Alfonso Carillo de Acuña
Encyclopedia
Alfonso Carrillo de Acuña (Carrascosa del Campo, 1410 – Alcalá de Henares
, 1 July 1482) was a Spanish politician and Roman Catholic archbishop.
and descendent of a noble Portuguese family. His mother was Teresa Carrillo de Albornoz, a native of Carrascosa del Campo whose ancestors had included clergy. He was educated under his uncle, cardinal Alfonso Carrillo de Albornoz. On Albornoz's fall from power, in 1434, Carrillo was made protonotary apostolic
by pope Eugene IV
, entering the royal court of John II
of Castile
. He was a hugely influential figure in the court of John II (1406–1454), Henry IV
(1454–1474) and with the Catholic Monarchs
. On the execution of the royal favourite Alvaro de Luna
in 1453, Carrillo raised Juan Pacheco
, marchese di Villena, the favourite of the new king Henry IV and diplomat to France for him, rising to great power and overcoming many nobles. His greed and ambition led him to oppose the king from the moment in which he chose to change his favourite, turning away Pacheco and promoting Beltrán de la Cueva
and his Mendoza allies, sworn enemies of Carrillo.
He was made bishop of Sigüenza in 1436 then archbishop of Toledo in 1446. He was made a pseudocardinal
deacon of Sant'Eustachio in the consistory of 12 April 1440, but declined the promotion From 1462 Carrillo was the main instigator of the noble Castilian faction which wanted to depose the king and replace him with his half-brother, the infant Alfonso, and he was a highly active participant in the 'farce of Avila'. This began a long and bloody civil war in Castille.
The infante died in summer 1468 and was replaced as pretender to the throne by his sister Isabella
. Carrillo acted as her main advisor and with Pierres de Peralta (Pedro de Peralta y Ezpeleta) he played a major part in arranging her marriage to Ferdinand II of Aragon
in October 1469. Even so, when the Catholic Monarchs came to power after Henry IV's death in December 1474, they immediately came into conflict with Carrillo. Carrillo would not accept their authoritarian treatment of him nor his enemy cardinal Pedro González de Mendoza
's rise to be chancellor of the kingdom. This led him to clash with the Mendoza family, a battle he lost in the War of the Castilian Succession
that followed (1475–1479). Completely changing his policy, Carrillo joined the camp led by the king of Portugal, which supported the claim to the Spanish throne by his niece, princess Joanna la Beltraneja, against the claim of Isabella I.
The war was long and cruel, but at the start of 1479 an offensive by the Catholic Monarchs definitely defeated the Portuguese and forced Carrillo to submit and accept the imposition of royal garrisons in all the fortresses he controlled, though he did hold onto his post as archbishop of Toledo. He died in the archepiscopal palace of Alcalá de Henares
.
Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá de Henares , meaning Citadel on the river Henares, is a Spanish city, whose historical centre is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, and one of the first bishoprics founded in Spain...
, 1 July 1482) was a Spanish politician and Roman Catholic archbishop.
Life
His father was Lope Vázquez de Acuña, head of the Honrado Concejo de la MestaMesta
The Mesta was a powerful association of sheep holders in the medieval Kingdom of Castile....
and descendent of a noble Portuguese family. His mother was Teresa Carrillo de Albornoz, a native of Carrascosa del Campo whose ancestors had included clergy. He was educated under his uncle, cardinal Alfonso Carrillo de Albornoz. On Albornoz's fall from power, in 1434, Carrillo was made protonotary apostolic
Protonotary apostolic
In the Roman Catholic Church, protonotary apostolic is the title for a member of the highest non-episcopal college of prelates in the Roman Curia or, outside of Rome, an honorary prelate on whom the pope has conferred this title and its special privileges.-History:In later antiquity there were in...
by pope Eugene IV
Pope Eugene IV
Pope Eugene IV , born Gabriele Condulmer, was pope from March 3, 1431, to his death.-Biography:He was born in Venice to a rich merchant family, a Correr on his mother's side. Condulmer entered the Order of Saint Augustine at the monastery of St. George in his native city...
