Guillaume d'Estouteville (c. 1412–1483) was a

French aristocrat The French nobility (french: la noblesse française) was a privileged social class in France from the Middle Ages until its abolition on June 23, 1790 during the French Revolution. From 1808 to 1815 during the First Empire the Emperor Napoléo ...

of royal blood who became a leading bishop and

cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

. He held a number of Church offices simultaneously. He conducted the reexamination of the case of Jeanne d'Arc and exonerated her of the charges against her. He reformed the Statutes of the University of Paris. In Rome he became one of the most influential members of the Curia, as the official Protector of France in church business.

Pope Sixtus IV Pope Sixtus IV ( it, Sisto IV: 21 July 1414 – 12 August 1484), born Francesco della Rovere, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 August 1471 to his death in August 1484. His accomplishments as pope include ...

appointed him Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church (''Camerlengo''). His great wealth allowed him to be a generous patron of the arts, especially in the building and adornment of churches.

Life

D'Estouteville was born c. 1412 in either Valmont or

Estouteville-Écalles Estouteville-Écalles is a former commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the region of Normandy, France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the commune Buchy.Duchy of Normandy, a member of the most powerful family in the region. His father, Jean d'Estouteville, Sieur de Vallemont and Grand Chamberlain of France, had fought at Agincourt, was captured, and spent twenty years as a prisoner of war. His mother was Marguerite d'Harcourt, the daughter of Catherine de Bourbon, the sister of Jeanne de Bourbon who was the wife of King Charles V of France. Guillaume had an elder brother Louis, who became Grand Bouteiller of France. As the custom was, the younger brother was destined for a career in the Church. The family lost a great deal of property and income as a result of the English occupation of Normandy after the Battle of Agincourt. A collateral ancestor (uncle?), also called Guillaume d'Estouteville, had been Bishop of Évreux (1375–1376) at the age of twenty, Bishop of Auxerre (1376–1382), and Bishop of Lisieux (1382–1415). It was first said by

Alfonso Chacón Don Alphonsus Ciacconius (born shortly before 15 December 1530, Baeza - died 14 February 1599, Rome) was a Spanish Dominican scholar in Rome. His name is also spelt as Alfonso Chacón and Ciacono. Chacón is known mainly for two of his works: '' ...

, and often repeated thereafter, that Guillaume became a Benedictine monk at the

Saint-Martin-des-Champs Priory The Priory of Saint-Martin-des-Champs was an influential monastery established in what is now the city of Paris, France. Its surviving buildings are considered treasures of Medieval architecture in the city. History Foundations The oldest known ...

in Paris, where he soon became

prior Prior (or prioress) is an ecclesiastical title for a superior in some religious orders. The word is derived from the Latin for "earlier" or "first". Its earlier generic usage referred to any monastic superior. In abbeys, a prior would be l ...

. Both of these statements, however, have been shown to be mistaken. Documentary evidence written at Saint-Martin in 1500 shows that he was a secular priest, and that he was Administrator of Saint-Martin. Chacon also states that d'Estouteville was ''Doctor Decretorum'' (Doctor of Canon Law), but various papal documents of Pope Eugenius IV, in particular one of 1435, call him a Papal Notary, a relative of the Kings of France, a Master of Arts, and of Canon Law, as a result of having passed rigorous examinations. Henri Denifle states that d'Estouteville's degree in Canon Law did not come from the University of Paris. Guillaume did possess a Canonry in the Church of Évreux, and in 1432 he was Canon in Lyon as well. In 1433 he became Canon in Angers. He later became commendatory abbot simultaneously of the Abbeys of

Mont Saint-Michel Mont-Saint-Michel (; Norman: ''Mont Saint Miché''; ) is a tidal island and mainland commune in Normandy, France. The island lies approximately off the country's north-western coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches and is ...

(1444–1483), of Saint-Ouen at

Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine in northern France. It is the prefecture of the Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one of ...

and of

Montebourg Montebourg () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. Geography Montebourg is located southeast of Cherbourg. Heraldry International relations Montebourg is twinned with: * Walheim,*, Germany (1960) * Stur ...

