Sicile

1562 LETTER SIGNED FROM THE GOVERNOR OF MILAN FRANCESCO FERDINANDO D'AVALOS TO NICCOLO SFONDRATI THE BISHOP OF CREMONA AND FUTURE POPE GREGORY XIV.

1562 · 98780 — Milan 1562. 1562. - Folio 12 inches high by 8-1/2 inches wide. 1-page on bifolium with a red paper seal. On the 4th leaf with the seal the letter is addressed "APRmo 5 Mons : Vescovo di Cremona". The letter realized in a secretarial hand is dated April 5 1562 from Milan and is boldly signed by Francesco Fernando d’Ávalos d'Aquino d'Aragona.<p>Philip II King of Spain and Duke of Milan chose Francesco Fernando d’Ávalos to be his envoy at the Council of Trent. He arrived in Trent on March 14 1562 and attended the sessions of the council. He pressed the Spaniards to not offer up anything against the interests of the Holy See. Upon his return to Milan he charged his secretary Ercole Pagnano with the task of generating a report. As the Governor's agent Pagnano had defended the privileges of the Sicilian monarchy and worked with the Spaniards to quell the controversy regarding the jurisdiction of bishops. In this letter to the Bishop of Cremona the Governor is offering Pagnano's report to him. Loosely translated he states that Pagnano is well informed about these things and that "V.S." Your Excellency should be given his account.<p>The letter was once folded into 4 panels and there very minor breaks along 3 of the folds. There is some minor browning especially to one of the folds. <p>An advisor to King Philip II of Spain Francesco Fernando d’Ávalos c.1530-1571 took command of the Spanish army in Lombardy and Piedmont succeeding the 3rd Duke of Alba who had become the Governor of Milan. From 1560 to 1563 Francesco Fernando served as the Governor of the Duchy of Milan. He was the viceroy of Sicily from 1568 to 1571.<p>The Bishop of Cremona was born Niccolo Sfondrati in 1535 in the Duchy of Milan. Philip II of Spain appointed him to be a senator in Milan in 1552 and at the urging of the Spanish government the Pope appointed him Bishop of Cremona in 1560. He participated in some of the sessions of the Council of Trent from 1561 to 1563. In 1590 he was one of seven cardinals that were acceptable to be pope by Philip II of Spain. He was elected Pope and took the name Gregory XIV. He died less than a year later in October 1591. Milan, 1562. unknown