Jean de la Grange
Encyclopedia
Jean de La Grange (c.1325-1402) was a French
prelate
and politician, active during the reigns of Charles V
and Charles VI
, and an important member of the papal curia at Avignon
, at the time of the Western Schism
. He was the brother of Étienne de La Grange
, an advisor to the king and president of Parlement
.
monk, he was successively Prior of Élancourt
, then of Gigny
, and ultimately procurator of the Cluniac Order. He became abbot of Fécamp
in 1358 and joined the Council of King Charles V after having been in the entourage of Charles the Bad. Within the Council, he was in charge of ecclesiastical affairs but also was involved in financial and fiscal issues. In 1370, the king named him president of the Cour des Aides. He was named bishop of Amiens
(1373), then cardinal-bishop with the title of Saint-Marcel (1375).
La Grange became a counsellor of Gregory XI
(c 1336-78), the French-born pope who ended the period during which the papacy was located in Avignon, France (the so-called Babylonian Captivity
) by returning to Rome in 1378. When Gregory died the following year, however, La Grange arrived in Rome too late to take part in the Conclave
that elected his successor, Pope Urban VI
, an Italian. In protest at the election of a non-French pope, La Grange joined other French Cardinals in re-convening the Conclave in Fondi and elected a rival pope, Clement VII
, the first of the so-called Antipopes.
He then convinced Charles V to support the new pope. In 1394 he was named cardinal-bishop of Frascati
. He was then cast aside by Pope Benedict XIII
, successor to Clement VII, who then lost the French support from which his predecessor had benefitted. He then joined the party of those calling for his abdication and organizing the withdrawal of obedience of 1398. Jean de La Grange thus entered into conflict with Louis of Orléans
, but died before the end of the process.
Two sites are identified as his tomb: a monument in Amiens Cathedral
,, and his actual tomb in Avignon, which is an early example of a transi or cadaver tomb
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
and politician, active during the reigns of Charles V
Charles V of France
Charles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
and Charles VI
Charles VI of France
Charles VI , called the Beloved and the Mad , was the King of France from 1380 to 1422, as a member of the House of Valois. His bouts with madness, which seem to have begun in 1392, led to quarrels among the French royal family, which were exploited by the neighbouring powers of England and Burgundy...
, and an important member of the papal curia at Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
, at the time of the Western Schism
Western Schism
The Western Schism or Papal Schism was a split within the Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417. Two men simultaneously claimed to be the true pope. Driven by politics rather than any theological disagreement, the schism was ended by the Council of Constance . The simultaneous claims to the papal chair...
. He was the brother of Étienne de La Grange
Étienne de La Grange
Étienne de La Grange was a French politician of the group of counselors of kings Charles V and Charles VI designated as the Marmousets by their detractors. He was the brother of Cardinal Jean de La Grange...
, an advisor to the king and president of Parlement
Parlement
Parlements were regional legislative bodies in Ancien Régime France.The political institutions of the Parlement in Ancien Régime France developed out of the previous council of the king, the Conseil du roi or curia regis, and consequently had ancient and customary rights of consultation and...
.
Biography
A BenedictineBenedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monk, he was successively Prior of Élancourt
Élancourt
Élancourt is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris 30.6 km from the center, in the "new town" of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.-Transport:...
, then of Gigny
Gigny, Jura
Gigny is a commune in the Jura department in Franche-Comté in eastern France.-References:*...
, and ultimately procurator of the Cluniac Order. He became abbot of Fécamp
Fécamp Abbey
Fécamp Abbey is a Benedictine abbey in Normandy, northern France.The abbey was the first producer of Bénédictine, a herbal liqueur, based on brandy.-First foundation:...
in 1358 and joined the Council of King Charles V after having been in the entourage of Charles the Bad. Within the Council, he was in charge of ecclesiastical affairs but also was involved in financial and fiscal issues. In 1370, the king named him president of the Cour des Aides. He was named bishop of Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
(1373), then cardinal-bishop with the title of Saint-Marcel (1375).
La Grange became a counsellor of Gregory XI
Pope Gregory XI
Gregory XI was pope from 1370 until his death.-Biography:He was born Pierre Roger de Beaufort, in Maumont, in the modern commune of Rosiers-d'Égletons, Limousin around 1336. He succeeded Pope Urban V in 1370, and was pope until 1378...
(c 1336-78), the French-born pope who ended the period during which the papacy was located in Avignon, France (the so-called Babylonian Captivity
Babylonian captivity
The Babylonian captivity was the period in Jewish history during which the Jews of the ancient Kingdom of Judah were captives in Babylon—conventionally 587–538 BCE....
) by returning to Rome in 1378. When Gregory died the following year, however, La Grange arrived in Rome too late to take part in the Conclave
Papal conclave, 1378
The papal conclave from April 7 to 9, 1378 was the papal conclave which was the immediate cause of the Western Schism in the Catholic Church. The conclave was one of the shortest in the history of the Catholic Church. The conclave was also the first held in the Vatican and in Old St...
that elected his successor, Pope Urban VI
Pope Urban VI
Pope Urban VI , born Bartolomeo Prignano, was Pope from 1378 to 1389.-Biography:Born in Itri, he was a devout monk and learned casuist, trained at Avignon. On March 21, 1364, he was consecrated Archbishop of Acerenza in the Kingdom of Naples...
, an Italian. In protest at the election of a non-French pope, La Grange joined other French Cardinals in re-convening the Conclave in Fondi and elected a rival pope, Clement VII
Antipope Clement VII
Robert of Geneva was elected to the papacy as Pope Clement VII by the French cardinals who opposed Urban VI, and was the first Avignon antipope of the Western Schism.-Biography:...
, the first of the so-called Antipopes.
He then convinced Charles V to support the new pope. In 1394 he was named cardinal-bishop of Frascati
Frascati
Frascati is a town and comune in the province of Rome in the Lazio region of central Italy. It is located south-east of Rome, on the Alban Hills close to the ancient city of Tusculum. Frascati is closely associated with science, being the location of several international scientific...
. He was then cast aside by Pope Benedict XIII
Pope Benedict XIII
-Footnotes:...
, successor to Clement VII, who then lost the French support from which his predecessor had benefitted. He then joined the party of those calling for his abdication and organizing the withdrawal of obedience of 1398. Jean de La Grange thus entered into conflict with Louis of Orléans
Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans
Louis I was Duke of Orléans from 1392 to his death. He was also Count of Valois, Duke of Touraine , Count of Blois , Angoulême , Périgord, Dreux, and Soissons....
, but died before the end of the process.
Two sites are identified as his tomb: a monument in Amiens Cathedral
Amiens Cathedral
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens , or simply Amiens Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral and seat of the Bishop of Amiens...
,, and his actual tomb in Avignon, which is an early example of a transi or cadaver tomb
Cadaver tomb
A cadaver tomb or transi is a church monument or tomb featuring an effigy in the macabre form of a decomposing corpse. The topos was particularly characteristic of the later Middle Ages....
.