Francisco de Vargas y Mexia

Who was Francisco de Vargas y Mexia?

Francisco de Vargas y Mexia was a Spanish diplomat and ecclesiastical writer.

He belonged to an old family of the lower nobility and studied law at the University of Alcalá, receiving the degree of licentiate in law. He became a government official, and by his energy and education, especially by his knowledge of law, rose to the position of fiscal of the Council of Castile, that is, attorney-general. In 1545, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, sent him to the Council of Trent. In January, 1548, he protested, as Charles's representative at the council, against its transfer to Bologna, and in 1551 he congratulated the council on its return to Trent.

During the years 1552-59 he was the Spanish ambassador in Venice.

Writing after King Philip II of Spain had decided to declare war against the pope, he wrote in a letter to the Princess Dowager of Portugal, Regent of Spain, dated 22 September 1556:

In 1558, he negotiated at Rome with Paul IV regarding the recognition of Ferdinand I as emperor, and in references to the founding of new dioceses in the Netherlands. From 1559 he succeeded Gigueroa as the Spanish ambassador to the Roman Curia. As such he took an important part in the election of Pius IV. When Pius IV brought suit against the relatives of Paul IV, Vargas exerted himself to save the Caraffa. For some time he was not regarded favorably by the pope, who tried to have him recalled by Spain; however, Vargas again obtained the confidence of Pius IV, and was commissioned by the latter in 1563 to prepare an opinion on the question of the papal jurisdiction, as to which the Council of Trent had become involved in a dispute.