Jean Carondelet - Life

Life

The second son of jurist Jan I Carondelet, he studied Canon Law and Roman Law in his city of birth. He had a brother named Claude I Carondelet and a nephew named Claude II Carondelet. He entered a religious life in 1493, starting his renowned career as dean of the University of Franche-Comté in Besançon. In 1497 he became councillor of the Great Duchal Council of Philip the Fair. In 1504 he became clerical councillor of the newly created Great Council of Mechelen. Finally in 1508 he was made member of the Secret Council, the highest government institution of the Burgundian Netherlands.

Prince Charles's mother, Juana of Castile was insane, and his aunt Archduchess Margaret of Austria, the regent of the Burgundian Netherlands, was his guardian. Prince Charles became acquainted with Jean Carondelet through his brother Ferry, who was the confessor to Margaret of Austria. Jean Carondelet soon became a close advisor to Prince Charles, and in 1517-1519, after Charles had assumed the Spanish throne, Jean Carondelet accompanied him to Spain as a member of his privy council.

In 1522 Charles named him chairman of the Secret Council. In this function he formed, together with Archduchess Margaret of Austria, the center of Burgundian control over the Low Countries. After the death of the regentes in 1530, Jean, together with Antoine I de Lalaing led the government of the Burgundian Netherlands until Mary of Austria was appointed as the next regentes. When Charles V put through thorough reforms of the governmental institutions in 1531 (such as the creation of the so-called Collateral Councils), Carondelet managed to retain his position: he remained head of the Secret Council and became chairman of the Council of State in Brussels. Until his resignation in 1540, he remained a central figure in the government of the Burgundian Netherlands.