Enciclopedia Cattolica

BIRAGO, RENATO

Volume II · p. 964 · 1949

English translation · Testo originale italiano

BIRAGO, RENATO. - Cardinale, n. a Milano da Galeazzo, che fu ambasciatore del duca di Milano in Francia, il 2 febbr. 1506. Visse alla corte dei re di Francia ricoprendo altissimi uffici. Rimasto vedovo
BIRAGO, RENATO. - Cardinale, n. a Milano da Galeazzo, che fu ambasciatore del duca di Milano in Francia, il 2 febbr. 1506. Visse alla corte dei re di Francia ricoprendo altissimi uffici. Rimasto vedovo

Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.

BIRAGO, RENATO. — Cardinal, born in Milan to Galeazzo, who was ambassador of the Duke of Milan to France, on 2 February 1506. He lived at the court of the kings of France, holding very high offices. After becoming a widower, he entered the ecclesiastical career, and was ambassador of Charles IX at the Council of Trent (1563) and to the emperors Ferdinand and Maximilian. In 1570, he was appointed by the same Charles IX as Keeper of the Seals in the secret council of the crown; it is uncertain whether he influenced the decision regarding the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre (August 1572). Created cardinal in 1578, he nevertheless retained the title of Keeper of the Seals. On account of his relentless hostility toward Protestants, he was called the “hammer of heretics.” He died in Paris on 14 November 1583.

He is buried in the Abbey of St. Catherine of the Scuole at Paris; two statues from his mausoleum remain in the Louvre.

BIBL.: A. Masson, *Elogium R. B.*, *card. et cancell. Franciae*, Paris 1583; L. Couriolai, *Cervariu Pilau et l'ombre de B. par devant notaires*, 1878; J. Monicat, *Biraque*, in DHG, VIII, cols. 1523–24.