10 Facts About Claudio Acquaviva

Claudio Acquaviva, SJ was an Italian Jesuit priest.

Claudio Acquaviva was born in Atri, Abruzzo, the son of Giovanni Antonio Acquaviva d'Aragona, 9th Duke of Atri, descended from a noble family illustrious at the court of Naples for its patronage of humanist culture.

Claudio Acquaviva's grandfather, Andrea Matteo Acquaviva, was a condottiere and humanist whose brother Belisario Acquaviva, Duke of Nardo, was a noted man of letters.

Claudio Acquaviva had heard of the Society of Jesus through his friendship with Francis Borgia and Juan de Polanco.

Claudio Acquaviva was particularly impressed by the works of the Early Companions during the Plague in 1566 and decided to join the Order in 1567.

Claudio Acquaviva soon became the Provincial superior of Naples and then of Rome; and during this office he offered to join the Jesuit mission to England that set out under Robert Parsons in the spring of 1580.

Claudio Acquaviva successfully quelled a revolt among the Spanish Jesuits, which was supported by Philip II, and he made use in this matter of Parsons.

Claudio Acquaviva saw missions established in Paraguay and Canada and he promoted them throughout Protestant Europe, in particular to English Recusants during the Elizabethan Age.

Claudio Acquaviva died at Rome in 1615, leaving the Society nearly tripled in size and numbering 13,000 members in 550 houses and 15 provinces.

The subsequent influence exercised by the Jesuits, in their golden age, was largely due to the far-seeing policy of Claudio Acquaviva, who is regarded as one of the greatest Superiors General to have governed the Society.