Bishop of Winchester. Fourth son of Adele and Stephen of Blois, youngest brother of King Stephen. He was raised in the Abbey of Cluny and was named Abbot of Glastonbury in 1126 by his uncle King Henry I. He was ordained Bishop of Winchester in 1129 and received papal permission to stay Abbot of Glastonbury until his death. During the civil war he supported Stephen who became king in 1135. In 1138 he hoped to be elected Archbishop of Canterbury but lost to Thibaut de Bec. One year later he was named papal envoy instead. He tried to mediate between Stephen and Empress Maud without much success. When Stephen became more and more aggressive against the clerical powers Henry became enraged and after the kings capture in 1141 Henry changed the sites and pled his alliance to Maud. In April she was named queen with Henrys support. Shortly thereafter the relationship between them became tense and he changed sites again. Maud besieged him in the Castle of Wolvesey and in answer to that Queen Mathilde besieged Maud who had to flee. When the pope died in 1143 he lost his post as papal envoy and was unable to get it back under the following popes. After Stephens death he took all his treasures and left England to settle in Cluny. He used much of his money to pay the debts of the Abbey there. Around 1157 he returned to England and crowned Thomas Beckett as Archbishop of Canterbury a few years later. In 1168 he gave away all of his money and lived a very austere life until his death.
Bishop of Winchester. Fourth son of Adele and Stephen of Blois, youngest brother of King Stephen. He was raised in the Abbey of Cluny and was named Abbot of Glastonbury in 1126 by his uncle King Henry I. He was ordained Bishop of Winchester in 1129 and received papal permission to stay Abbot of Glastonbury until his death. During the civil war he supported Stephen who became king in 1135. In 1138 he hoped to be elected Archbishop of Canterbury but lost to Thibaut de Bec. One year later he was named papal envoy instead. He tried to mediate between Stephen and Empress Maud without much success. When Stephen became more and more aggressive against the clerical powers Henry became enraged and after the kings capture in 1141 Henry changed the sites and pled his alliance to Maud. In April she was named queen with Henrys support. Shortly thereafter the relationship between them became tense and he changed sites again. Maud besieged him in the Castle of Wolvesey and in answer to that Queen Mathilde besieged Maud who had to flee. When the pope died in 1143 he lost his post as papal envoy and was unable to get it back under the following popes. After Stephens death he took all his treasures and left England to settle in Cluny. He used much of his money to pay the debts of the Abbey there. Around 1157 he returned to England and crowned Thomas Beckett as Archbishop of Canterbury a few years later. In 1168 he gave away all of his money and lived a very austere life until his death.
Bio by: Lutetia
Family Members
Advertisement
