Tournon, Frangois De, Cardinal Dostia

Tournon, Frangois De, Cardinal d'Ostia was born at Tournon in 1489. At the age of twelve he took the habit of the regular canons of St. Augustine at the Abbey of St. Anthony in Dauphiny. Francis I gave him the Abbey of Chaise-Dieu, and in 1517 made him archbishop of Embrnn. In 1525 he became archbishop of Bourges, and from that time his honors increased with every year. Francis I loaded him with benefices and offices, and employed him in political and ecclesiastical intrigues. In 1530, he was created cardinal, and soon after rose to the dignity of dean of the College of Cardinals. He was one of the principal negotiators of the Treaty of Madrid in 1526, and was actively engaged in bringing about the Peace of Cambria. During the quarrel between Henry VIII of England and the holy see. Tournon proposed concessions to Clement VII, which, if they had been complied with, would have prevented the whole Reformation in England. When Charles V invaded Provence, Tournon was made lieutenant-general of the French army, and directed the operations of the war. He represented France at the Conference of Nice, and in 1538 signed the treaty, which gave France ten years of peace. Tournon was a bitter enemy of reform in whatever shape it might come, and stained his reputation by his bloody attacks upon heresy. The terrible persecution of the Vaudois was in great part of his instigations. At the death of Francis I he fell out of favor, and under Henry II was obliged to return to Rome. In his new diocese of Lyons he carried on a fearful persecution against the Calvinists. At the death of Henry II he returned to France, and was called to the councils of the queen mother. His appearance was the signal for new rigors, and he endeavored to obtain the return of the Jesuits, to whom he gave his college of Tournon. He had great influence over Charles IX, and what terrors may not be due to this fact? Tournon died at the abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Pres April 22,1562. He had little time, among his political affairs, to attend to letters, and left no works behind him. See Fleury-Ternal, Hist. du Cardinal de Tournon; La Thaumassibre, Hist. du Berry; De Thou, Hist. sui Temp. Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Géneralé, s.v.