Jerzy Radziwiłł
Catholic cardinal
Died when: 43 years 235 days (523 months)Star Sign: Gemini
Prince Jerzy Radziwill (Lithuanian: Jurgis Radvila; 31 May 1556 – 21 January 1600) was a Polish–Lithuanian magnate and Imperial Reichsfürst from the Radziwill family.
He was ordained a Catholic priest and later rose through the ranks as Bishop of Vilnius eventually becoming a cardinal.
He was a close friend and adviser of king Sigismund III and represented his interests in front of the Pope.
Raised a Calvinist, Radziwill was educated at the University of Leipzig.In 1572 he converted to Catholicism and became associated with the Jesuits.
He continued to study at Jesuit colleges in Poznan, Vilnius, and Rome.Radziwill began his duties as Bishop of Vilnius in 1579.
He established Vilnius Seminary and helped to obtain university status for the Jesuit Academy in Vilnius.He was ordained to priesthood (10 April 1583) and was not consecrated a bishop until 26 December 1583.
He was elevated to the cardinalate by Gregory XIII only on 12 December 1583, and was assigned the titulus of S.Sisto on 14 July 1586.
He did not participate in the Conclave of 1585, which elected Sixtus V; or the Conclave of September 1590, which elected Urban VII; or the Conclave of 8 October - 5 December 1590, which elected Gregory XIV.
In 1591, he became Bishop of Kraków.He did participate in the Conclave of October 1591, which elected Innocent IX; and in the Conclave of January 1592, which elected Clement VIII.
Radziwill was also involved in political life.He served as deputy administrator (namiestnik) of Polish Livonia (Inflanty) from 1582 until 1585.He participated in the election of king Sigismund III Vasa and became his trusted adviser.
Radziwill supported the Third Statute of Lithuania (1588) and the Union of Brest (1596).He came to Rome to participate in the Jubilee of 1600, but died in Rome on 21 January and was buried in the Church of the Gesu.
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