Rodrigo da Cunha

D. Rodrigo da Cunha (1577 – 3 January 1643) was an important Portuguese prelate of the first half of the seventeenth century and who, as Archbishop of Lisbon, played an important role in supporting the restoration of Portuguese independence from Spain.[1]

His Lordship

D. Rodrigo da Cunha
Archbishop of Lisbon
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
ArchdioceseLisbon
SeeCathedral of St. Mary Major
Installed3 December 1635
Term ended3 January 1643
PredecessorJoão Manuel de Ataíde
SuccessorAntónio de Mendonça
Other posts
Archbishop of Braga (1627–35)

Bishop of Portalegre (1615–18)
Bishop of Porto (1618–27)

Personal details
BornSeptember 1577
Lisbon, Portugal
Died(1643-01-03)3 January 1643
Lisbon, Portugal
NationalityPortuguese
EducationUniversity of Coimbra (J.C.D.)
Signature
Styles of
Rodrigo da Cunha
Reference styleHis Lordship
Spoken styleYour Lordship

Biography

D. Rodrigo was born in Lisbon, son of D. Pedro da Cunha, Lord of the Majorat of Tábua, and his wife Maria da Silva.

He began his studies at the College of Saint Anthony the Great (Colégio de Santo Antão), a Jesuit college in Lisbon. He received his doctorate in Canon Law at the University of Coimbra.

In his religious career, he passed the Holy Office as a deputy, and was an inquisitor in Lisbon. He was Bishop of Portalegre (1615-1618), and of Porto (1618-1626); was Archbishop of Braga (1626-1634) and Lisbon (1635-1642).

He authored the reform of the Breviário Bracarense in 1634, and presided over the Lisbon Synod of 1640.

D. Rodrigo da Cunha was one of the main opponents of the incorporation of Portugal in Spain, a policy followed by Philip IV of Spain. In 1638, he was even invited to become a cardinal in Madrid, refusing the offer.

During the Portuguese Restoration War, he supported the revolutionaries and, together with the Archbishop of Braga, ruled the kingdom until the return of João IV. His name appears as one of the main presences in the "Act of Accession and Oath of King John IV" performed on 15 December 1640.[2] and as in the following act solemnly confirming it on 28 January 1641.[3]

As a historian, D. Rodrigo da Cunha contributed to the historiography of the Church in Portugal, writing several works on Braga, Porto and Lisbon.

He died at the age of 65, on 3 January 1643. He is buried in the Cathedral of Lisbon.

Works

Bibliography
  • Redacção Quidnovi, com coordenação de José Hermano Saraiva, História de Portugal, Dicionário de Personalidades, Volume XIV, Ed. QN-Edição e Conteúdos, S.A., 2004

References
  1. RELAÇÃO de tudo o que passou na felice Aclamação do mui Alto & mui Poderoso Rei D. JOÃO O QUARTO, nosso Senhor, cuja Monarquia prospere Deos por largos anos. Texto publicado em 1641, sem indicação do autor, impresso à custa de Lourenço de Anveres e na sua oficina, e unanimemente atribuído ao Padre Nicolau da Maia de Azevedo
  2. Auto do Levantamento e Juramento d' El-Rei Dom João IV Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Cronicas e Vidas dos Reys de Portugal..., por Duarte Nunez do Lião, e autos de Levantamento e Juramentos a El-Rey D. João IV, Tomo II, compilação de D. Rodrigo da Cunha, em Lisboa, na oficina de José de Aquino Bolhões, de 1780, pág. 471
  • "Rodrigo da Cunha". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney.
  • Referência ao trabalho História Eclesiástica de Braga, com a respectiva capa, e retrato do autor
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.