{{Short description|Italian abbot and cardinal}} {{Infobox religious biography | name = | image = (Albi) Portrait du cardinal Laurent Strozzi - Palais de la Berbie.jpg | alt = | caption = Lorenzo Strozzi | religion = Catholic | denomination = | school = | lineage = | institute = | church = <!-- or: |churches = --> | education = University of Padua | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|1523|12|03|df=y}} | birth_place = Florence, Italy | death_date = {{death date and age|1571|12|14|1523|12|03|df=y}} | death_place = Avignon, France | spouse = | partner = | children = | mother = Clarice de' Medici | father = Filippo Strozzi | relatives = Strozzi family<br/>House of Medici | location = France | title = | period = | consecration = 8 June 1550 | predecessor = | successor = | reason = | rank = | teacher = <!-- or | guru = --> | reincarnation_of = | students = <!-- or | disciples = --> | initiated = | works = <!-- or | literary_works = --> | ordination = | initiation = | initiation_date = | initiation_place = | initiator = | profession = | previous_post = | post = }} '''Lorenzo Strozzi''' (3 December 1523 – 14 December 1571) was an Italian abbot and cardinal. He was the son of Filippo Strozzi, a member of the powerful Strozzi family of Florence, and Clarice de' Medici.<ref name=fiu/> He became a naturalized French citizen in 1544. In France, the family name was also spelled Stroci, Stroissay, Estroci, Astroci, and Astrotio.<ref>Albanès, ''Gallia christiana novissima'', [https://books.google.com/books?id=h78cAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA123 p. 123].</ref> He was successively bishop of Béziers, archbishop of Albi, and archbishop of Aix.

==Early life== Lorenzo Strozzi was born in Florence, the son of Filippo Strozzi and Clarice de' Medici, niece of Pope Leo X and aunt of Catherine de Medicis.<ref>Albanès, ''Gallia christiana novissima'', [https://books.google.com/books?id=h78cAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA121 p. 121]. Fisquet, [https://books.google.com/books?id=V0jF8Nt73SIC&pg=PA168 p. 168]. Lucien Romier, ''Les origines politiques des guerres de religion ...: Henri II et l'Italie (1547-1555)'', {{in lang|fr}}, (Perrin, 1913), [https://books.google.com/books?id=UroAAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA149 pp. 148-156].</ref> He was the younger brother of Piero Strozzi, who was made a marshal of France by King Henry II in 1554.<ref>Thomas Henry Dyer, ''Modern Europe, from the Fall of Constantinople to the Establishment of the German Empire, A.D. 1453-1871,'' Volume 2 (London: George Bell, 1877), [https://books.google.com/books?id=bZklnQ24laYC&pg=PA227 p. 227].</ref> During the exile of the Strozzi in Padua, he studied the humanities under the direction of Benedetto Varchi, and attended the University of Padua, where he took a doctorate in law.<ref>Fisquet, [https://books.google.com/books?id=V0jF8Nt73SIC&pg=PA168 p. 168]. Bellaud Dessalles, p. 15.</ref>

In 1537, Lorenzo wrote a biography of his father Filippo Strozzi.<ref>Lorenzo Strozzi, [https://books.google.com/books?id=q0WEjtcAdy8C&pg=PA1 ''Vita di Filippo Strozzi il vecchio scritta da Lorenzo suo figlio''], con documenti ed illustrazioni per cura di Giuseppe Bini e Pietro Bigazzi. {{in lang|it}}. Firenze: tip. della casa di correzione, 1851.</ref>

In July 1543, Lorenzo and his condottiero brother Pietro received permission from the government of Venice to travel to France; Pietro was bringing 200 mounted arquebusiers, and intended to enter the royal service. Lorenzo was authorized to raise 50 troops in Marano.<ref>Bellaud Dessalles, p. 16.</ref> Pietro and Lorenzo became naturalized French citizens in June 1544 by ''Lettres de naturalité'' of King Francis I.<ref>Émile Picot, ''Les Italiens en France au XVIe siècle'', {{in lang|fr}}, (Bordeaux: Feret, 1901), [https://books.google.com/books?id=qbVCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA44 p. 44].</ref>

