Biography

He was born in Madrid in 1580. He was the elder brother of Cardinal John de Lugo, and, like him, a distinguished member of the Society of Jesus

Society of Jesus

The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

, which he entered at the novitiate

Novitiate

Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....

 of Salamanca

Salamanca

Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...

 in 1600.

In answer to his request for the foreign missions, he was sent to Mexico, where, quite apart from any desire of his own, he was appointed to teach theology. Being recalled to Spain, he sailed in company with others under the protection of the Spanish fleet; but during the voyage the Spanish encountered the Dutch, and in the ensuing struggle, de Lugo, although he succeeded in saving his life, could not save the greater part of his commentary on the entire Summa

Summa Theologica

The Summa Theologiæ is the best-known work of Thomas Aquinas , and although unfinished, "one of the classics of the history of philosophy and one of the most influential works of Western literature." It is intended as a manual for beginners in theology and a compendium of all of the main...

of St. Thomas

Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...

. He subsequently taught both philosophy and theology in Spain, was a censor of books, and theologian to the general of the Society of Jesus at Rome. Having been twice rector of the College of Valladolid, he died at Valladolid

Valladolid

Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...

 on 17 September 1652 with the reputation of being a fine theologian and a holy and humble man.

Another de Lugo

Another well known Francisco de Lugo is a distant relative of a Spanish conquistador Alonso Luis Fernández de Lugo, who played a major role in conquering the Canary Islands

Canary Islands

The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...

. He had limited formal military background, but did some fighting both against the Moors

Moors

The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...

 and against the Taino Indians of the West Indies. He served with Cortes

Hernán Cortés

Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century...

 in the conquest of Mexico as one of his officers. In 1548 he died at age sixty while leading an army from Panuco

Pánuco (province)

The Province of Pánuco was a province of the Spanish colony of New Spain. It was probably discovered by Amerigo Vespucci in 1498, and later by Juan de Grijalva. It is located on the Mexican gulf coast centered around Santiestebán de Pánuco, from the river of Tuxpan and extending into the current...

 across the deserts and mountains to Zacatecas

Zacatecas

Zacatecas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas....

.

Writings