de Castro Osorio
Encyclopedia
Rodrigo de Castro Osorio, (Valladolid March 5 of 1523 - 1600 Seville) was Cardinal
-Bishop of Zamora (1574–1578) and Diocese of Cuenca (1578–1581), Archbishop of Seville, (1581–1600), a member of the Council of State of Spain and the Supreme Council of the Spanish Inquisition
for the reign of Philip II of Spain
. Great-uncle of Pedro Fernández de Castro y Andrade, Conde de Lemos. He was closely linked to the city of Monforte de Lemos
in Galicia, where he was the founder of the College of Our Lady of Antigua
.
in 1523.
He studied canon law at Salamanca
, where his brother, Pedro de Castro Lemos, who later became bishop of Cuenca (1553–1561), was named cardinal on 15 December 1583, by Gregory XIII. His restless spirit led him to travel: Flanders, Portugal, France, Italy, Germany, where travel is an important artistic heritage, much of which appears in the city of Monforte de Lemos
. (Farinelli indicates that the National Library of Spain, is the Daily Cardinal last trip, made in 1598, two years before his death, in order of Philip III of Spain
, to receive the Archduchess Margaret of Austria, future queen of Spain. This is a manuscript in folio, a collection of Jesuit Alenda registered No 365: "quel Cardinal my Jornada Mr. made from Seville to Madrid and what they pass until they left for Valencia, Year 1598 ")
, where he was given important diplomatic missions, in addition to joining the Council of State and the Supreme Council of the Spanish Inquisition
.
The cardinal was widely criticized for his taste for pomp and magnificence. He held expensive hunting parties, and large numbers of attendants and servants, besides the taste for luxury and art. He felt a great fondness for falconry
, which is recorded by the "Treaty hunting Bird" by Pero López de Ayala
, which is preserved at the Museum of Our Lady of Antigua, which belonged to his personal collection. Criticism also arose over the Archbishop of Seville to surround himself exclusively with servants and associates from Galicia.
His other traits were his generosity and humanism, creating a home for girls in difficult circumstances, struggling for humanization of treatment in prisons and aid to impoverished clergy aid for construction and improvement of temples, hospitals and hospices, as well as exercise patron of the arts.
. Administered, at the beginning, by the Society of Jesus
, had consolidated financially the College of Jerez de la Frontera
, and contributed to the maintenance of the college-seminar of the British Jesuits from Seville
and since its foundation, in addition to being instituted a protector of the congregations that the company had in that city, that of the Annunciation.
The school was his greatest legacy to Monforte de Lemos
, making it one of the very few examples of Style Herrera in Galicia. It is named after the Virgin of Antigua, the object of devotion of the cardinal, and popularly named the "'Cardinal College" or "Company'".
About this same time, the cardinal established a party in honor of the relics that had been treasured and preserved in the museum of the convent of Santa Clara (popularly known as the Poor Clares of Monforte). The Madrid writing school's endowment is awarded, and his nephew Pedro Fernández de Castro y Andrade would develop in his lifetime many of the features of humanism and love for the arts like his uncle.
He died in Seville
in 1600. Leaving in his will the perpetual and hereditary Trustees of the college, referred to in these terms:For good and useful for my country; that patronage is bound and tied to the title of county of Lemos. It also provides for the transfer of his remains to Monforte de Lemos
, which lie in the College of Our Lady of Antigua
, under a statue made by John of Bologna.
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...
-Bishop of Zamora (1574–1578) and Diocese of Cuenca (1578–1581), Archbishop of Seville, (1581–1600), a member of the Council of State of Spain and the Supreme Council of the Spanish Inquisition
Spanish Inquisition
The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition , commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition , was a tribunal established in 1480 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms, and to replace the Medieval...
for the reign of Philip II of Spain
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....
. Great-uncle of Pedro Fernández de Castro y Andrade, Conde de Lemos. He was closely linked to the city of Monforte de Lemos
Monforte de Lemos
Monforte de Lemos is a city and municipality in northwestern Spain, in the province of Lugo, Galicia. It covers an area of 200 km² and lies 62 km from Lugo. As of 2005 it had a population of 19,472. It is located in a valley between the shores of Sil River and Miño River, in the area...
in Galicia, where he was the founder of the College of Our Lady of Antigua
College of Our Lady of Antigua
The College of Our Lady of Antigua is located in the town of Monforte de Lemos , in the Ribeira Sacra. Built in the Herreriano, the school of Our Lady of Antigua is often known as El Escorial of Galicia, being of the few manifestations of this style in this community.It s forever linked to the...
.
Travels and studies
Popularly known as "Cardinal Rodrigo de Castro'", was a true renaissance man, considered by many authors as the last great ecclesiastical prince. His birthplace is disputed, with some authors arguing that he was born in ValladolidValladolid
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...
in 1523.
He studied canon law at Salamanca
Salamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
, where his brother, Pedro de Castro Lemos, who later became bishop of Cuenca (1553–1561), was named cardinal on 15 December 1583, by Gregory XIII. His restless spirit led him to travel: Flanders, Portugal, France, Italy, Germany, where travel is an important artistic heritage, much of which appears in the city of Monforte de Lemos
Monforte de Lemos
Monforte de Lemos is a city and municipality in northwestern Spain, in the province of Lugo, Galicia. It covers an area of 200 km² and lies 62 km from Lugo. As of 2005 it had a population of 19,472. It is located in a valley between the shores of Sil River and Miño River, in the area...
