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Juan Bautista CardonaSpanish antiquarian, humanist and bibliographer
Date of Birth: 01.01.1511
Country:  Spain |
Content:
- Guillem Cassador: A Humanist and Bibliographer of the Renaissance
- Service to the Church
- A Patron of Humanism
- Bibliographic Contributions
- Legacy
Guillem Cassador: A Humanist and Bibliographer of the Renaissance
Early Life and EducationGuillem Cassador was born into the Cardona family in Spain. He pursued his education at the universities of Valencia and Lleida, where he earned a doctorate in theology in 1563.
Service to the Church
Following his studies, Cassador spent time in Rome, where he worked on critical editions of medieval texts such as the "Decretum Gratiani" and the works of Saints Hilary and Leo. Upon his return to Spain, he served as chief canon of the Orihuela cathedral and commissioner of the Spanish galleys. In 1576, he was appointed canon with a permanent residence in Valencia. He later became bishop of Vic (1581-1587) and bishop of Tortosa (1587-1589).
A Patron of Humanism
Cassador was closely associated with leading humanists of his time, including Archbishop Antonio Agustín of Tarragona, Pere Gales, Pere Joan Núñez, and Miguel Tomás de Taxaquet. He dedicated a memoir entitled "De regia sancti Laurentii Scorialensis Bibliotheca" to King Philip II, advocating for the establishment of the Escorial library. Cassador himself donated the Fuero Juzgo codex, a collection of 13th-century Castilian laws, to the library.
Bibliographic Contributions
In addition to his work as an antiquarian, Cassador made several bibliographic contributions. He published "Oratio de sancto Stephano" (1575) and "De expungendis haereticorum proprius nominibus" (1576) in Rome.
Legacy
Guillem Cassador passed away in Valencia on December 30, 1589, and was buried in the Tortosa cathedral. His tomb bears an epitaph commemorating his life and achievements. His contributions to the fields of antiquarianism, humanism, and bibliography continue to be recognized by scholars today.
