Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle

Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle was a Burgundian statesman and cardinal, who served as a leading minister of the Spanish Habsburgs in the 16th century. He was one of the most influential European politicians during the time of the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation. He was also a notable patron and collector of art, especially Italian Renaissance paintings. He was born in Besançon, a free imperial city in eastern France, then part of the Holy Roman Empire. His father, Nicolas Perrenot de Granvelle, was a chancellor of the empire under Charles V and a trusted adviser of the emperor. Antoine studied law at Padua and theology at Leuven, and became a canon and protonotary apostolic of Besançon at an early age. He was appointed bishop of Arras in 1538, with a dispensation due to his young age. He attended several diets of the empire and the opening sessions of the Council of Trent, where he spoke on behalf of Charles V. He became secretary of state in 1550, succeeding his father, and accompanied Charles V in his wars against the Protestant princes of Germany. He was involved in the negotiations of the Peace of Passau in 1552, which ended the Schmalkaldic War and granted religious freedom to the Lutherans. He also helped to arrange the abdication of Charles V in 1555 and 1556, and the division of his realms between his son Philip II of Spain and his brother Ferdinand I. He was created cardinal by Pope Pius IV in 1561 and became archbishop of Mechelen in the same year. He was one of the main advisers of Margaret of Parma, the governor of the Spanish Netherlands, and played a key role in implementing the decrees of the Council of Trent and suppressing the Protestant movement in the region. He faced strong opposition from the local nobility, especially William of Orange and the Counts of Egmont and Horn, who resented his centralizing policies and his close ties with Spain. He was accused of being a tyrant and a traitor by his enemies, who formed a league against him known as the Compromise of Nobles. He was also unpopular among the common people, who rioted against his tax reforms and his attempts to enforce religious conformity. He left the Netherlands in 1564, after being recalled by Philip II, who feared for his safety. He continued to advise the king from Spain on the affairs of the Netherlands, and supported the appointment of Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba, as governor-general in 1567. He also served as viceroy of Naples from 1571 to 1575, where he reformed the administration and defended the kingdom from Turkish attacks. He was president of the Councils of Italy and Castile from 1579 until his death. He died in Madrid in 1586, at the age of 69. He was buried in St. Andrew's Church, where his tomb was designed by Pompeo Leoni. He left behind a large collection of paintings, sculptures, medals, books, manuscripts, and letters, which reflected his taste and interests. He was a friend and patron of many artists, such as Titian, Anthonis Mor, Frans Floris, Willem Key, Jacques Jonghelinck, Giambologna, and others. He also corresponded with many political and religious figures, such as Charles V, Philip II, Pope Pius V, Pope Gregory XIII, Cardinal Granvelle (his nephew), William Cecil, Catherine de' Medici, and others. His correspondence is a valuable source of information for the history of the 16th century.