Jean, Cardinal of Lorraine

Jean de Lorraine (April 9, 1498 – May 18, 1550) was a French cardinal, who was archbishop of Reims, Lyon and Narbonne, bishop of Metz, Toul, Verdun, Thérouanne, Luçon, Albi, Valence, Nantes and Agen. He is sometimes known as the cardinal de Lorraine.

Biography

Born in Bar-le-Duc, John was the son of René II, Duke of Lorraine and younger brother of Antoine, Duke of Lorraine and Claude, Duke of Guise.

He is considered a corrupt ruler who before he died squandered most of the wealth which he had derived from these and other benefices. Part of his ecclesiastical preferment he gave up in favour of his nephews. He became a member of the royal council in 1530, and in 1536 was entrusted with an embassy to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Although a complaisant helper in Francis's pleasures, he was disgraced in 1542, and retired to Rome.

He was extremely dissolute, but as an open-handed patron of art and learning, as the protector and friend of Erasmus, Marot and Rabelais he did something to counter-balance the general unpopularity of his calculating brother, the duke of Guise.

He died in Neuvy-sur-Loire in 1550.

See also

References

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Henri II of Lorraine-Vaudémont
Bishop of Metz
1505–1550
Succeeded by
Charles of Lorraine-Guise
Preceded by
Hugh des Hazards
Bishop of Toul
1517–1524
Succeeded by
Hector de Ailly-Rochefort
Preceded by
Gaspard de Tournon
Bishop of Valence
1520–1522
Succeeded by
Antoine Duprat
Preceded by
François de Melun
Bishop of Thérouanne
1521–1535
Succeeded by
François de Créquy
Preceded by
Louis de Lorraine
Bishop of Verdun
1523–1544
Succeeded by
Nicolas de Mercœur
Preceded by
Ladislaus
Bishop of Luçon
1523–1524
Succeeded by
Louis de Bourbon
Preceded by
Giulio di Giuliano de' Medici
Archbishop of Narbonne
1524–1550
Succeeded by
Ippolito d'Este
Preceded by
Hector de Ailly-Rochefort
Bishop of Toul
1532–1537
Succeeded by
Antoine Pellagrin
Preceded by
Robert de Lenoncourt
Archbishop of Reims
1533–1550
Succeeded by
Charles of Lorraine-Guise
Preceded by
Antoine Duprat
Archbishop of Albi
1535–1550
Succeeded by
Louis I, Cardinal of Guise
Preceded by
François de Rohan
Archbishop of Lyon
1537–1539
Succeeded by
Ippolito d'Este
Preceded by
Marc-Antoine de La Rovère
Bishop of Agen
1538–1550
Succeeded by
Matteo Bandello
Preceded by
Louis d'Acigné
Bishop of Nantes
1542–1550
Succeeded by
Charles of Lorraine-Guise
Preceded by
Antoine Pellagrin
Bishop of Toul
1542–1543
Succeeded by
Toussaint de Hossey