Roman Catholic Cardinal. A native of Corral de Calatrava, Antolín Monescillo y Viso came from a family of modest farmers. Entering seminary in Toledo, he was ordained priest in 1836. Noticed for his love of study and lively intelligence, he soon became known for his journalistic qualities, as a regular contributor of "El Católico" and "El Pensamiento Español" and as founder, in 1842, of the daily "La Cruz". Likewise, his name was also renowned as that of a distinguished orator and a remarkable writer. Directing the translation into Spanish of the theological dictionary of Bergier and the 'Symbolik' of Johann Adam Möhler, in 1847 he was appointed vicar nullius of Estepa, Seville. When the vicariate was suppressed by the concordat of 1851, he was named canon of the cathedral chapter of Granada in 1852. Canon of the cathedral chapter of Toledo as of September 5, 1853, he was named schoolmaster and shortly afterwards Royal preacher. Elected bishop of the diocese of Calahorra y La Calzada, he received his episcopal consecration on October 6, 1861. Transferred to see of Jaén on March 27, 1865, he was appointed deputy to the Constitutional Cortes for Ciudad Real in 1869 and senator for Vizcaya two years later. Participating in the composition of the constitution of 1876, he was promoted to the metropolitan see of Valencia on June 22, 1877. Named senator for Granada that same year and later, senator for life, Pope Leo XIII created him cardinal priest in the consistory of November 10, 1884, receiving the title of Sant'Agostino on June 10, 1886. Transferred to the primatial and metropolitan see of Toledo on July 11, 1892, with title of patriarch of the West Indies, being undoubtedly the most famous prelate among all the Spanish prelates in the late nineteenth century in the then Imperial Spain, upon his death, the Cardinal was laid to rest in the Sagrario chapel of the cathedral of Toledo in accordance with his wishes, where he used to pray as a seminarian, after a pompous funeral befitting a Don Quixote who had likewise burned his forces for an ideal: the union and harmony of Catholics under the tutelage of the Church.