Angel de Grimoard

Who is Angel de Grimoard?

Angel de Grimoard, C.R.S.A., was a French canon regular and a Cardinal. He was the younger brother of Pope Urban V.

He was born about 1315 in the Castle of Grizac, now located in the commune of Le Pont-de-Montvert, the son of William de Grimoard, Lord of Bellegarde, and of Amphélise de Montferrand. As a young man, he joined the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine at the Abbey of Saint Rufus near Valence. In 1358 he became prior of the Priory of St.-Pierre-de-Dieu. In September 1362 his older brother, the Benedictine Abbot William, was elected pope. His brother named him Bishop of Avignon that following December.

Four years later, in a consistory held at Avignon on 18 September 1366, Grimoard was created Cardinal Priest, with the title of San Pietro in Vincoli, long held by canons regular. In September 1367 he was promoted to the rank of Cardinal-Bishop of Albano. He was Papal Vicar for the administration of the Papal States from 1368 until 1371. In this office, he tried to conquer the city of Forlì, which was a Ghibelline town, but was never able to do so.

At the end of 1370, the dying Pope Urban, who had returned to Avignon after a brief stay in Rome, asked to be moved to Angel's residence, that he might be closer to the people he loved. He died there on 19 December.