Jean, Cardinal of Lorraine

File:Jean de Lorraine.jpg

John, Cardinal of Lorraine

File:COA Cardinal de Lorraine.svg

coat of arms

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.

Dissolute, he was also an open-handed patron of art and learning, as the protector and friend of Erasmus, Marot and Rabelais.

He died from a stroke in Neuvy-sur-Loire in 1550, on his way to Italy.

See also

• Duke of Lorraine
• Dukes of Lorraine family tree

References

• Carroll, Stewart, Martyrs and Murderers: The Guise Family and the Making of Europe. Oxford University Press. 2011.
• Michon, Cédric, 'Les richesses de la faveur à la Renaissance: Jean de Lorraine (1498–1550) et François Ier', Revue d'histoire moderne et contemporaine, vol. 50, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep., 2003), pp. 34–61
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: 

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Henri II of Lorraine-Vaudémont	Bishop of Metz 1505–1550	Succeeded by Charles of Lorraine
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 of 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
Preceded by Antoine Duprat	Archbishop of Albi 1535–1550	Succeeded by "Cardinal de Guise"
Preceded by François de Rohan	Archbishop of Lyon 1537–1539	Succeeded by Ippolito d'Este of Modena
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
Preceded by Antoine Pellagrin	Bishop of Toul 1542–1543	Succeeded by Toussaint de Hossey