François de Sourdis

François d' Escoubleau, Cardinal of Sourdis (1574-1628) was Archevêque of Bordeaux and founder of the college of Ireland in 1603.

Biography

Born the October 25th 1574 with Châtillon-on-Separates in the Poitou, oldest son of François d' Escoubleau and Isabeau Babou of Bourdasière. His/her father was Seigneur of Jouy, of Aunau and Montdoubleau, Marquis of Alluye, and Gouverneur of Chartres, and François himself inherits the title of Count of the Vault. He was the cousin of Gabrielle d' Estrées (1573-1599), the favorite one of Henri IV.

As an oldest son, it was not intended for an ecclesiastical career. It makes its humanities with the Collège of Navarre of Paris, takes share with the seat of Chartres (1591) and is intended to marry Catherine Hurault de Cheverny, girl of the royal Chancelier. At the time of a visit with Rome, it meets the Cardinal Frederic Borromée (Federico Borromeo) and Filippo Neri (holy Philippe Néri, founder of the Oratoriens) and decides to enter the Orders. It is named Abbé commendataire Preuilly, of Montreal, and of Aubrac (1597-1600) and it is named cardinal at the time of the Consistoire of March 3rd 1599 by the pope Clément VIII.

Not having the required age, it profits from an exemption to be appointed archbishop of Bordeaux and primacy of Aquitaine the July 5th 1599. It is devoted on December 21st, 1599, with Saint-Germain-of-Meadows in Paris, by the Cardinal François de Joyeuse, archbishop of Toulouse, and receives the bar of cardinal later one year the December 20th 1600. It was the July 12th 1599 named by Its Majesty for estre provided with the Abbaye of Roë . It caused the reform of the Abbaye of Roë, of which he was commendatory abbot, 1600.

With Bordeaux, the Cardinal of Sourdis implies himself in a certain number of urban improvements in faisaint to cleanse the sites Marécage ux suburbs of the city, by renovating the palate archiépiscopal dating from the Middle Ages, while making restore the basilica Saint-Michel. He also made build the Cloître of Cordeliers in the town of Saint-Andre-with-Cubzac (which shelters the local public library today) and the church Saint-Bruno of Bordeaux (1611-1620).

In 1603, the Cardinal of Sourdis accommodates the Abbot Dermit MacCarthy, priest of the diocese of Cork, with his forty companions, who formed the core of the new Irish University to the Université of Bordeaux. He accommodates also many Congregations and makes approve the Company of the Girls of Notre Dame, founded by holy Jeanne de Lestonnac.

In 1605, he becomes coadjutor, with the Death taxes of his uncle Henri d' Escoubleau de Sourdis, bishop of Mallezais, and in 1607 he with the honor to baptize the duke of Orleans, second wire of Henri IV. In 1615, it celebrates at the time of the same ceremony, in the cathedral Saint-Andrew, the marriages of Elisabeth de France, sister of Louis XIII, and Infant Philippe (future Philippe IV of Spain), like that of Louis XIII and of Infante Anne of Austria, sister of Philippe.

His death, his/her brother Henri de Sourdis (1593-1645) succeeds to him, and continues the reforming work of his brother.

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