Bernardo de Sandoval y Rojas was born in
Aranda de Duero on 20 April 1546, the son of Hernando de Rojas y Sandoval and Maria Chacon Guevara. He was the second oldest of nine siblings. He was the uncle of
Francisco Gómez de Sandoval, 1st Duke of Lerma. His uncle, Cristóbal de Rojas y Sandoval,
Bishop of Oviedo granted him the
tonsure on 13 November 1555. He attended the
University of Alcalá, where he studied under
Ambrosio Morales and received his
bachillerato on 18 June 1566; his
licentiate on 25 October 1567 and a
doctorate in arts on 3 November 1567. He became a
canon of
Seville Cathedral on 4 June 1574. His uncle, now
Archbishop of Seville, made him
subdeacon of
El Escorial on 5 June 1576. During this period, he also attended the
University of Salamanca, receiving a licentiate in theology on 24 July 1576. In 1586,
Philip II of Spain nominated him to be
Bishop of Ciudad Rodrigo and he was elected bishop by the
cathedral chapter of
Ciudad Rodrigo on 8 January 1586. He was
consecrated by Cardinal
Rodrigo de Castro Osorio, Archbishop of Seville, on 20 April 1586. He was
translated to the
see of Pamplona on 16 March 1588. He became
Bishop of Jaén on 29 April 1596. On 3 March 1599
Pope Clement VIII created him a
cardinal priest. He became
Archbishop of Toledo on 19 April 1599. He received his
galero on 26 February 1601, at which time he was granted the
titular church of
Santa Anastasia. He did not participate in the two
conclaves of 1605. He was the
Grand Inquisitor of Spain from 1608 until his death in 1618. He was the
patron of many famous authors, including
Miguel de Cervantes,
Francisco de Quevedo,
Lope de Vega,
Luis de León, and
Luis de Góngora. He died suddenly in
Madrid on 7 December 1618. He is buried in the
Cathedral of Toledo. ==References==