WILLIAM II and the Church Flashcards
Use of church for income
Rufus used the church as a source of income to fund many things, in particular battles.
Extracted gold from religious houses
Individuals associated with the Church were targeted as sources of income in order to gain royal approval.
Notable examples of church as source of income
For example Herbert Losinga paid 1000 marks to Rufus for the privilege of becoming Bishop of Thetford in 1091. When Bishop Wulfstan of Worcester died in 1095, Rufus extracted payments from all of Wulfstan’s tenants.
Ecclesiastical vacancies were used as regular source of income, Ranulf used by Rufus to collect this
Ranulf Flambard was one bishop used by the King to raise revenue. Church could be used by Rufus to reward allies. Although, he did have to pay £1000 to become bishop of Durham in 1099.
Use of church as reward scheme
Of the 8 promotions to bishoprics made by Rufus, 6 were members of the Royal Court
Those in a higher position than the clerk would have been destined to receive a religious title and property, for example Gerard, chancellor, became bishop of Hereford (1096-1101).
Use of church for advice
Rufus did seek advice from leading churchmen, for example Bishop Wulfstan was in charge of the garrison at Worcester during the rebellion of 1088.
Anselm used to gather troops for Wales invasion
Who was William of Saint-Calais
Student of Odo, and became a Benedictine monk at Saint-Calais in Maine, moved to take up the post of abbot of the abbey of Saint Vincent in Le Mans in 1078.
Promoted to bishop of Durham in 1080.
Brought calm to Durham after a feud involving William Walcher.
Reformed clergy in the see and started construction programme of a new cathedral in 1093
Became counsellor to William I and his son William Rufus.
Seen as Rufus’ chief advisor when he took the throne.
Accused of being complicit with rebel barons in 1088 and his lands were seized and he was put on trial.
Why William SC was put on trial
In spring 1088, William SC informed the king that Odo and Roger of Montgomery were on their way to depose him. The king instructed William to accompany him with an army ro confront the rebels.
William agreed and went to the castle for reinforcements but then did not return to the royal court and was captured.
William returned to Durham to find his land confiscated by Ralf Pagnell, sheriff of Yorkshire.
Rufus tried to put him on trial and sent an army to him after he protested his trial.
After his army failed to secure Durham castle, Rufus agreed to William’s safe return to court and a trial was formalised.
Course of the trial
Emphasis placed on the fact that he had broken fealty to the King, and his fief was confiscated.
Guarantee of safe passage taken away from William, meaning he could be arrested and imprisoned if he refused to accept the judgement.
William pleaded to Pope Urban II for a canonical trial in Rome. Rufus had not recognised Urban as replacement for Gregory VII, so ignored the plea.
After handing his castle over to the king in November 1088, he arranged to sail to Normandy to go into exile.
Attendees of the trial
Prominent earls, barons, bishops and abbots attended the trial including Henry of Beaumont, Roger Bigot, Ralf Pagnell, Archbishop Lanfranc and Bishop Geoffrey of Coutances.
Consequences of the trial
Showed Rufus was a determined king
Acted as deterrent to others who wanted to challenge the king
Symbolised attitude towards the church: that it had no authority over the crown
William was returned to Durham in September 1091.
Regained fief, served in royal court and managed to refurbish Durham cathedral.
Who was Anselm?
Born in Burgundy in 1033.
Supported Urban II as Pope
Became AoC in 1093 after Rufus became very ill due to what he believed was his ungodly behaviour. He believed this appointment would gain him penitence
Why was Anselm reluctant to become AoC?
He was nearly 60 and wanted to spend the rest of his life on academic pursuits
Wanted to make sure Bec was in good order
Not convinced Rufus would give him total authority over running Canterbury
What were Anselm’s conditions to Rufus?
All property of the church of Canterbury would be under his jurisdiction
Anselm would be seen as sole spiritual adviser to king
Anselm would be allowed to continue to recognise Urban II as Pope
William agreed to these besides the first one due to it being lucrative.
In the years that followed, there were multiple disagreements between the two.
Anselm’s time as AoC
1094-95, Anselm was preaching against immoral behaviour of courtiers (eg: growing long hair, sodomy and incestual marriages)
Rufus believed these matters were for him to deal with
Anselm raised the issues of vacant sees with Rufus, but again was told that it was none of his business
He decided he couldn’t be Archbishop without pallium from the Pope
Why did the Council of Rockingham happen?
Caused by Anselm’s demands for reforms
Immediate cause was William denying Anselm the opportunity to go to Rome and collect his pallium for the second time, as this would in effect give his approval to Urban II as pope. Anselm believed it to be a tradition and canonical law. Rufus saw this as treason.
Anselm called for a council of magnates to rule on the matter. If ruled against, Anselm agreed to go into exile
Anselm had become archbishop of Canterbury in 1093 at a time when there were rival popes, Urban II and Clement III. He asked William Rufus for permission to seek the pallium from Urban, and was refused
The Council of Rockingham
On 25 February 1095 a council at Rockingham attempted to resolve the question of divided allegiance and urged Anselm to conform to the royal will.
Anselm asked bishops in council including William SC for support but they refused initially. Barons and knights were more sympathetic.
Council reached a stalemate where Rufus and Anselm were given the opportunity to truce. Rufus created a plan where he sent a messenger to Rome to collect the pallium.
Anselm refused to pay recompense for this act; Rufus conceded.
Though the conflict was compromised and Rufus recognized Urban
