To mark the fifth centenary of the death of Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, the University of Alcalá de Henares, in collaboration with Acción Cultural Española, is paying tribute to its founder with an exhibition designed to commemorate and disseminate this great figure in the history of Spain.
Cardinal Cisneros (Torrelaguna 1436 – Roa 1517), who belonged to the Franciscan Order, was a cardinal, archbishop of Toledo, primate of Spain and third inquisitor general of Castile. He also governed the Crown of Castile twice owing to the incapacity of Queen Joanna. From 1506 to 1507 he presided over the Regency Council that governed Castile after the death of King Philip the Fair until Ferdinand the Catholic arrived. From 1516 to 1517 he returned to government following the death of King Ferdinand until the advent to the throne of Charles I. Throughout his life Cisneros untiringly performed great work as a man of the church, a statesman and a patron.
The exhibition shows the main milestones in the life of the cardinal, who was closely involved in important nationwide undertakings which ended in the shaping of a modern state: his joining of the Franciscan order, his role as Prince of the Church following his appointment as archbishop of Toledo by Queen Isabella, his important role in designing the new Catholic Monarchy including the reform of the church, his role as a statesman and regent of Castile on two occasions and his work as a patron of the arts and founder of the University of Alcalá.
Cardinal Cisneros (Torrelaguna 1436 – Roa 1517), who belonged to the Franciscan Order, was a cardinal, archbishop of Toledo, primate of Spain and third inquisitor general of Castile. He also governed the Crown of Castile twice owing to the incapacity of Queen Joanna. From 1506 to 1507 he presided over the Regency Council that governed Castile after the death of King Philip the Fair until Ferdinand the Catholic arrived. From 1516 to 1517 he returned to government following the death of King Ferdinand until the advent to the throne of Charles I. Throughout his life Cisneros untiringly performed great work as a man of the church, a statesman and a patron.
The exhibition shows the main milestones in the life of the cardinal, who was closely involved in important nationwide undertakings which ended in the shaping of a modern state: his joining of the Franciscan order, his role as Prince of the Church following his appointment as archbishop of Toledo by Queen Isabella, his important role in designing the new Catholic Monarchy including the reform of the church, his role as a statesman and regent of Castile on two occasions and his work as a patron of the arts and founder of the University of Alcalá.
