Margarit (or Marguerit), Juan Dei

Margarit (Or Marguerit), Juan Dei, a Spanish cardinal, was born at Girona about 1415. He belonged to an ancient and illustrious house of Catalonia; one of his ancestors, Beranger, distinguished himself at the siege of Tyre. Margarit became doctor of theology at Girona; in 1453 he was elevated to the episcopal see of Elna. The king of Aragon, Alfred V, employed him in several important diplomatic missions to Naples, and he was so successful that he was made ambassador to pope Pius II. In 1461 Margarit became chancellor at Girona, and in this office mediated peace between Sixtus IV and the king of Naples, Ferdinand I. For his services to the holy see he was honored with the cardinal's hat towards the close of 1443. He died at Rome in 1444. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, 33:543.