As part of the French Army, he fought Calvinists in Languedoc under Henry II.<ref name=fiu>{{cite web|url=https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios1557.htm#Strozzi|title=3. STROZZI, Lorenzo (1523-1571)|publisher=Florida International University|last=Miranda|first=Salvador|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023164447/http://www2.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios1557.htm|archive-date=2014-10-23}}</ref> Bellaud Dessalles points out that there are no sources to verify the claims.<ref>Bellaud Dessalles, p. 16: "D'après quelques auteurs, Laurent Strozzi aurait même guerroyé en Languedoc et remporté des succès sur les protestants. Ces faits, mentionnés par les auteurs du ''Gallia [christiana]'' et par Lhermite de Soliers, ne sont confirmés par aucun document historique touchant cette province et restent l'un des points obscurs de cette existence si remplie."</ref>

==Church== His cousin Queen Catherine de' Medici convinced him to join the church. His ecclesiastical career developed in France, first as abbot commendatory of Saint-Victor in Marseille in 1548, a royal appointment which was void, since Pope Paul had already appointed Cardinal Giulio Feltrio della Rovere (abbot 1548–1565). Lorenzo finally received the abbey on 5 February 1568.<ref>Albanès, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Im07AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA121 p. 121-122].</ref> He was later appointed abbot commendatory of Villar San Costanzo at Staffarda (Saluzzo, Piedmont).

Queen Catherine wrote to Pope Paul III's grandson, Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, on 12 August 1547, requesting a cardinalate for Lorenzo Strozzi. The request was repeated in December 1547, but to no effect. In December 1548, Henri II received word from Rome that his agent was unable to extract any promise from the pope.<ref>Bellaud Desalles, pp. 17-18. The agent was François de Rohan, sieur de Gié, Gentleman of the Chamber; he had spent at least two years in Rome between 1539 and 1541 as agent of King Francis I.</ref>

He was then nominated bishop of Béziers by King Henry II of France, and confirmed by Pope Paul III in the papal consistory of 7 December 1547. He replaced Bishop-elect François Gouffier, who had resigned on 5 December. Strozzi was only 24 years old.<ref>Eubel, ''Hierarchia catholica'' III, [https://books.google.com/books?id=R1iB4%200XlXoC&pg=PA135 p. 135].</ref> He took possession of the diocese on 27 February 1548, but was not consecrated a bishop until 8 June 1550. In 1551, he appointed as Administrator of the diocese the abbot of Villelongue, Pierre de Puimisson.

Strozzi was named a councilor of Henry II in 1547, and took part in a session of Parlement presided over by the king on 2 July 1548.<ref>Bellaud Desalles, pp. 18-19. Fisquet, [https://books.google.com/books?id=V0jF8Nt73SIC&pg=PA169 p. 169].</ref> He did not attend the Estates at Montpellier 21 October 1551, but sent a procurator. He did not attend the provincial council of Narbonne on 10–20 December 1551. On 17 October 1552, he failed to attend the meeting of the Estates at Nîmes, and did not send a procurator; he was therefore fined 10 livres.<ref>Bellaud Desalles, p. 20.</ref> Since 1551, preachers sent from Geneva had been making inroads in the diocese of Béziers, where memories of Albigensian teachings, especially their opposition to the clerical estate, were still strong.<ref>Claude de Vic & Jean Joseph Vaissette, ''Histoire générale de Languedoc: avec des notes et les pièces justificatives'', {{in lang|fr}}, Volume 11 (Toulouse: E. Privat, 1889, [https://books.google.com/books?id=jv9JAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA349 pp. 349-353], esp. p. 352. Bellaud Desalles, pp. 37-39.</ref>

Strozzi's brother Leo was killed in battle on 25 June 1554, fighting in the French army before Scarlino, in Sienese territory, on the mainland opposite the island of Elba.<ref>Bellaud Desalles, p. 37.</ref>

