Federico Borromeo | |
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Cardinal, Archbishop of Milan | |
![]() Portrait by Giulio Cesare Procaccini, 1610 | |
Church | Catholic Church |
Archdiocese | Milan |
Appointed | 24 April 1595 |
Term ended | 21 September 1631 |
Predecessor | Gaspare Visconti |
Successor | Cesare Monti |
Other post(s) | Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria degli Angeli |
Orders | |
Consecration | 11 June 1595 by Clement VIII |
Created cardinal | 18 December 1587 by Sixtus V |
Personal details | |
Born | 18 August 1564 |
Died | 21 September 1631 Milan, Duchy of Milan | (aged 67)
Buried | Milan Cathedral |
Parents | Giulio Cesare Borromeo Margherita Borromeo |
Alma mater | University of Pavia |
Federico Borromeo (Italian: [fedeˈriːko borroˈmɛːo]; 18 August 1564 – 21 September 1631) was an Italian cardinal and Archbishop of Milan, a prominent figure of Counter-Reformation in Italy.[1] Federico was a hero of the plague of 1630, described in Alessandro Manzoni's historical novel, The Betrothed. He was a great patron of the arts and founded the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, one of the first free public libraries in Europe. In 1618 he added a picture gallery, donating his own considerable collection of paintings. His published works, mainly in Latin, number over 100. They show his interest in ecclesiastical archaeology, sacred painting, and collecting.