Briconnet, Guillaume

Briconnet, Guillaume, cardinal of St. Malo, began his career under Louis XI, who, on his death- bed, commended him to his son Charles VIII. Under that monarch he became finance minister, and almost ruler of France. Having lost his wife, he added to his other honors the episcopacy, taking orders, it is said, with the understanding that he should be made cardinal. At Rome he brought about a reconciliation between Charles and the pope, and the cardinal's hat was his reward. On the death of Charles VIII he was displaced in the French cabinet by Cardinal d'Amboise, and retired to Rome; but Louis XII employed him to get up a council at Pisa composed of the cardinals opposed to Pope Julius II, in order to "reform the Church in its head and members." He obeyed, but was excommunicated by the pope and deprived of his purple. Leo X restored him. He died archbishop of Narbonne, 14th December, 1514.-Hoefer, Biog.' Generale, 7:377.