. (Farinelli indicates that the National Library of Spain, is the Daily Cardinal last trip, made in 1598, two years before his death, in order of Philip III of Spain
Philip III of Spain
Philip III , also known as Philip the Pious, was the King of Spain and King of Portugal and the Algarves, where he ruled as Philip II , from 1598 until his death...
, to receive the Archduchess Margaret of Austria, future queen of Spain. This is a manuscript in folio, a collection of Jesuit Alenda registered No 365: "quel Cardinal my Jornada Mr. made from Seville to Madrid and what they pass until they left for Valencia, Year 1598 ")
Features and Charges
Assigned an important role in the court of Philip II of SpainPhilip 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....
, where he was given important diplomatic missions, in addition to joining the Council of State and the Supreme Council of the Spanish Inquisition
Spanish Inquisition
The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition , commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition , was a tribunal established in 1480 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms, and to replace the Medieval...
.
The cardinal was widely criticized for his taste for pomp and magnificence. He held expensive hunting parties, and large numbers of attendants and servants, besides the taste for luxury and art. He felt a great fondness for falconry
Falconry
Falconry is "the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor". There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer flies a hawk or an eagle...
, which is recorded by the "Treaty hunting Bird" by Pero López de Ayala
Pero López de Ayala
Don Pero López de Ayala was a Castilian statesman, historian, poet, chronicler, chancellor, and courtier. Ayala were one of the major aristocratic families of Castile; they were later claimed to be of the Jewish converso descent, but Pero's own father composed a genealogy tracing the family from...
, which is preserved at the Museum of Our Lady of Antigua, which belonged to his personal collection. Criticism also arose over the Archbishop of Seville to surround himself exclusively with servants and associates from Galicia.
His other traits were his generosity and humanism, creating a home for girls in difficult circumstances, struggling for humanization of treatment in prisons and aid to impoverished clergy aid for construction and improvement of temples, hospitals and hospices, as well as exercise patron of the arts.
College of Our Lady of Antigua and death of Cardinal
During convalescence from a serious illness, during 1592, Rodrigo decided to start the monumental work of the College of Our Lady of AntiguaCollege of Our Lady of Antigua
The College of Our Lady of Antigua is located in the town of Monforte de Lemos , in the Ribeira Sacra. Built in the Herreriano, the school of Our Lady of Antigua is often known as El Escorial of Galicia, being of the few manifestations of this style in this community.It s forever linked to the...
. Administered, at the beginning, by the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, had consolidated financially the College of Jerez de la Frontera
Jerez de la Frontera
Jerez de la Frontera is a municipality in the province of Cádiz in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in southwestern Spain, situated midway between the sea and the mountains. , the city, the largest in the province, had 208,896 inhabitants; it is the fifth largest in Andalusia...
, and contributed to the maintenance of the college-seminar of the British Jesuits from Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
and since its foundation, in addition to being instituted a protector of the congregations that the company had in that city, that of the Annunciation.
The school was his greatest legacy to Monforte de Lemos
Monforte de Lemos
Monforte de Lemos is a city and municipality in northwestern Spain, in the province of Lugo, Galicia. It covers an area of 200 km² and lies 62 km from Lugo. As of 2005 it had a population of 19,472. It is located in a valley between the shores of Sil River and Miño River, in the area...
, making it one of the very few examples of Style Herrera in Galicia. It is named after the Virgin of Antigua, the object of devotion of the cardinal, and popularly named the "'Cardinal College" or "Company'".
About this same time, the cardinal established a party in honor of the relics that had been treasured and preserved in the museum of the convent of Santa Clara (popularly known as the Poor Clares of Monforte). The Madrid writing school's endowment is awarded, and his nephew Pedro Fernández de Castro y Andrade would develop in his lifetime many of the features of humanism and love for the arts like his uncle.
He died in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
in 1600. Leaving in his will the perpetual and hereditary Trustees of the college, referred to in these terms:For good and useful for my country; that patronage is bound and tied to the title of county of Lemos. It also provides for the transfer of his remains to Monforte de Lemos
Monforte de Lemos
Monforte de Lemos is a city and municipality in northwestern Spain, in the province of Lugo, Galicia. It covers an area of 200 km² and lies 62 km from Lugo. As of 2005 it had a population of 19,472. It is located in a valley between the shores of Sil River and Miño River, in the area...
, which lie in the College of Our Lady of Antigua
College of Our Lady of Antigua
The College of Our Lady of Antigua is located in the town of Monforte de Lemos , in the Ribeira Sacra. Built in the Herreriano, the school of Our Lady of Antigua is often known as El Escorial of Galicia, being of the few manifestations of this style in this community.It s forever linked to the...
, under a statue made by John of Bologna.
Sources
- The Lords of Galicia, Eduardo Pardo de Guevara y Valdés, ISBN 84-98748-71-3
- History of Monforte de Lemos and Earth,Vazquez Germain, ISBN 84-241-9865-4
- Pedro Fernandez de Castro, O Great Conde de Lemos,Monica Martinez Garcia, ISBN 84-453-3763-7
- The CardinalDon Rodrigo de Castro, Armando Cotarelo Vallador, 2 vols. Editorial Teaching Spanish, Madrid, 1945.