Bishop

The Bishop of Angers, Hardouin du Brueil, died on 18 January 1439. Guillaume D'Estouteville, who was ambitious for the post, immediately rushed to Rome and obtained bulls from Pope Eugene IV on 20 February naming him to the bishopric. On 28 February the Canons of the Cathedral Chapter met and duly elected Jean Michel of Beauvais, a Councillor of Rene of Anjou and Canon of Rouen and of Angers, though d'Estouteville received several votes in the election. The election of Jean Michel was confirmed by the Vicars-General of the Archbishop of Tours. The bulls which d'Estouteville had obtained in Rome were presented to the Chapter of Angers on 24 April by d'Estouteville's procurator, but the majority of the Chapter rejected his bid. In the meantime Bishop Jean Michel was sitting as Bishop of Angers in the Council of Basel. King

Charles VII of France Charles VII (22 February 1403 – 22 July 1461), called the Victorious (french: le Victorieux) or the Well-Served (), was King of France from 1422 to his death in 1461. In the midst of the Hundred Years' War, Charles VII inherited the throne of F ...

was angered at the interference of the Pope in French church affairs and threatened, in support of the Gallican church, to apply the Pragmatic Sanction and exclude the Pope's bulls. Pope Eugene escaped from the danger by giving d'Estouteville the bishopric of Digne in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, a suffragan of Embrun. He renounced his claim on Angers on 27 October 1447. On 18 April 1440, he was named the Apostolic Administrator of the

Diocese of Mirepoix The former Catholic diocese of Mirepoix, in south-west France, was created in 1317 by Pope John XXII from the diocese of Pamiers. It existed until the French Revolution, and was suffragan of the Archbishop of Toulouse. Its see was Mirepoix, Ariè ...

; his commission was revoked upon the appointment of a new bishop on 17 May 1441. He never visited Mirepoix, but he did collect a year's income.

Cardinal

A few months after the affair of Angers, Guillaume d'Estouteville was named a

priest in the consistory of 18 December 1439 by Pope Eugene IV, and assigned the titular church of San Martino ai Monti. The Cardinal's hat probably softened the disappointment of losing the bishopric of Angers. Pope Eugene probably derived a bit of satisfaction at granting a red hat to a member of the French royalty without the request or consent of the King. He was

consecrated Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...

a bishop in January 1440. In 1440 he was briefly administrator of the diocese of Conserans (St. Lizier) The following year he was additionally appointed Administrator of the Dioceses of

Béziers Béziers (; oc, Besièrs) is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Hérault Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region of Southern France. Every August Béziers hos ...

and

Nîmes Nîmes ( , ; oc, Nimes ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the prefecture of the Gard department in the Occitanie region of Southern France. Located between the Mediterranean Sea and Cévennes, the commune of Nîmes has an estimated population of 148,5 ...

. In 1443, Cardinal d'Estouteville was appointed Archpriest of the Basilica Liberiana (Santa Maria Maggiore) by Pope Eugene IV,Gill (1996), p. 498. in succession to Cardinal Niccolò Albergati, who had died on 9 May 1443. He held the position for life. In March 1451 Pope Nicholas V granted a new set of Statutes to the Canons of the Basilica, which emphasized the decisive power that the Archpriest had over the physical structure of the church and its property. In his Testament d'Estouteville left funds for the refurbishment and redecoration of the Chapel of S. Michele e S. Pietro in Vincoli, and for the building of the Chapel of S. Antonio. On 7 January 1450 D'Estouteville was appointed Administrator of the

Diocese of Lodève In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associat ...

. He served in this office for three years, before being appointed bishop of the Diocese of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne in Savoy. He was Bishop of Maurienne from 26 January 1453 to 20 April 1453, though he continued to act as Administrator of the diocese for the rest of his life. In April 1453 he was released from his obligation as Bishop of Maurienne and appointed Archbishop of Rouen by Nicholas V. The Canons of Rouen protested the violation of their rights, and Pope Nicholas granted them an Indult on 16 November promising them that, on the death of Guillaume d'Estouteville, they could elect whomever they wished. D'Estouteville took possession of the diocese of Rouen on 30 April 1453 through a Procurator, Bishop Louis d'Harcourt of Narbonne.

