Francisco Jimenez de Cisneros

Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros (Spanish: Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros; 1436-1517) was a European theologian during the Renaissance, commonly known as Bishop Jiménez (Spanish: Jiménez; Portuguese: Ximenes). Confessor to Queen Isabella I of Castile. He reluctantly accepted the appointment as Prime Minister of Spain and Archbishop of Toledo in 1495, but still lived a frugal life (even after he was promoted to cardinal in 1507). He also served as Grand Magistrate of the Inquisition and the Inquisition of Castile and León (Spain), and assisted in the campaign against the Moors (including the Moors in North Africa) during the Reconquista. During the reign of the Catholic kings of Isabella I and Ferdinand II, he carried out grand and exciting Catholic reforms, which vigorously invigorated the spiritual life of the country and played an unparalleled role in Spain's Golden Century (1500-1700). His reform was inspired by Christian humanism. Through close cooperation with the monarch, he enforced the strict code of conduct of the Franciscan monks and abolished the bad habits that could be seen everywhere among the parish priests, which greatly improved the discipline and self-motivation spirit of the Spanish clergy. He also worked with the monarch to curb the arrogance of the nobles, aligning the royal family with the towns, which greatly enhanced the royal power of Spain. He also funded the establishment of the Complutense University in Madrid; assisted in the large-scale printing of multi-lingual translations of the Compluton Bible (1502), and played an important role in the spread and accuracy of Catholicism. In short, he was the number one hero of the Catholic Reformation and a great contributor to making Spain a Catholic hero and leader in the 16th century. Modern historian John Eliot analyzed that it was the domestic and foreign policies formulated by King Ferdinand II and Bishop Jimenez that enabled the Spanish Empire to rise and become the first power in Christian Europe in the early 16th century.