Martín Royas de Portalrubio

Martín Royas de Portalrubio also simply known as Martín Royas (1512 - 19 March 1577) was a Spanish Roman Catholic prelate who became the Bishop of Malta in 1572.

His Excellency

Martín Royas de Portalrubio

O.S.Io.Hieros.
Bishop of Malta
ChurchRoman Catholic
DioceseMalta
Appointed5 November 1572
In office1572-1577
PredecessorDomenico Cubelles
SuccessorTomás Gargallo
Other post(s)Inquisitor of Malta
Orders
Consecration9 November 1572
RankBishop
Personal details
Born1512
Died19 March 1577
Rome, Papal States
NationalitySpanish

Biography

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Royas was born in Toledo, Spain in 1512. Upon the death of Domenico Cubelles in 1566, Philip II of Spain wanted to appoint Royas as Bishop of Malta, however Pope Pius V refused to accept the appointment. Consequently, the see was not filled until the death of Pius V when Royas was appointed as Bishop of Malta by Pope Gregory XIII on 5 November 1572. He was ordained in Rome a few days later on 9 November. Royas was also the second Inquisitor of Malta. During his episcopacy, Royas was renowned for accusing Grand Master Jean de la Cassière of the Order of St John on numerous occasions to the Holy See. He also accused a number of members of the order of becoming Lutherans. Such clashes were due to his post as Inquisitor of Malta. The order was not content with having one person holding the offices of bishop and inquisitor of Malta simultaneously, and la Cassière convinced the Pope to appoint a separate inquisitor for Malta. In 1574, Pietro Dusina was appointed inquisitor instead of Royas.[1] In 1576, Royas left for Rome where he died on 19 March 1577.[2][3]

References

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  1. ^ Grima, Joseph F. (2 August 2020). "It happened in August: Mgr Pietro Dusina's arrival in Malta in 1574". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 14 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Bishop Martín Rojas de Portalrubio, O.S.Io.Hieros.", Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved on 05 July 2018.
  3. ^ Bonnici, Alexander; Schiavone, Michael J. (2007). Minn Publju sa Pawlu: L-Isqfijiet ta' Malta, ta' Ghawdex, u Isqfijiet Ohra Maltin [From Publius to Paul: The Bishops of Malta, Gozo, and Other Maltese Bishops] (in Maltese). Pieta: Pubblikazzjonijiet Indipendenza. p. 8. ISBN 978-99932-41-91-08-4. OCLC 254299827.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ignored ISBN errors (link)