Diplomat

On 13 August 1451 Cardinal d'Estouteville was sent to France as

legate Legate may refer to: *Legatus, a higher ranking general officer of the Roman army drawn from among the senatorial class :*Legatus Augusti pro praetore, a provincial governor in the Roman Imperial period *A member of a legation *A representative, ...

by Pope Nicholas V, at the instigation of the Duc de Bourbon, to make peace between King

and England; at the same time Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa was sent to England on the same mission. Both failed. At the behest of the

Inquisitor General Grand Inquisitor ( la, Inquisitor Generalis, literally ''Inquisitor General'' or ''General Inquisitor'') was the lead official of the Inquisition. The title usually refers to the chief inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition, even after the reunif ...

Jean Brehal Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Je ...

, Estouteville undertook an ''

ex officio An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...

'' revision of the trial of Joan of Arc. He afterwards reformed the statutes of the University of Paris, issuing his decree on 1 June 1452. He shortened the course leading to the Doctorate in theology from fifteen to fourteen years, and he removed the requirement that Doctors of Medicine be in holy orders. He then presided over the Assembly of the French clergy which met at Bourges in July and August 1452 to discuss the implementation of the Pragmatic Sanction. He finally returned to Rome on 3 January 1453, where he passed almost all the rest of his life. D'Estouteville, appointed Legate to the King of France, set out from Rome for France on 16 May 1454, with permission to be outside the Curia for six months; he returned to Rome on 12 September 1455 after sixteen months absence. His official mission was to attempt to persuade Charles VII to join in yet another crusade, the one that Nicholas V had tried to launch on 30 September 1453, following the Fall of Constantinople.

Rome

On his return, he built as his residence the Palazzo Apollinare to the west of the Church of S. Agostino and adjacent to the Church of S. Apollinare.

Conclaves

D'Estouteville participated in the

papal conclave A papal conclave is a gathering of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop of Rome, also known as the pope. Catholics consider the pope to be the Apostolic succession, apostolic successor of Saint ...

of 4–10 March 1447 that elected Pope Nicholas V. He was absent from Rome, however, during the '' sede vacante'' of 24 March–8 April 1455, prior to the election of Pope Calixtus III. On 20 February 1456 he was one of the cardinals who subscribed the bull of Pope Calixtus III which created Rodrigo Borgia a cardinal. D'Estouteville took part in the Conclave of 6–19 August 1458 and was a candidate for the papacy in the Conclave. He was able to command six votes out of the nineteen participants, but he was defeated by Cardinal Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini of Siena, who chose the name Pope Pius II. In 1458 Cardinal d'Estouteville was asked by the Teutonic Knights to be their Protector at the Roman Curia, an honor and office which he accepted. D'Estouteville also was cardinal protector of the Augustinian Hermits. In January 1459 he accompanied Pope Pius II in his journey to Mantua to meet with the princes of Europe to arrange for a crusade against the Ottoman Turks. He became

Cardinal Bishop of Porto-Santa Rufina Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **'' Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, t ...

on 19 March 1459. He was named the

Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia The Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Ostia is an ecclesiastical territory located within the Metropolitan City of Rome in Italy. It is one of the seven suburbicarian dioceses. The incumbent Bishop is cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. Since 11 ...

on 26 October 1461, and became the Dean of the College of Cardinals after the death of Cardinal Bessarion on 18 November 1472. He took part in the Conclave of 27/28–30 August 1464, in which

Pope Paul II Pope Paul II ( la, Paulus II; it, Paolo II; 23 February 1417 – 26 July 1471), born Pietro Barbo, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 30 August 1464 to his death in July 1471. When his maternal uncle Eugene IV ...

(Pietro Barbo of Venice) was elected in the first Scrutiny. On 11 January 1468 the Cardinal was elected Chamberlain of the College of Cardinals for a one-year term. This was a burdensome office, requiring the holder to see to it that monies due to the College of Cardinals from all sources, including the Pope, were collected, and to see to it that they were disbursed to the cardinals who were in the Roman Curia.

Campaign for the Papacy

Pope Paul died on 26 July 1471, and Cardinal d'Estouteville immediately began campaigning openly for the papacy. He wrote to Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan, seeking his support and that of the four cardinals who were 'Friends of the Prince'. But there were other candidates, notably Cardinal Bessarion, who was being supported by Venice. Eighteen cardinals, out of the twenty-five living cardinals, attended the Conclave, which began on 6 August 1471. In the second Scrutiny, on 9 August, Cardinal Francesco della Rovere was elected with thirteen of the eighteen votes. D'Estouteville had received six votes. Della Rovere chose as his papal name

Sixtus IV Pope Sixtus IV ( it, Sisto IV: 21 July 1414 – 12 August 1484), born Francesco della Rovere, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 August 1471 to his death in August 1484. His accomplishments as pope include ...

