Hieronymus Balbus

In 1521 Balbus appeared at the Diet of Worms as the ambassador of Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia, and attracted considerable attention by a discourse in which he protested against the innovations of Martin Luther, and urged upon the assembled princes the necessity of a joint undertaking against the Turks. Shortly afterward he was in the service of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, who, in 1522, designated him Bishop of Gurk, and sent him to Rome on a congratulatory embassy to the newly elected pontiff, Adrian VI. It was a part of his mission also to induce the pope to proclaim a crusade against Turkey. The address which he made on being received by the pope in a public audience, 9 February 1523, was praised for its eloquence in humanist circles. In it, Balbus excoriated the pope for his lukewarm attitude to a crusade against the Turks; "Fabius Maximus, Most Holy Father, restored Rome by delaying, but you are striving to lose Rome and Europe as well by your delaying."

Balbus remained in Rome for some time, and was there appointed Bishop of Gurk by Pope Adrian VI in the papal consistory of 23 February 1523. He was consecrated a bishop on 25 March 1523. Even before his consecration, on 11 March 1523, he was assigned a coadjutor bishop, Antonius Hoyos of Salamanca, a cleric of the diocese of Burgos; Antonius was only in his 18th year. He succeeded Bishop Hieronymus on 25 June 1526. Antonius was still not consecrated in January 1529. Balbi held a diocesan synod in Gurk on 4 January 1524. On 8 March 1524, Balbi was elected a Conservator of the University of Padua by the Venetian Council of Ten. As a bishop, Hieronymus was frequently absent from his diocese. One of his letters mentions that in the time of Clement VII he lived in Rome for some years in the papal palace and was much in the confidence of that pontiff. In 1530, though quite an old man, he accompanied Emperor Charles V to Bologna to attend the emperor's coronation. At Bologna he wrote his best-known work, De coronatione principum, which, on account of the views it contains on the relation of Church and State, was placed on the Index Librorum Prohibitorum, 23 July 1611. Balbus was the author of many other works, including poetical, oratorical, and politico-moral writings which were edited by Joseph von Retzer (Vienna, 1791–92, 2 vols.).

Hieronymus Balbus is recorded as philosopher, university teacher, poet, catholic bishop and theologian. Identity and origins. The authorities additionally record the headings Jérome Balbi, Jérôme Balbi and Girolamo Balbi. His recorded language was Latin. His recorded confession was Catholic Church.