Adrian Gouffier de Boissy

A member of the Gouffier family, Adrian Gouffier de Boissy was born in the Kingdom of France, ca. 1479.[1] He was the son of Guillaume Gouffier, Lord of Boissy, sénéchal of Saintonge, and of Philippine de Montmorency, daughter of Jean II de Montmorency and a member of the House of Montmorency.[1] He was the brother of Artus Gouffier, Lord of Boissy, Charlotte Gouffier de Boisy, and of Guillaume Gouffier, seigneur de Bonnivet.[1] His father's first wife was Louise d'Amboise, sister of Cardinal Georges d'Amboise.[1]

Destined for the church from an early age, he became a protonotary apostolic at age 14.[1] He was made dean of Thouars in 1503.[1] On 15 April 1510 he was elected Bishop of Coutances; he subsequently occupied the see until 6 June 1519.[1]

During the conference of Bologna, 10 December 1515, Francis I of France personally asked Pope Leo X to elevate Bishop Gouffier to the cardinalate.[1] As such, the pope made him a cardinal priest in the consistory of 14 December 1515.[1] He received the red hat and the titular church of Santi Marcellino e Pietro al Laterano the same day.[1]

In November 1516, Francis I of France named him Grand Almoner of France.[1] On 8 November 1517 he opted for the titular church of Santa Balbina.[1] He served as papal legate to the Kingdom of France from 23 March 1519 until 1520.[1] He also became the administrator of the see of Albi on 6 June 1519.[1] He did not participate in the papal conclave of 1521-22 that elected Pope Adrian VI.[1]

He died at the château de Villendren-sur-Indre near Issoudun on 24 July 1523.[1] He was buried in Bourgueil Abbey.[1]