Philip of Poitou
Encyclopedia
Philip of Poitou was Prince-Bishop of Durham from 1197 to 1208, and prior to this Archdeacon
of Canterbury
.
on the Third Crusade
, in documents relating to Richard's marriage on Cyprus
. Philip was with Richard's party when the king was captured in Germany. He was appointed Archdeacon of Canterbury prior to March of 1194 by Richard I, having previously a royal clerk. An attempt was made to appoint him as Dean of York
, but political factors prevented this.
Philip was appointed as Bishop of Durham in November 1195. He was formally elected by the chapter in January 1196. The pope confirmed the election on 13 April 1196 and he was ordained a priest on 15 June 1196. On 20 April 1197 he was finally consecrated as bishop, by the pope in Rome. Prior to his consecration, he obtained a license to operate a mint
in Durham, and installed his nephew Aimeric (or Aimery) as the Archdeacon of both Durham and Carlisle.
Philip, along with Wiliam de Rupierre, Bishop of Lisieux, went to Rome in the early part of 1197 to argue before Pope Celestine III
about contested lands in France. In was in the course of this successful negotiation that the pope consecrated him as bishop. In 1198 Philip was sent to Germany to attend the election of a successor to Emperor Henry VI
.
Philip was present at the coronation of King John in 1199, and attempted to protest the fact that the coronation took place without the Archbishop of York. After the coronation he was employed by John on diplomacy with Scotland. In 1201 he went on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela
. After his return, he was involved in the resolution of the dower rights of Richard's queen, Berengaria of Navarre
, but afterwards was not at the king's court for almost three years.
In 1207, Philip quarrelled with King John over the right of John to tax tenants of the Church. Philip denied that John had such a right, but, along with Archbishop Geoffrey of York, had his lands confiscated. Both Geoffrey and Philip went to the court of the king, and begged to be forgiven. Philip had to pay a fine for forgiveness.
As bishop, Philip quarreled with the monks of his church over the right of the bishop to name clergy to serve churches. At one point, the monks were besieged in the cathedral, and the prior of the monks was excommunicated. Some sources blame the bishop's nephew Aimeric for fanning the flames of the quarrel, but Philip also violently disputed the monks' side. Eventually a settlement was reached.
Philip died on 22 April 1208. It is said the monks refused him a Christian burial, his body ending up in an obscure grave with no religious ceremony. However, his gravestone is recorded in the chapter-house.
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
of Canterbury
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
.
Life
Philip's origins and early life are unknown, though it is believed he may have had a university education. The first records of him are in 1191, when he was accompanying Richard IRichard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
on the Third Crusade
Third Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
, in documents relating to Richard's marriage on Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. Philip was with Richard's party when the king was captured in Germany. He was appointed Archdeacon of Canterbury prior to March of 1194 by Richard I, having previously a royal clerk. An attempt was made to appoint him as Dean of York
Dean of York
The Dean of York is the member of the clergy who is responsible for the running of the York Minster cathedral.-11th–12th centuries:* 1093–c.1135: Hugh* c.1138–1143: William of Sainte-Barbe...
, but political factors prevented this.
Philip was appointed as Bishop of Durham in November 1195. He was formally elected by the chapter in January 1196. The pope confirmed the election on 13 April 1196 and he was ordained a priest on 15 June 1196. On 20 April 1197 he was finally consecrated as bishop, by the pope in Rome. Prior to his consecration, he obtained a license to operate a mint
Mint (coin)
A mint is an industrial facility which manufactures coins for currency.The history of mints correlates closely with the history of coins. One difference is that the history of the mint is usually closely tied to the political situation of an era...
in Durham, and installed his nephew Aimeric (or Aimery) as the Archdeacon of both Durham and Carlisle.
Philip, along with Wiliam de Rupierre, Bishop of Lisieux, went to Rome in the early part of 1197 to argue before Pope Celestine III
Pope Celestine III
Pope Celestine III , born Giacinto Bobone, was elected Pope on March 21, 1191, and reigned until his death. He was born into the noble Orsini family in Rome, though he was only a cardinal deacon before becoming Pope...
about contested lands in France. In was in the course of this successful negotiation that the pope consecrated him as bishop. In 1198 Philip was sent to Germany to attend the election of a successor to Emperor Henry VI
Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VI was King of Germany from 1190 to 1197, Holy Roman Emperor from 1191 to 1197 and King of Sicily from 1194 to 1197.-Early years:Born in Nijmegen,...
.
Philip was present at the coronation of King John in 1199, and attempted to protest the fact that the coronation took place without the Archbishop of York. After the coronation he was employed by John on diplomacy with Scotland. In 1201 he went on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
. After his return, he was involved in the resolution of the dower rights of Richard's queen, Berengaria of Navarre
Berengaria of Navarre
Berengaria of Navarre was Queen of the English as the wife of King Richard I of England. She was the eldest daughter of King Sancho VI of Navarre and Sancha of Castile. As is the case with many of the medieval queens consort of the Kingdom of England, relatively little is known of her life...
, but afterwards was not at the king's court for almost three years.
In 1207, Philip quarrelled with King John over the right of John to tax tenants of the Church. Philip denied that John had such a right, but, along with Archbishop Geoffrey of York, had his lands confiscated. Both Geoffrey and Philip went to the court of the king, and begged to be forgiven. Philip had to pay a fine for forgiveness.
As bishop, Philip quarreled with the monks of his church over the right of the bishop to name clergy to serve churches. At one point, the monks were besieged in the cathedral, and the prior of the monks was excommunicated. Some sources blame the bishop's nephew Aimeric for fanning the flames of the quarrel, but Philip also violently disputed the monks' side. Eventually a settlement was reached.
Philip died on 22 April 1208. It is said the monks refused him a Christian burial, his body ending up in an obscure grave with no religious ceremony. However, his gravestone is recorded in the chapter-house.