Gerard van Groesbeeck

Gerard van Groesbeeck

Gerard van Groesbeeck (1517–1580) was a Belgian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal.

Early life

Gerard van Groesbeeck was born in the château of Curingen, Hasselt in 1517.[1] He was related to the barons of Groesbeek, Guelders.[1]

As a young man, he became a canon of Aachen Cathedral.[1] He was also a canon, and later the dean of the cathedral chapter of St. Lambert's Cathedral, Liège.[1] He became the coadjutor bishop of Robert of Berghes, Prince-Bishop of Liège in March 1562.[1] He became the administrator of the Prince-Bishopric on 11 April 1564.[1]

Career

On 5 June 1564 he was elected Prince-Bishop of Liège; his election was preconized by Pope Pius IV on 23 February 1565.[1] He was consecrated as a bishop by Gregoire Silvius, titular bishop of Tagaste, in the Cistercian Abbey of Herckenrode on 20 May 1565.[1] As Prince-Bishop, he was not successful in implementing the decrees of the Council of Trent in the Prince-Bishopric.[1] He succeeded in preventing Protestantism from spreading into the Prince-Bishopric.[1] In 1567, he crushed revolts in Hasselt, Maaseik, and Maastricht.[1] In 1576, he became Prince-Abbot of Stavelot.[1] He and the Estates of Liège declared the Prince-Bishopric a neutral state in 1577.[1]

Pope Gregory XIII made him a cardinal priest in the consistory of 21 February 1578.[1] He never traveled to Rome to receive the red hat or a titular church.[1]

Death

He died on 23 December 1580 and was buried in St. Lambert's Cathedral, Liège.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Entry from Biographical Dictionary of the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Robert of Berghes		 Prince-bishop of Liège
1563–1580		 Succeeded by
Ernest of Bavaria
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