Matthieu Cointerel

Matthieu Cointerel was born in Mérannes, Anjou in 1519, the son of Hilaire Contarelli, a blacksmith, and Guyone Viuan.[2] He studied with a maternal uncle in Angers (his uncle was a canon of the cathedral chapter of Angers Cathedral) and later at the University of Angers.[2]

During his time in Angers, he met a foreign prince who invited him to go to travel to Italy with him.[2] In Venice, he fell ill.[2] Through his doctor, he met his doctor's brother, Ugo Boncompagni, a professor of law at the University of Bologna who later became Pope Gregory XIII.[2] Through Ugo Boncompagni, Cointerel gained a position in the household of Boncompagni's colleague Andrea de Boni.[2] Shortly after Cointerel entered Boni's household, Boni was called to Rome by Pope Paul III and Cointerel moved to Rome with him.[2] At that time, Boni became a Referendary of the Apostolic Signatura.[2] Boni was also a participant in the Council of Trent and Cointerel accompanied him there.[2] Cointerel later became a datary of Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este in the Kingdom of France, and later to Cardinal Michele Bonelli in Spain, the Kingdom of Portugal, and the Kingdom of France.[2] Then, the pope appointed him to the Apostolic Camera, a post that he resigned sometime before 1 June 1573.[2] On 1 June 1573, Pope Gregory XIII named Cointerel his datary, and then on 1 June 1573 made him a canon of St. Peter's Basilica.[2]

As a priest, Cointerel was incardinated in the see of Le Mans.[2]

Pope Gregory XIII made him a cardinal priest in the consistory of 12 December 1583.[2] He received the red hat and the titular church of Santo Stefano al Monte Celio of 9 January 1584.[2] The pope also named him Prefect of the Secretariat of Apostolic Briefs.[2] He later participated in the papal conclave of 1585 that elected Pope Sixtus V.[2]

He died in Rome on 29 November 1585.[2] He was buried in San Luigi dei Francesi.[2]