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Lot Essay
Alessandro Farnese (1520-1589) was the eldest son of Pier Luigi Farnese, first Dule of Parma and brother of Pope Paul III. At the age of fourteen whilst a student in Bologna, Clement VII appointed him administor of the Diocese of Parma, and later in the same year, 1534, his uncle Paul III created him Cardinal-Deacon of the Title of Sant Angelo, conferring on him numerous offices and benefices including, Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church, Governor of Tivoli, Archpriest of St. Mary Major's, Archpriest of St. Peter's, Administrator of Jaen, Spain, Vizeu, Portugal, of Wurzburg, Germany and of Avignon, France. In 1536 he was made Bishop of Monreale, Sicily, where in 1552 he founded the Jesuit College and in 1559 convoked a synod. He was also Bishop of Massa in 1538, Archbishop of Tours in 1553, Bishop of Benevento in 1556 and of Montefiascone in 1571. He became Cardinal of Ostia and Velletri in 1580.
Farnese was employed by the popes on various legations and embassies. In 1539 he was legatus a letere of Paul III at the Court of Charles V, to make peace between the emperor and the King of France, and to sever the alliance with England, and to arrange for a general council. He was papal legate for the province of Patrimony, and afterwards of the county of Avignon, where he displayed great administrative ability, especially during the plague of 1541. In 1543 he went again to the court of Charles V, and later to Francios I, and was present at the meeting of the two sovereigns in Paris, returning with Charles to Flanders. In the war between his brother Ottavio, Duke of Parma and Pope Julius III, he prudently remained aloof, first at Florence then at Avignon. In 1545 he went on a second embassy to Charles V in reference to the council, and in 1546 he accompanied the pontifical troops sent to the aid of Charles V against the Smalkald League. Charles V greatly admired Farnese's virues and sagacity and in 1580 he was put forward as one of the candidates for the papacy.
Farnese was a lover and patron of literature, science and art, especially ecclesiastical. He patronized the architect Vignolo with the building of the Gesú Church in Rome, laying the corner-stone in 1568. Vignolo also was commissioned to build the superb Farnese palace of Caprarola near Lago Bracciano. He restored the monasrty Tre Fontane, where he had the chapel of Santa Maria Scale Coeli erected, and also had the ceiling of San Lorenzo in Damaso decorated.
Alessandro Farnese died in Rome in 1589, being buried in the Gesú Church in front of the high altar.
Farnese was employed by the popes on various legations and embassies. In 1539 he was legatus a letere of Paul III at the Court of Charles V, to make peace between the emperor and the King of France, and to sever the alliance with England, and to arrange for a general council. He was papal legate for the province of Patrimony, and afterwards of the county of Avignon, where he displayed great administrative ability, especially during the plague of 1541. In 1543 he went again to the court of Charles V, and later to Francios I, and was present at the meeting of the two sovereigns in Paris, returning with Charles to Flanders. In the war between his brother Ottavio, Duke of Parma and Pope Julius III, he prudently remained aloof, first at Florence then at Avignon. In 1545 he went on a second embassy to Charles V in reference to the council, and in 1546 he accompanied the pontifical troops sent to the aid of Charles V against the Smalkald League. Charles V greatly admired Farnese's virues and sagacity and in 1580 he was put forward as one of the candidates for the papacy.
Farnese was a lover and patron of literature, science and art, especially ecclesiastical. He patronized the architect Vignolo with the building of the Gesú Church in Rome, laying the corner-stone in 1568. Vignolo also was commissioned to build the superb Farnese palace of Caprarola near Lago Bracciano. He restored the monasrty Tre Fontane, where he had the chapel of Santa Maria Scale Coeli erected, and also had the ceiling of San Lorenzo in Damaso decorated.
Alessandro Farnese died in Rome in 1589, being buried in the Gesú Church in front of the high altar.