He was made a cardinal by Pope Paul IV in the consistory of 15 March 1557, with the title of Santa Balbina.<ref>Eubel ''Hierarchia catholica'' III, [https://books.google.com/books?id=R1iB4%200XlXoC&pg=PA40 p. 35, no. 11].</ref> He was present in Rome on 20 September 1557, to receive his red hat from the pope. He stayed on into October, carrying out businnes entrusted to him by the Queen, including finding a court-painter. He was back in Béziers by the beginning of 1558.<ref>Bellaud Desalles, p. 28.</ref>

When Pope Paul IV died on 18 August 1559, Cardinal Strozzi was sent by King Francis II to Rome, with instructions for the French faction in the Conclave.<ref>Bellaud Desalles, pp. 31-32.</ref> The French candidates, chosen by Catherine de Medicis and the Cardinal of Guise-Lorraine, were Cardinal Ippolito d"Este, a longtime resident at the French court, then Cardinal François de Tournon, and thirdly Cardinal Ercole Gonzaga. Five French cardinals, however, did not make the trip to Rome, despite royal prodding. The conclave began on 5 September and lasted until the election of Giovanni Angelo de' Medici on Christmas Day.<ref>Frederic J. Baumgartner, ''Behind locked doors. A History of the Papal Elections'', (New York: Palgrave-Macmillan-St. Martins 2003), pp. 117-119.</ref> Strozzi was not a candidate, nor did he feature in the politicking, and, at the age of thirty-five and a cardinal for two and a half years, he had little personal influence among his fellows.<ref>John P. Adams, [https://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/SV1559.html ''Sede Vacante 1559''], California State University 2011; retrieved: 10 July 2025.</ref> On 9 November, he wrote to the Queen that he was following her orders faithfully.<ref>Bellaud Desalles, pp. 32-33: "Je dirai seulement que je ne manquerai pas (comme jusqu'ici je n'ai pas manqué) d'obéir à tout ce qu'elle m'a commandé, comme particulièrement Votre Majesté peut en être informée par les seigneurs susdits, et pour cela nous pourrons faire cette élection à la satisfaction de Votre Majesté...."</ref>

Cardinal Strozzi did not attend the papal conclave of 20 December 1565–7 January 1566. Later, he was named Administrator of the diocese of Albi in the papal consistory of 9 May 1561;<ref>Eubel, ''Hierarchia catholica'' III, [https://books.google.com/books?id=R1iB4%200XlXoC&pg=PA101 p. 101].</ref> he made his solemn entry into Albi on 6 October 1561. In August 1562, he obtained letters of protection from King Charles IX, and in 1563 he took the oath of allegiance to the king in person. King Charles named him his lieutenant in the Albigeois.<ref>Fisquet, [https://books.google.com/books?id=V0jF8Nt73SIC&pg=PA170 p. 170].</ref> He was nominated archbishop of Aix-en-Provence by Charles IX, and confirmed on 6 February 1568, by Pope Pius V; he was granted the ''pallium'' on 11 April 1568.<ref>Albanès, pp. 121-122. Eubel, ''Hierarchia catholica'' III, [https://books.google.com/books?id=R1iB4%200XlXoC&pg=PA112 p. 112 with note 8].</ref> He took possession of the diocese on 14 April 1568.<ref>Fisquet, [https://books.google.com/books?id=V0jF8Nt73SIC&pg=PA171 p. 171].</ref>

==Later life== He died at Avignon on 14 December 1571, and was buried in the Church of S. Agricol.<ref>Fisquet, [https://books.google.com/books?id=V0jF8Nt73SIC&pg=PA171 p. 171]. Albanès, ''Gallia christiana novissima'', [https://books.google.com/books?id=h78cAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA123 p. 123].</ref><ref name=fiu/>

