Hugh was an archbishop of Palermo. He was given the pallium

Pallium

The pallium is an ecclesiastical vestment in the Roman Catholic Church, originally peculiar to the Pope, but for many centuries bestowed by him on metropolitans and primates as a symbol of the jurisdiction delegated to them by the Holy See. In that context it has always remained unambiguously...

by Pope Eugene III

Pope Eugene III

Pope Blessed Eugene III , born Bernardo da Pisa, was Pope from 1145 to 1153. He was the first Cistercian to become Pope.-Early life:...

 in 1150, but was denied the metropolitan

Metropolitan bishop

In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...

 authority previously granted by the Antipope Anacletus II

Antipope Anacletus II

Anacletus II , born Pietro Pierleoni, was an Antipope who ruled from 1130 to his death, in a schism against the contested, hasty election of Pope Innocent II....

.

At Easter 1151, Hugh crowned William

William I of Sicily

William I , called the Bad or the Wicked, was the second king of Sicily, ruling from his father's death in 1154 to his own...

, son of Roger II, co-king at Palermo

Palermo

Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...

. In 1155, after the death of Roger, it was alleged that Hugh and the Admiral Maio of Bari

Maio of Bari

Maio of Bari , a Lombard merchant's son from Bari, was the third of the great admirals of Sicily. An ammiratus ammiratorum, or "Emir of Emirs," he was the most important man in the kingdom save the king himself. After the deposition and execution of Philip of Mahdia , the admiralcy was vacant for...

 were plotting to overthrow William. However, these reports are contradicted by the trust William placed in Hugh and Maio during his lengthy illness that year, from September to Christmas. Later, Hugh, Maio, and the Archbishop Romuald of Salerno represented William at the negotiations for the Treaty of Benevento

Treaty of Benevento

The Treaty of Benevento was an important treaty between the papacy of Adrian IV and the Norman Kingdom of Sicily. After years of turbulent relations, the popes finally settled down to a peace with the Hauteville kings....

 in 1156, after the suppression of a rebellion.

On the night of 10 November 1160, Hugh was walking with Maio when the admiral was set upon by Matthew Bonnellus

Matthew Bonnellus

Matthew Bonnellus was a rich knight of an ancient and influential Norman family who became the lord of Caccamo in Sicily. He is most famous as the leader of three consecutive revolts against the ammiratus ammiratorum Maio of Bari and King William I of Sicily.When young he was attached to Maio, who...

and assassinated. Some allege Hugh to have been privy to the plot, but that too can probably be dismissed. Hugh died the next year.