Joan Margarit i Pau was born in
Girona, around 1424, the son of an
aristocratic family. He became a
canon of the
cathedral chapter of
Girona Cathedral in 1434. In March 1437, he accompanied his uncle,
Bernardo de Pau,
Bishop of Girona, to the
Council of Florence. On September 2, 1441, he became
archdeacon of
Selva. Around this time, he enrolled at the
University of Bologna, becoming a
doctor of both laws in 1443. He was also learned in
Christian theology, the
humanities, and
oceanography. After completing his studied, Margarit attempted to win a position at the
papal court in
Rome, but even a recommendation from
Alfonso V of Aragon failed to secure him a position. As such, in July 1443, his uncle appointed him
vicar general of the
see of Girona. He participated in the
Catalan Courts of
Barcelona for 1446-48. Under
Pope Eugene IV, he became
provost of the
Augustinian Abbey of
San Martín Ça Costa in Girona. He then became
sacristan major of Girona. Following the election of
Pope Nicholas V in 1447, Margarit resigned his offices in Girona in order to again try to gain an entry to the papal court. He traveled to Rome in 1448, and on September 14, 1449, Alfonso V of Aragon named him
procurator of the
Kingdom of Naples in Rome. He also served as an
ambassador of
John II of Castile to Rome. On January 3, 1450, he became a member of the
Apostolic Camera; he took the oath on October 5, 1450. On March 23, 1453, he was elected
Bishop of Elne. He then returned to
Catalonia and participated in the
Corts of Barcelona of 1454-58. In 1455, Alfonso V of Aragon sent him to the Kingdom of Naples. Alfonso's successor,
John II of Aragon, appointed Margarit as his ambassador to
Pope Pius II in 1458. He accompanied the pope to the
Council of Mantua (1459). On January 12, 1460, John II of Aragon recommended that the pope make Bishop Margarit a cardinal. Instead, Pope Pius II named him
nuncio to the
Kingdom of Aragon, charged with a double mission: (1) reconciling the king with his estranged son,
Charles, Prince of Viana; and (2) promoting a crusade against the
Ottoman Empire to retake the
Kingdom of Cyprus and restore the dethroned
Charlotte of Cyprus. He was transferred to the see of Girona on September 23, 1461, and was thereafter Bishop of Girona until his death. Bishop Margarit remained with John II throughout the
Catalan Civil War, and took active part in some battles, such as the defense of the queen,
Joana Enríquez, and John II's heir,
Prince Ferdinand, during the siege of the
Força of Girona in 1462. Following the end of the Catalan Civil War in 1472, John II attempted to convince the pope to make Bishop Margarit a cardinal, again unsuccessfully. Instead he became a royal counselor, who took an active part in Aragonese politics until John II's death in 1479. He served as
Chancellor of Aragon under John II and his successor Ferdinand II. In 1481, Ferdinand II despatched him to the
Republic of Venice to dissuade the Venetians from continuing to have trading relations with the Ottoman Empire. He remained in
Venice until late 1482. In November 1482,
Pope Sixtus IV signed a peace treaty with
Alfonso II of Naples and a month later with Ferdinand II. The pope was about to abandon the Venetian cause when the intervention of the
Catholic Monarchs and Bishop Margarit were able to secure a peace treaty. In gratitude for Bishop Margarit's service with the Venetians, Pope Sixtus IV finally made him a
cardinal priest in the
consistory celebrated in
St. Peter's Basilica on November 15, 1483. He received the
titular church of
San Vitale on the same day, and received the
red hat on November 19, 1483. On March 17, 1484, he opted for the titular church of
Santa Balbina. He participated in the
papal conclave of 1484 that elected
Pope Innocent VIII. The new pope named Cardinal Margarit
papal legate to
Campagna, but he died before he could carry out the legation. He died of
kidney stones in Rome on November 21, 1484. He is buried in
Santa Maria del Popolo. ==References==