. On 25 August 1471, Cardinal d'Estouteville, availing himself of the traditional privilege of the Bishops of Ostia, consecrated Cardinal Francesco della Rovere, O.F.M.Conv., who had been elected Pope

, a bishop. The Coronation took place on the same day on the front steps of the Vatican Basilica by Cardinal Rodrigo Borja, the senior Cardinal Deacon. The Cardinal also owed a vineyard near the Porta S. Maria del Popolo. On 15 May 1472 he gave a luncheon there in honor of Cardinal Rodrigo de Borja, who was leaving Rome on a mission to Catalonia and Spain. Earlier that day, the seals of the Chamberlain of the Sacred College were transferred from Cardinal Borjia, who was Chamberlain for the year, to Cardinal d'Estouteville, who was to fill out the rest of his term. On 12 October 1472, he was appointed in Consistory to be Legate in France. He was appointed Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church (''S.R.E. Camerarius'') by Pope Sixtus IV in 1477, in succession to Cardinal

Latino Orsini Latino Orsini (1411 – 11 August 1477) was an Italian Cardinal. Of the Roman branch of the Orsini family The House of Orsini is an Italian noble family that was one of the most influential princely families in medieval Italy and Renai ...

, who had died on 11 August 1477. D'Estouteville held the position until his death; he was the last non-Italian cardinal to hold the office for nearly five hundred years, until

Jean-Marie Villot Jean-Marie Villot (11 October 1905 – 9 March 1979) was a French prelate and Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Lyon from 1965 to 1967, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy from 1967 to 1969, Vatican Secret ...

in 1970.

Patron of the Arts

Rouen (the episcopal palace), Mont Saint-Michel (the choir of the church), Pontoise (the episcopal palace), and the Château de Gaillon owe the construction of many buildings to his initiative. In his capacity as Bishop of Ostia d'Estouteville had the walls of the town restored, and built the Cathedral of Saint Aurea. In Velletri he rebuilt the episcopal palace. The cardinal also financed the rebuilding of the Church of St. Agostino in Rome. He then had the remains of Saint Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, brought from

Ostia Antica Ostia Antica ("Ancient Ostia") is a large archaeological site, close to the modern town of Ostia (Rome), Ostia, that is the location of the harbour city of ancient Rome, 25 kilometres (15 miles) southwest of Rome. "Ostia" (plur. of "ostium") is a ...

for entombment in a marble sarcophagus he had built for them. His name prominently embellishes the façade. He is also credited with building the Church of S. Agostino at Cori and the Church of S. Agostino at Tolentino. He was a generous donor of sacred articles to the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi in March 1482. D'Estouteville died in Rome on 22 January 1483. His remains were buried in the Basilica of Sant'Agostino. His heart, however, was removed, as was the custom, and taken to be placed in the tomb he had built for himself in the Cathedral of Rouen. A bust of him was placed at the entrance to the

sacristy A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. The sacristy is usually located ...

of S. Agostino, with an inscription dated 1865.

Family

With his mistress, Girolama Togli, Guillaume d'Estouteville had five children, including Girolamo Tuttavilla (Tuttavilla is an Italian version of Estouteville), a son Agostino, a daughter Margherita, and a daughter Giulia.

Works

Epistola ad heremitas Sancti Augustini
(1475)

Episcopal Succession

Cardinal d'Estouteville performed a number of episcopal consecrations in Rome as part of his duties in the Roman Curia. He has the distinction of being the origin of the oldest extant, traceable episcopal lineage within the Catholic Church and the most numerous non- Rebiban lineage. This refers to the ongoing effort to trace the links from one bishop to his consecrator, to his consecrator, etc., all the way back to the Apostles. Thus far, the research has only been able to establish connections back to the mid-fifteenth century. In the case of d'Estouteville, he consecrated Pope Sixtus IV; therefore, all bishops consecrated by Sixtus IV are in the "d'Estouteville Line". Sixtus IV consecrated Pope Julius II, and thus all bishops consecrated by Julius II are in the "d'Estouteville Line". Julius II consecrated Raffaele Riario, who consecrated Pope Leo X, and therefore all bishops consecrated by Leo X are in the "d'Estouteville Line". The major problem is that there is no evidence as to who consecrated d'Estouteville himself. The fact that there is a "d'Estouteville Line", therefore, is an accident of missing information. While bishop, he was the

principal consecrator A consecrator is a bishop who ordains someone to the episcopacy. A co-consecrator is someone who assists the consecrator bishop in the act of ordaining a new bishop. The terms are used in the canon law of the Catholic Church, Lutheran Churches, ...

