Eruditio, Pietas et Honor: Joan de Borja i la música del seu temps (1533-1606)

Joan de Borja i Castro (1533-1606) was one of the culturally and politically active members of the Iberian nobility in the second half of the sixteenth century. The son of Saint Francis of Borgia, he was Philip II's Ambassador in Portugal and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as Empress Maria's mayordomo mayor. Music occupied a central role in Borja's life. This thesis studies his musical activities, notably his patronage of specific works, and identifies the international networks in which he participated. The collection of music books and instruments inventoried after his death lies at the heart of this study and, complemented with new research in Spanish archives, reveals an unusually detailed profile of a major music patron of the sixteenth century.