François de Tournon (1489 in Tournon-sur-Rhône – 1562 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye) was a French Augustinian friar, an archbishop, diplomat, courtier, and cardinal.

He was a prominent leader in the fight against Lutheranism and Calvinism, especially at the French Royal Court, and what he perceived as the growing Huguenot menace to both doctrinal orthodoxy and the social order.

At the age of twelve, François entered the Order of S. Antoine en Viennois, where he came under the tutelage of Abbot Theodore Mitte de S. Chamond (1495-1527).

[3] In due course, François de Tournon became Preceptor of the monastery,[4] and then became the 21st Abbot of the Order of S. Antoine in 1542,[5] a position which he continued to hold until 1555.

Pope Clement VII had the case investigated, and he found in favor of Tournon, though Brolio then appealed to a future general council.

[12] In 1529, Archbishop de Tournon was sent as Ambassador Extraordinary to the Court of Madrid to obtain the release of the two eldest sons of King Francis, who were hostages of their father's good behavior.

Tournon escorted them back to France, along with the sister of the Emperor, Eleanor of Austria, who married King Francis on 4 July 1530.

[13] Archbishop François de Tournon was one of five prelates created a cardinal in the Consistory of 9 March 1530 by Pope Clement VII.

After mass on Monday morning, the Bull of Julius II against simony was read out, and the cardinals adopted the Electoral Capitulations which had been put forward in 1513 without discussion or dissent.

The cardinal was most careful to obtain the permission of Pope Paul III for this transaction, and then sensibly persuaded King Francis I to ratify the donation by Letters Patent, which were dated 4 February 1544.

Again, the cardinal was careful to persuade Pope Julius III (1549-1555) to issue a Bull in favor of the erection of the Collège de Tournon, which King Henri ordered the Parliament of Toulouse to register by an Arrêt dated 11 April 1553.

On 6 January 1559, the cardinal turned the College over to the Jesuits, and they obtained Letters Patent from King Charles IX in 1561 confirming the arrangement.

[31] When Duke Francesco Sforza of Milan died on 24 October 1535, King Francis decided to renew the Italian Wars.

[32] Cardinal de Tournon was appointed Governor and Lieutenant General of the Lyonnais and surrounding territories, and assigned to raise money, troops and supplies for the Italian War.

Charles managed to lead his army as far north as Aix en Provence, but Francis occupied Avignon and prepared for a major battle.

[34] Tournon's operations were successful in helping to drive the Imperialists out, while the French army in Italy made progress in securing the Piedmont.

Paul III was eager to establish a peace, since he believed that a war against the Turks and efforts against the Protestant heretics were more important pursuits.

[35] The war was finally settled by The Truce of Nice, signed on 18 June 1538 by Francis I and Charles V, through the mediation of Pope Paul III.

On 22 July 1544 Cardinal de Tournon was elected abbot of the Benedictine Abbey (Congregation of S. Maur) of Ambronay (Ambroniacum')' in the Diocese of Lyon by the monks; he held the post until 1550.

[38] King Francis I died on 31 March 1547, and on 2 April 1547 the cardinal received an ordonnance in council of Henri II that he was to retire to his estates.

In 1548 the cardinal was ordered to represent the King of France, now Henri II, at the peace negotiations which took place in Nice, with the Emperor and the pope.

[42] The leading candidates in the voting were Reginald Pole (the Imperial favorite), Giovanni Morone, and Gian Pietro Carafa.

On 7 February 1550 the required two-thirds majority elected Cardinal Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, who chose the throne name Julius III.

The favorite of Charles V and Philip II was again Reginald Pole, who, unfortunately, was not in attendance; he was legate in England, guiding the government of Queen Mary I in its return to the Roman Church.

If the Bull of Julius III had been obeyed, and an additional fifteen days taken, Cardinal Louis would have been in time to participate in the first Conclave.

Cardinal du Bellay, ambitious to be Dean of the Sacred College, abandoned the French faction and put his support behind Carafa.

[56] In 1559 François de Tournon was appointed Abbot of the Benedictine monastery of Reomaus in the diocese of Langres by Pope Pius IV, a post he held until his death in 1562.

Jean Quintin, Professor of Canon Law at the University of Paris, was selected to present the Speech on behalf of the Clergy, which was to refute de Rochefort.

Tournon felt compelled to intervene, however dangerous the prospect might be, and he delicately persuaded the King that showing any favor or even lenience toward Protestants would be a bad idea.

[66] On this occasion Beza attacked the cult of images, making no distinction between douleia and latria (worship and reverence), and rejecting the authority of the Second Council of Nicaea.