archbishop bishop cardinal Dean Diplomat priest
He was well-fitted for a diplomatic career, and carried out several missions in England (1527–1534) and Rome (1534–1536). In 1535 he received his cardinal"s hat. In 1536-1537 he was nominated "lieutenant-general" to the king at Paris and in the Tie de France, and was entrusted with the organization of the defence against the imperialists.
In the last years of the reign of Francis I, cardinal du Bellay was in favour with the duchesse d"Étampes, and received a number of benefices: the bishopric of Limoges (1541), archbishopric of Bordeaux (1544), bishopric of Le Mans (1546).
But his influence in the council was supplanted by that of François de Tournon. Under Henry II, du Bellay, involved in the disgrace of all the servants of Francis I, was sent to Rome (1547).
Following the death of Pope Paul III, he obtained eight votes in the conclave to elect the new pope. He lived in Rome thenceforth in great state.
In 1555 he was nominated bishop of Ostia and dean of the Sacred College, an appointment which was disapproved of by Henry II and brought him into fresh disgrace, lasting till his death in Rome on 16 February 1560.
He was on the side of toleration and protected the reformers. An orator and writer of Latin verse, he left three books of graceful Latin poems (printed with Salmon Macrin"s Odes, 1546, by R Estienne), and some other compositions, including Francisci Francorum regis epistola apologetica (1542). His voluminous correspondence, mostly in manuscript, is remarkable for its verve and picturesque quality.
Rabelais probably spent some time in hiding, threatened by being labeled a heretic.
Only the protection of du Bellay saved Rabelais after the condemnation of his novel by the Sorbonne. Rabelais was under scrutiny by the church due to "humanistic" nature of his writings.
Rabelais"s main work of this nature is the Gargantua and Pantagruel series, which contain a great deal of allegorical, suggestive messages.