== Ancestry == {{ahnentafel |collapsed=yes |align=center |boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc; |boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9; |boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc; |boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc; |boxstyle_5=background-color: #9fe; |1= 1. '''Lorenzo Strozzi''' |2= 2. Filippo Strozzi the Younger |3= 3. Clarice de' Medici |4= 4. Filippo Strozzi the Elder |5= 5. Salvaggia Gianfigliazzi |6= 6. Piero de' Medici |7= 7. Alfonsina Orsini |8= 8. Matteo Strozzi |9= 9. Alessandra Macinghi |10= 10. Bartolommeo Gianfigliazzi |12= 12. Lorenzo de' Medici |13= 13. Clarice Orsini |14= 14. Roberto Orsini, Count of Tagliacozzo |15= 15. Caterina Sanseverino |16= 16. Simone Strozzi |17= 17. Andreina Rondinelli |18= 18. Filippo Macinghi |24= 24. Piero de' Medici |25= 25. Lucrezia Tornabuoni |26= 26. Jacopo Orsini, Lord of Monterotondo |27= 27. Maddalena Orsini (daughter of 28 and 29) |28= 28. Carlo Orsini, Lord of Bracciano |29= 29. Paola Orsini |30= 30. Amerigo Sanseverino, Count of Capaccio |31= 31. Margherita Sanseverino }}

==References== {{reflist}}

== Sources== * Albanés, Joseph Hyacinthe; Fillet, Louis; Chevalier Ulysse (1899). [https://books.google.com/books?id=h78cAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA121 ''Gallia christiana novissima: Aix, Apt, Fréjus, Gap, Riez et Sisteron.''] {{in lang|fr|la}}. Montbéliard: Société anonyme d'imprimerie montbéliardaise. pp. 121–123. * Bellaud Dessalles, Mathilde (1901), [https://archive.org/details/lesvquesital00bell ''Les évèques italiens de l'ancien diocèse de Béziers, 1547-1669'']. Paris: A. Picard. * {{cite book |editor-last1=Eubel |editor-first1=Conradus |editor-last2=Gulik |editor-first2=Guilelmus |title=Hierarchia catholica |volume= 3 |date=1923 |publisher=Libreria Regensbergiana |location=Münster |edition=second |language=Latin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R1iB4_0XlXoC&pg=PA40}}. [https://archive.org/details/hierarchiacathol02eubeuoft Archived]. * {{cite book|last=Fisquet|first=Honoré|title=La France pontificale (Gallia Christiana): Beziers, Lodève, Saint-Pons de Thomières|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V0jF8Nt73SIC&pg=PA168|year=1864|publisher=Etienne Repos|location=Paris|language=fr|pages=168-174}} * Lacger, L. de (1911). "Le cardinal Laurent Strozzi et son épiscopat albigeois," {{in lang|fr}}, in: ''Albia christiana'' Vol. 8 (1911), pp. 289-306.

{{S-start}} {{S-rel|ca}} {{s-bef|before=François Gouffier}} {{s-ttl|title=40px|centerBishop of Béziers|years=1547&ndash;1561}} {{s-aft|after=Julien de Médicis}} {{s-bef|before=Pedro Pacheco de Villena}} {{s-ttl|title=40px|centerCardinal-Priest of S. Balbina|years=1557&ndash;1571}} {{s-aft|after=Gaspar Cervantes de Gaeta}} {{s-bef|before=Louis I of Lothringen-Guise}} {{s-ttl|title=40px|centerArchbishop of Albi|years=1561&ndash;1568}} {{s-aft|after=Philippe de Rodolfis}} {{s-bef|before=Jean de Saint-Chamond}} {{s-ttl|title=40px|centerArchbishop of Aix|years=1568&ndash;1571}} {{s-aft|after=Julien de Médicis}} {{s-end}}

{{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Catholicism |portal3= Italy}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strozzi, Lorenzo}} Category:1523 births Category:1571 deaths Category:Nobility from the Republic of Florence Lorenzo Category:16th-century Italian cardinals Category:Archbishops of Aix Category:Bishops of Albi Category:Bishops of Béziers Category:Clergy from Florence Category:16th-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops Category:University of Padua alumni