Bernardo Clesio, known as Bernardo II de Cles or von Cles (Cles, March 11, 1485 - Bressanone, July 30, 1539), was an Italian cardinal, a prominent figure between the 15th and 16th centuries. From a noble Trentine family, he studied law in Verona and Bologna. After serving in diplomatic roles in Trento, he was appointed bishop and prince of Trento in 1514. In 1525, he faced the "Peasant War," a popular uprising in Tyrol motivated by burdensome taxes.
Appointed cardinal in 1530, he competed for the papacy in 1534, but his proximity to the imperial court worked against him. He passed away in 1539, succeeded by Cardinal Cristoforo Madruzzo. During his governance in Trento, Clesio renovated the city, modernized aqueducts, fostered humanist culture, and reformed the Trentine territory. He influenced the construction of Renaissance palaces, decorated the new Buonconsiglio Castle, erected churches, and remodeled Selva Castle. His legacy endures in urban reorganization and diocesan reforms.
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