Rufus and the Church

Question 1

What were the three concerns of Pope Gregory VII that led to the Gregorian Reform Movement?

Answer 1

1. Simony (selling positions of power within the church
2. Many priests were married and weren’t celibate.
3. The Pope didn’t believe in lay investiture, meaning he believed no one from the secular world should be involved in appointing leading churchmen.

Question 2

What happened between Pope Gregory VII and King Henry IV of the Holy Roman Empire and how did this benefit Rufus?

Answer 2

Henry VI was excommunicated by Pope Gregory and Henry replaced him with the anti-Pope, Clement III.

This suited Rufus when he became King as the papal schism meant he would not support either man.

Question 3

Why did William the Conqueror have to improve the standards of the Church in England?

Answer 3

There was a ‘debt’ to be repaid to the papacy, related to papal support given for his invasion of England where in return he would raise religious standards.

Question 4

What were the three issues that the English Church had relating to its poor standards?

Answer 4

1. The Archbishop of Canterbury was a man called Stigand.
2. Clerical marriage was common.
3. There was a lack of celibacy.

Question 5

How did William the Conqueror raise the standards of the English Church? (3)

Answer 5

1. In 1070 Lanfranc replaced Stigand.
2. Lanfranc secured the primacy of Canterbury, reducing the influence of the Bishop of York.
3. At Winchester in 1076 Lanfranc and William agreed to a separate ecclesiastical court system. This meant some crimes could be heard in courts run by bishops.

Question 6

What was the ‘neck verse’?

Answer 6

If the neck verse (Psalm 51 Verse 3) was learnt and recited, it could allow people to have their crime heard in a church court.

Question 7

What was the example of Rufus extracting money from the church that was most illustrative of his attitude?

Answer 7

In 1091, he sold the Bishopric of Thetford for 1,000 marks to Herbert Losinga.

Question 8

What was the example of Rufus extracting money from the church that was the most lucrative act of Simony?

Answer 8

In 1093, he sold the Bishopric of Lincoln to Robert Bloet for, according to Henry of Huntingdon, £5,000.

Question 9

What was the example of Rufus exploiting the church that was the most obvious exploitation of a vacant see?

Answer 9

In 1095 Bishop Wulfstan died and his position was left vacant for 18 months.

Question 10

What example of Rufus exploiting the church is the clearest example of him favouring secular leaders?

Answer 10

During the reign of Rufus, 6/8 bishops appointed were clerks of royal court, suggesting that Rufus saw the church as subordinate to the crown.

Question 11

What example of Rufus exploiting the church is the clearest example of a nepotistic appointment?

Answer 11

Ranulf Flambard, who was the keeper of the royal seal and ran the government for Rufus, purchased the Bishopric of Durham in 1099 for £1,000.

Question 12

State the involvement of William of St. Calais in the 1088 rebellion.

Answer 12

He was Bishop of Durham from 1080 and was complicit with the rebels supporting Curthose.

Question 13

Describe the initial controversy between Rufus and William of St. Calais in how his punishment should be decided for his involvement in the 1088 rebellion.

Answer 13

Rufus ordered St. Calais to the king’s court at Salisbury but St. Calais declared his trial should be held in an ecclesiastical court according to Canon Law. Rufus stated he was to be tried as a vassal for the king rather than as a bishop due to the lands St. Calais received from the crown.

Question 14

Describe the events of 2nd November 1088 regarding William of St. Calais.

Answer 14

St. Calais attended a secular court on 2nd November 1088. He was found guilty and was told to give up his lands. He at first refused and said he should be able to make an appeal to Pope Urban II. Rufus did not grant this and St. Calais was exiled to Normandy.

St. Calais was pardoned and returned as Bishop of Durham in 1091 but died in 1096.

Question 15

What happened to Rufus in 1093 and how did this have an impact on the Church?

Answer 15

In 1093 Rufus fell ill and became greatly concerned with his soul, should he die. This led to the appointment of Anselm as Lanfranc had died in 1089.

Question 16

What was Anselm’s background?

Answer 16

Anselm was the Abbot of Bec (Lanfranc’s former position) and had a wonderful reputation within the Catholic Church. He was also a great theologian and writer.

Question 17

What did Anselm do in September of 1092?

Answer 17

He came to England to visit the estates Bec owned. He visited the vacant see of Canterbury as he was concerned with its treatment.

He was summoned by Rufus and the King begged him to take the position of Archbishop.

Question 18

What were the three issues with Anselm becoming Archbishop of Canterbury?

Answer 18

1. Anselm was 60 years old.
2. Anselm was dedicated to the monastery at Bec.
3. Anselm could not accept the position without Rufus shifting his beliefs on the power of the church.

Question 19

What were Anselm’s three conditions that had to be met so he could function in his role as Archbishop of Canterbury?

Answer 19

1. All property and lands that had been transferred to the crown had to be returned to Canterbury.
2. Anselm stated that h should be the sole spiritual advisor of the King.
3. Anselm insisted that Rufus should recognize Pope Urban II as the one true head of the Catholic Church.

Question 20

Did Rufus meet Anselm’s conditions to him becoming Archbishop?

Answer 20

Rufus failed to satisfy Anselm’s conditions when his health returned. This caused tension to build and within came the story of Anselm’s pallium.

Question 21

What is a pallium?

Answer 21

A vestment (piece of clothing) that was a symbol of a bishop’s or archbishop’s power within the church.

Question 22

What was the initial dilemma regarding Anselm’s pallium? What was the solution?

Answer 22

Anselm had not received his pallium but had made two requests to visit Pope Urban II.

Rufus refused these requests because he believed this would make him subordinate to Pope Urban.

Due to this impasse (no possible progress), Rufus called a royal council at Rockingham in 1095 to decide on these issues.

Question 23

How did the English Church see Anselm’s stubbornness?

Answer 23

Many of the bishops in England didn’t support the stance of Anselm. The arguments lasted for two days with no resolution and it was discussed that Anselm may have to go into exile.

At the last minute, a decision was taken about how the pallium could be given.

Question 24

What was the final decision regarding Anselm’s pallium?

Answer 24

A man called Walter Bishop of Albano, a papal legate, would bring the pallium to England. On 10th June 1095, Walter left the pallium on an altar in Canterbury Cathedral and Anselm collected it.

Question 25

What was the short-term reason for the exile of Anselm of 1097?

Answer 25

Rufus had requested soldiers from Anselm to assist him in Wales. Rufus complained that the soldiers given were of a poorer quality, likely because he failed in his invasion.

Question 26

How do Medieval historians and modern historians conflict over the nature of Anselm’s exile in 1097?

Answer 26

Many of the Medieval chroniclers create a picture of Anselm being forced to leave the country.

Many modern historians define Anselm’s leaving as a ‘self-imposed exile’ however this phrase does not appear in the contemporary chronicles.

Question 27

Within the reign of Rufus in England, how long was the position of Archbishop of Canterbury was ‘vacant’?

Answer 27

Lanfranc 1087-89
Vacant 1089-93
Anselm 1093-97
‘Vacant’ 1097-1100

Question 28

Describe the monastic movement of William the Conqueror.

Answer 28

William the Conqueror followed a nepotistic approach, bringing Norman abbots cross over to run monasteries who in turn brought monks to England.

Question 29

Describe the monastic policies under Rufus.

Answer 29

Rufus continued his father’s approach but unspectacularly.

Rufus is remembered for continuing the building of Battle Abbey. He took this to the point that he saw the foundation of the Abbey in 1095.

He also began a new project to establish Bermondsey Abbey. Rufus granted land, which was then followed by other donations.