BORGIA, GASPARE

GASPARE BORGIA. — Cardinal, born at Villalpando on 26 June 1580, died at Madrid on 28 December 1635. He was the son of Francesco B., Duke of Gandia, and of Giovanna di Velasco. Having earned a degree in theology at the University of Alcalá de Henares, he became canon and subsequently archdeacon of the cathedral of Toledo. On 17 August 1611 he was created a cardinal by Paul V, with the title of S. Susanna, later changed to that of S. Croce in Gerusalemme. He came to Rome as extraordinary ambassador of Spain to the Holy See, then served as ordinary ambassador of Philip IV and took part in the conclaves of Gregory XV and Urban VIII.
In 1626 he was appointed by Philip IV as viceroy of Naples, succeeding the celebrated Duke of Osuna, and two years later he became a member of the Council of State. Already bishop of Albano, in 1632 he obtained the archbishopric of Seville, but took possession of his diocese only in 1638, following the bull of Urban VIII on episcopal residence. In that same year he was elected president of the Council of Aragon. In 1641 he arranged for a provincial synod to be held at Albano through his vicar general. On 15 March 1645 he was appointed by Innocent X as bishop of Toledo. He was most generous to the poor and gave and collected money for the war against the Turks.