Bernard Ayglerius
Encyclopedia
Bernard Ayglerius (born 1216, died 4 April 1282) was a French
theologian, papal legate
, and cardinal. He is sometimes known as Bernardus Cassinensis.
Born in Lyon
, Bernard entered the Benedictine
monastery of Savigny
as a young man and took holy orders
. He caught the eye of Pope Innocent IV
and was made a papal chaplain
sometime before 1244, when he appeared as the auditor of the Sacra Rota Romana
. In 1256 he was appointed abbas Lerinensis (abbot of Lérins
on the Île Saint-Honorat
).
Charles of Anjou brought him along as a privy counsellor to southern Italy in 1266 when he conquered the Kingdom of Sicily
. Pope Urban IV
named him the 59th abbot of Montecassino on March 29, 1263, a post which he occupied until his death. At Montecassino he recalled the monks from exile, commissioned an inquiry into the monastery's ancient rights (1270s), reformed monastic discipline, recovered lost property, founded a hospital at San Germano, convened a synod
, and granted a church to the Dominicans at the request of Thomas Aquinas
.
According to several sources, Bernard was created cardinal in the consistory
of 1265 or 1268, being the only cardinal created by Pope Clement IV
. Some scholars (e.g. Konrad Eubel
), however, doubt his promotion to the cardinalate, because he did not participate in any papal conclave or election celebrated after his alleged promotion, did not subscribe any papal bulls issued in this time, and did not reside in the papal curia. It is not known also to which cardinalatial order he belonged and which title or deaconry he received. He frequently acted as a papal legate: in France
against the Cathars and in Constantinople
against the Greek Orthodox and in promoting a Crusade. Upon his return from Constantinople he found Angevin
troops occupying the castle of Montecassino and convinced Charles of Anjou to remove them.
Bernard died at Montecassino and was buried there.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
theologian, papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
, and cardinal. He is sometimes known as Bernardus Cassinensis.
Born in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, Bernard entered the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monastery of Savigny
Savigny
-In France:*Savigny, Manche, in the Manche département*Savigny, Haute-Marne, in the Haute-Marne département*Savigny, Rhône, in the Rhône département*Savigny, Haute-Savoie, in the Haute-Savoie département...
as a young man and took holy orders
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
. He caught the eye of Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV , born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was pope from June 25, 1243 until his death in 1254.-Early life:...
and was made a papal chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
sometime before 1244, when he appeared as the auditor of the Sacra Rota Romana
Sacra Rota Romana
The Tribunal Apostolicum Rotae Romanae — also called the Sacred Roman Rota, and anciently the Apostolic Court of Audience — is the highest appellate tribunal of the Roman Catholic Church, with respect to both Latin-rite members and the eastern-rite members and is, with respect to judicial trials...
. In 1256 he was appointed abbas Lerinensis (abbot of Lérins
Lérins Abbey
Lérins Abbey is a Cistercian monastery on the island of Saint-Honorat, one of the Lérins Islands, on the French Riviera, with an active monastic community....
on the Île Saint-Honorat
Île Saint-Honorat
The Île Saint-Honorat is the second largest of the Lérins Islands, about a mile off shore from the French Riviera town of Cannes. The island is approximately 1.5 kilometers in length and 400 meters wide....
).
Charles of Anjou brought him along as a privy counsellor to southern Italy in 1266 when he conquered the Kingdom of Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
. Pope Urban IV
Pope Urban IV
Pope Urban IV , born Jacques Pantaléon, was Pope, from 1261 to 1264. He was not a cardinal, and there have been several Popes since him who have not been Cardinals, including Urban V and Urban VI.-Biography:...
named him the 59th abbot of Montecassino on March 29, 1263, a post which he occupied until his death. At Montecassino he recalled the monks from exile, commissioned an inquiry into the monastery's ancient rights (1270s), reformed monastic discipline, recovered lost property, founded a hospital at San Germano, convened a synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
, and granted a church to the Dominicans at the request of Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
.
According to several sources, Bernard was created cardinal in the consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
of 1265 or 1268, being the only cardinal created by Pope Clement IV
Pope Clement IV
Pope Clement IV , born Gui Faucoi called in later life le Gros , was elected Pope February 5, 1265, in a conclave held at Perugia that took four months, while cardinals argued over whether to call in Charles of Anjou, the youngest brother of Louis IX of France...
. Some scholars (e.g. Konrad Eubel
Konrad Eubel
Konrad Eubel or Conradus Eubel was a German Franciscan historian. He is known for his reference work, the Hierarchia Catholica Medii Aevi, on medieval popes, cardinals and bishops. It appeared in three volumes, beginning in 1898...
), however, doubt his promotion to the cardinalate, because he did not participate in any papal conclave or election celebrated after his alleged promotion, did not subscribe any papal bulls issued in this time, and did not reside in the papal curia. It is not known also to which cardinalatial order he belonged and which title or deaconry he received. He frequently acted as a papal legate: in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
against the Cathars and in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
against the Greek Orthodox and in promoting a Crusade. Upon his return from Constantinople he found Angevin
Capetian House of Anjou
The Capetian House of Anjou, also known as the House of Anjou-Sicily and House of Anjou-Naples, was a royal house and cadet branch of the direct House of Capet. Founded by Charles I of Sicily, a son of Louis VIII of France, the Capetian king first ruled the Kingdom of Sicily during the 13th century...
troops occupying the castle of Montecassino and convinced Charles of Anjou to remove them.
Bernard died at Montecassino and was buried there.
Sources
- Féghali, François-Xavier. Bernard Aygler, Ayglier, ou Aiglier. Citadelle: un autre regard sur le Moyen Age. Accessed 23 February 2008.
- Loud, Graham A. "Continuity and change in Norman Italy: the Campania during the eleventh and twelfth centuries." Journal of Medieval HistoryJournal of Medieval HistoryThe Journal of Medieval History is a major international academic journal devoted to all aspects of the history of Europe in the Middle Ages....
, Volume: 22, Issue: 4 (December, 1996), pp. 313–343. - Miranda, Salvador. Biographical Dictionary: Pope Clement IV (1265-1268), Consistory of 1265 or 1268 (I). The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. Accessed 23 February 2008.