, entering the royal court of John II
John II of Castile
John II was King of Castile from 1406 to 1454.He was the son of Henry III of Castile and his wife Catherine of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster by Constance of Castile, daughter of King Peter of Castile.-Regency:He succeeded his father on 25 December 1406, at the age of...
of Castile
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
. He was a hugely influential figure in the court of John II (1406–1454), Henry IV
Henry IV of Castile
Henry IV , King of the Crown of Castile, nicknamed the Impotent , was the last of the weak late medieval kings of Castile...
(1454–1474) and with the Catholic Monarchs
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both descended from John I of Castile; they were given a papal dispensation to deal with...
. On the execution of the royal favourite Alvaro de Luna
Álvaro de Luna
Álvaro de Luna y Jarana , Duke of Trujillo, 1st Count of San Esteban de Gormaz, was a Spanish politician...
in 1453, Carrillo raised Juan Pacheco
Juan Pacheco
Juan Pacheco Juan Pacheco Juan Pacheco (Belmonte, (1419 – 1474) was a Spanish nobleman who dominated the political scene in the Kingdom of Castille during the final years of John II of Castile and almost right up to the reign of Isabel I of Castile...
, marchese di Villena, the favourite of the new king Henry IV and diplomat to France for him, rising to great power and overcoming many nobles. His greed and ambition led him to oppose the king from the moment in which he chose to change his favourite, turning away Pacheco and promoting Beltrán de la Cueva
Beltrán de la Cueva
Beltrán de la Cueva y Alfonso de Mercado, 1st Duke of Alburquerque was a Spanish nobleman and presumed lover of Queen Joan of Portugal.-Early life:...
and his Mendoza allies, sworn enemies of Carrillo.
He was made bishop of Sigüenza in 1436 then archbishop of Toledo in 1446. He was made a pseudocardinal
Pseudocardinal (Catholicism)
Pseudocardinals are called these cardinals, created by the antipopes. Their state, like the state of the antipopes is disputed. There are many pseudocardinals created during the controversy between the Holy See and the Holy Roman Empire and during the Western Schism. Some of them had switched...
deacon of Sant'Eustachio in the consistory of 12 April 1440, but declined the promotion From 1462 Carrillo was the main instigator of the noble Castilian faction which wanted to depose the king and replace him with his half-brother, the infant Alfonso, and he was a highly active participant in the 'farce of Avila'. This began a long and bloody civil war in Castille.
The infante died in summer 1468 and was replaced as pretender to the throne by his sister Isabella
Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon brought stability to both kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor...
. Carrillo acted as her main advisor and with Pierres de Peralta (Pedro de Peralta y Ezpeleta) he played a major part in arranging her marriage to Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
in October 1469. Even so, when the Catholic Monarchs came to power after Henry IV's death in December 1474, they immediately came into conflict with Carrillo. Carrillo would not accept their authoritarian treatment of him nor his enemy cardinal Pedro González de Mendoza
Pedro González de Mendoza
Pedro González de Mendoza was a Spanish cardinal and statesman.-Biography:He was born at Guadalajara in New Castile, the chief lordship of his family. He was the fourth son of Íñigo López de Mendoza, marqués de Santillana, deceased 1458, and one of the cadet brothers of Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, 1...
's rise to be chancellor of the kingdom. This led him to clash with the Mendoza family, a battle he lost in the War of the Castilian Succession
War of the Castilian Succession
The War of the Castilian Succession was the military conflict contested from 1475 to 1479 for the succession of the Crown of Castile fought between the supporters of Juana la Beltraneja, daughter of the late monarch Henry IV of Castile, and those of Henry's half sister, Isabella, who was ultimately...
that followed (1475–1479). Completely changing his policy, Carrillo joined the camp led by the king of Portugal, which supported the claim to the Spanish throne by his niece, princess Joanna la Beltraneja, against the claim of Isabella I.
The war was long and cruel, but at the start of 1479 an offensive by the Catholic Monarchs definitely defeated the Portuguese and forced Carrillo to submit and accept the imposition of royal garrisons in all the fortresses he controlled, though he did hold onto his post as archbishop of Toledo. He died in the archepiscopal palace of Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá de Henares , meaning Citadel on the river Henares, is a Spanish city, whose historical centre is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, and one of the first bishoprics founded in Spain...
.
Issue
While still young, he had two illegitimate sons:- Troylos Carrillo, later count of Agosta
- Lope Vasquez de Acuña