Fernando de Toledo Oropesa

Fernando de Toledo Oropesa was born in Spain in 1520, the son of Luis de Toledo y Pacheco and Inés Duque Estrada.[1] A noble family, they were related to the counts of Oropesa and to Cardinal Juan Álvarez de Toledo.[1]

He studied at the University of Salamanca.[1] While there, he became friends with Juan de Ribera.[1] After university, he was ordained as a priest.[1]

The King of Spain offered him several ecclesiastical posts, but Toledo refused them all.[1] He was appointed president of the Royal Audiencia of Lima; he initially accepted this position, but then reconsidered and declined to travel to the Viceroyalty of Peru.[1] Instead, he remained in Spain and dedicated himself to preaching, hearing confessions, and assisting the sick and poor.[1]

Upon the insistence of Philip II of Spain, Pope Gregory XIII made him a cardinal in the consistory of 21 February 1578.[1] The nuncio in Spain, Cardinal Filippo Sega communicated the king's thanks to the pope on 13 March 1578, but then on 5 May reported that Toledo had declined the appointment.[1] The pope and the king agreed that Sega could convey the biretta to Toledo on the assumption that Toledo could be prevailed upon to accept the appointment.[1] However, Toledo refused repeatedly, and on 4 July 1578 the pope accepted Toledo's refusal and withdrew his creation, complaining to Philip II that the king had insisted he make a cardinal of someone who would refuse the honor.[1] The king replied that he never imagined any of his subjects would refuse a cardinalate.[1]

Toledo continued his priestly duties until his death.[1] He died in Oropesa in 1590, in the middle of giving a sermon. He was buried in the monastery of the Immaculate Conception in Oropesa.[1]