Francisco de los Cobos y Molina
Francisco de los Cobos y Molina (c. 1475/85 in Ubeda, † May 10 1547 in Úbeda ) was under Charles V as Secretary of State responsible for the policies in Spain, overseas and in Italy.
Family
He came from an impoverished Andalusian noble family of Ubeda. The father was Diego de los Cobos, who participated in the conquest of Granada. The mother was Catalina de Molina. He married in 1522 the then only fourteen years of Dona Maria de Mendoza, the daughter of the Count of Rivadavia. From the marriage of the son Diego and their daughter Maria went forth, later married Gonzalo de Córdoba, Duke of Sesa. His son appointed Cobos early as chancellor for the ( western ) Indian possessions.
Life
Through intercession of his uncle Diego Vela Allide, who held a position at the court of Queen Isabella of Castile, he began working at a young age in the Secretariat of the country. Especially valued as a financial expert, he rose to the civil service. Ferdinand II appointed him in 1503 to the royal notary and clerk. Since 1508 he was treasurer of Granada.
After the king's death he traveled on behalf of the regent Cardinal Jiménez de Cisneros Gonzalo, he traveled to Burgundy, there to win the trust of the Councils of the new king Charles V. Since December 1516, he was a member of the Secretariat of the Spanish king. He accompanied the king to whose reign takeover by Spain and was subsequently also in the wake of Karl in his trips to the Netherlands and the Holy Roman Empire.
Already at the beginning of the reign of Charles V, he was not a dispensable member of the leading " minister " Guillaume II de Croy. Even under the Grand Chancellor Mercurino Gattinara he played an important role. As a close advisor to the Emperor, especially in Spanish affairs both worked even partially without the involvement of Gattinara.
Cobos was involved in the reorganization of the administration in Spain. The Council of Castile, responsibility for overseas possessions was withdrawn and assigned to the new Indies, headed nominally the king stood. Cobos controlled since 1519 as secretary to the India Council melting of the coming of the American colonies precious metal. He had it the right to retain 1% of income. He had a similar law, also the import of salt. In 1523 he was appointed secretary of the new Consejo de la Hacienda. He gained further influence on the Spanish financial policy. Later he was also secretary of the four other councilors. Only the Council of Aragon was able to partially retain its independence under a Vice-Chancellor. He was opposed in 1528 with success against the attempt Gattinara an all parts of the Empire to establish comprehensive government.
In 1529 he was appointed Secretary of State. This led to a division of the Secretary of State in a French-Burgundian department Perrenot Nicolas de Granvelle and a Spanish department under the direction of Cobos. After the death of the Grand Chancellor Mercurino Gattinara Charles V had not occupied this office, so that there were no more common staple. Cobos was now responsible for the affairs of Spain, including the colonies of Italian politics directly under the emperor. In 1535, the Viceroyalty of New Spain (Mexico) and 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru was founded. When he accompanied the emperor abroad, Cobos left a representative in Spain.
He belonged since 1529 also to the consultants of the future King Philip II during its reign. He was Contador Mayor and some time later in charge of the entire Spanish financial sector. He was among the opponents of Bartolomé de Las Casas, who campaigned for a less exploitative policies towards the Indians. When Philip Spain for his wedding I left Mary Tudor and traveling through Europe, Cobos belonged to the regency in Spain.
In private ways, he could increase his wealth and his possessions in the service of the king. So he acquired in 1537 the rule Sabiote and some time later the Torres. Among the possessions belonged to each one manor in Cobos was also in his native city build a palace. Such he possessed in Valladolid, the seat of government. He was also active as an entrepreneur in the mining industry. His fortune was estimated after his death to about 130 million maravedis.
He was Grand Commander since 1529 for Leon ( Comendator Mayor ) of the Order of Santiago. He acted as patron for various artists. In his home town of Ubeda, whose recovery back significantly on him, he donated the church Sacra Capilla del Salvador. In its crypt, he is also buried. The church belongs to the ensemble of historic buildings, including the palaces of the family, now a World Heritage Site.