of: *

Amauri d'Acigné Amauri d'Acigné (died 1477) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Nantes (1462–1477). ''(in Latin)'' Biography On 29 March 1462, Amauri d'Acigné was appointed during the papacy of Pope Pius II as Bishop of Nantes. Wikipedia: ...

Bishop of Nantes The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nantes ( la, Dioecesis Nannetensis; french: Diocèse de Nantes; br, Eskopti Naoned) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Nantes, France. The diocese consists of the department of Loire- ...

(1462); *

Garsias de La Mothe Garsias de La Mothe or Garsias II. de La Mothe (died 1473) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Oloron (1465–1473). ''(in Latin)'' Biography On 24 July 1465, Garsias de La Mothe was appointed during the papacy of Pope Paul II ...

, Bishop of Oloron (1465); *

Giacopo Antonio Venier Giacopo Antonio Venier (1422–1479) (called the Cardinal of Cuenca) was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal. Biography Giacopo Antonio Venier was born in Recanati in 1422.Bishop of Siracusa (1465); * Antonio Alamandi,

Bishop of Cahors The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cahors (Latin: ''Dioecesis Cadurcensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Cahors'') is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The diocese comprises the whole of the department of Lot. In the begi ...

(1466); *

Brande Castiglioni Brande Castiglioni or Branda Castiglioni (1415–1487) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Como (1415–1487). Biography Brande Castiglioni was born in Milan, Italy in 1415. On 8 October 1466, he was appointed during the papac ...

, Bishop of Como (1466); and *

Francesco della Rovere Pope Sixtus IV ( it, Sisto IV: 21 July 1414 – 12 August 1484), born Francesco della Rovere, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 August 1471 to his death in August 1484. His accomplishments as pope include ...

, (Pope Sixtus IV) (1471).

References

Bibliography

*Barbier de Montault, X. (1859). ''Le Cardinal d'Estouteville bienfateur des églises de Rome'' (Angers 1859). eprinted in: *Breccia Fratadocchi, M. (1979). ''S. Agostino in Roma. Arte, storia, documenti''. Roma 1979. *Denifle, Henri (Heinrich) (ed.) (1897). ''Chartularium Universitatis Parisiensis''
Tomus IV.
Paris: Delalain , pp. xx-xxiv. *Doncoeur, P. and Lanhers, Y. (edd.) (1958). ''La réhabilitation de Jeanne la Pucelle: l'enquête du Cardinal d'Estouteville en 1452. Documents et recherches relatifs à Jeanne la Pucelle,'' Melun, 1958. * * * * * * * Gregorovius, Ferdinand (1900). ''The History of Rome in the Middle Ages'', (translated from the fourth German edition by A. Hamilton
Volume 7 part 1
(London 1900). * * * *Müntz, Eugene (1882).
''Les arts à la cour des papes pendant le XVe et le XVIe siècle''
III, Paris 1882. *Ourliac, Paul (1938). "La Pragmatique Sanction et la légation en France du cardinal d'Estouteville ," '' Mélanges d'archéologie et d'histoire'' 55 (1938), 403-432.

External links

* *Esposito, Anna (1993)
''Estouteville, Guillaume d
''Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani'', Volume 43. Retrieved: 2016-11-25. {{DEFAULTSORT:Estouteville, Guillaume d 1412 births 1483 deaths People from Seine-Maritime Benedictine abbots French Benedictines Benedictine bishops Benedictine cardinals 15th-century French cardinals Deans of the College of Cardinals Cardinal-bishops of Ostia Cardinal-bishops of Porto Bishops of Angers Bishops of Digne Bishops of Lodève Bishops of Mirepoix Bishops of Nîmes Archbishops of Rouen Camerlengos of the Holy Roman Church Diplomats of the Holy See Burials at Sant'Agostino, Rome