Remigius de Fécamp
Encyclopedia
Remigius de Fécamp was a Benedictine
monk who was a supporter of William the Conqueror.
in the 11th century required a candidate for a bishopric to be at least 30 years of age. Likely, he was named for Saint Remigius
, and the name was an unusual one for Normandy in that period. It may imply that he was always intended for a career in the church, and may have been a child oblate
. He was a monk at Fécamp Abbey
, holding the office of almoner
, although the information that he held that office only dates from the Ship List, a listing of ships used by William the Conqueror in the initial invasion of England in 1066. This list only exists in a mid-12th century manuscript, but is likely a copy of an original list dating to right after 1066.
Remigius was related to William in some unknown manner. He was also related to William of Aincourt, who was also related to King William II of England
. Both of these relationships are documented on a lead plate said by the antiquarian William Dugdale
to have been found in the grave of William of Aincourt in Lincoln Cathedral
. The historian David Bates
argues that the relationship to the Aincourt family is likely, based on fact that the family held lands near Fécamp. Bates is less inclined to believe in any relationship to either William I or William II, but feels it isn't possible to rule it out either, due to the complex nature of the early history of the Norman ducal family. Bates speculates that whatever relationship may have existed between Remigius and King William may have been from Remigius' possible descent from a earlier ducal concubine.
states that Remigius was a participant in the Norman Conquest of England
, and was at the Battle of Hastings
in 1066. The Ship List states that Remigius contributed one ship and 20 knights to the invasion force used by William the Conqueror in addition to his presence at Hastings. However, as mentioned earlier, this list only survives from a 12th century copy which originates from Battle Abbey
, the monastery founded by King William to commemorate his victory at Hastings. Battle was known to have manufactured documentary evidence to support its claims to lands as well as to have embellished the historical record to enhance its reputation. The Ship List's authenticity has been challenged, but the most recent editor of the manuscript feels that it is a copy of an earlier 11th-century listing, and thus is substantially accurate.
A later medieval writer, Gerald of Wales, who was involved in late 12th century attempts to have Remigius canonized, wrote a hagiography
, or saint's life, of the bishop. In it, he stated that instead of contributing a ship and 20 knights on his own, Remigius was in charge of Fécamp's contribution of 10 knights to William's cause. This is unlikely to be accurate, as Gerald was attempting to secure the bishop's sainthood, and thus often reworked some incidents in Remigius' life to make the canonization more likely.
in 1067. This was the largest diocese in England at the time, and was the first bishopric to become vacant after the Norman Conquest. Remigius was the first Norman to be appointed to an ecclesiastical post in England after the Norman Conquest. The reason for his appointment was his service to the new king, particularly for his donation of ships to the Norman Conquest. This led to accusations of simony
, or the purchase of ecclesiastical office, against Remigius.
Remigius was consecrated by Stigand
, the Archbishop of Canterbury
, sometime around 1067. The new bishop was present at the coronation of Matilda
, William's wife, as queen in 1068. But in 1070, the arrival of papal legate
s led to problems for Remigius, especially in regards to his consecration by Stigand. As part of the consecration, Remigius had made a profession of obedience to Stigand. However, shortly after Easter in 1070, the papal legates deposed Stigand, and this action brought the acts of Stigand into disrepute, including the consecration of Remigius. The papal legates suspended the bishop from office, which did not prevent him from being present at the consecration of Lanfranc
, Stigand's successor at Canterbury in August 1070. Because of the uncertainty surrounding his consecration at Stigand's hands, Remigius had to receive papal absolution for the uncanonical consecration.
Pope Alexander II
later deprived Remigius of his office, requiring Remigius to travel to Rome in order to regain his see, which he did in 1071. While at Rome, the issue of simony was brought up, with the evidence of his contribution of the ship and knights to William being put forward as evidence that he and William had an agreement to give Remigius a bishopric in return for the contribution of men and transport. The issue of Remigius' consecration by and profession to Stigand was also brought up, and in his defense the bishop claimed that he did not know of any issues concerning Stigand's own canonical status. Bates points out that in 1067, when Remigius was consecrated, the newly crowned king was attempting to conciliate and work with the native English. By 1070, the royal policy was no longer strongly in favour of conciliating the English which would have put Remigius' actions in 1067 in a different light. Another possible reason for Remigius' consecration by and profession to Stigand rather than to the more canonically sound Ealdred
, the Archbishop of York was the claims that York had made in regards to Dorcester being in the archdiocese of York rather than in Canterbury.
Eventually, Remigius secured resinstatement to his bishopric. He owed his restoration to the intercession of Lanfranc, the new archbishop of Canterbury, who had petitioned Alexander for Remigius' pardon. But this was not the end of the matter, as in 1073, Remigius sought further guarantees from Pope Gregory VII
in regards to his tenure of his diocese, which he received in the form of a letter from Gregory in December of that year.
, Leicester
and Lindsey, which were combined together by about 1010. Normally considered part of the Province of Canterbury, the Archbishops of York had long claimed it as part of their province due to Lindsey having been converted by Paulinus of York
, the first Bishop of York. Included within Remigius' diocese were a number of monasteries, including the wealthy ones of Ely Abbey, Peterborough Abbey, Ramsey Abbey
and Thorney Abbey
. One difficulty with the diocese was that Dorchester was in the southern part of the large diocese, which made administration difficult. Another issue was that Dorchester
was a very small town, but there was a large town in the diocese – Lincoln
, which probably numbered around 6500 inhabitants.
In the years 1071–1074 Remigius was involved in as a royal judge in a case dealing with lands of Ely Abbey that were lost. Remigius served with Geoffrey de Montbray
, the Bishop of Coutances, Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria, and two sheriffs. Remigius was said by Gerald of Wales to have set up 21 prebends for his cathedral clergy. He also was involved in a long dispute with the monks of Ely over the episcopal rights over the abbey.
The seat of Remigius' see was at Dorchester, but in 1072 the Accord of Winchester
arranged that bishoprics should be in cities and not small villages, so Remigius moved his see to Lincoln. The diocese received grants of lands, both in Lincoln and elsewhere, as part of the move. The choice of Lincoln was dictated by the wealth of the town and its location, which was on a strategic site on the River Witham
and was at the junction of two roads. He received papal approval for the move before 21 April 1073. He did not complete the move until sometime between 1075 and 1081, as he was still being titled "Bishop of Dorchester or Lincoln" in the accounts of the Council of London
held in 1075, but was named as plain "Bishop of Lincoln" in a document dating from 1081.
During the early 1070s, what ecclesiastical province Dorchester belonged to was disputed between Canterbury and York, the two archdioceses in Britain. Lanfranc had demanded that Remigius profess obedience to Canterbury, but Thomas of Bayeux, the Archbishop of York
, made a counter-claim to the dioceses of Dorchester, Lichfield and Worcester. Lanfranc and Thomas both attempted to get the papacy to rule on the dispute but Pope Alexander II referred the matter back to a council in England, where in the spring of 1072 it was decided that the three dioceses in dispute belonged in the province of Canterbury. However, Remigius continued to feel that York was attempting to secure the disputed bishoprics through other means. When Thomas requested the help of Remigius and the Bishop of Worcester in the consecration of the Bishop of the Orkney Islands, Remigius sought Lanfranc's support in avoiding the effort, and other bishops were sent to help with the consecration. Remigius may have been extra sensitive to the issue, as York continued to make claims Lindsey, a part of the diocese of Dorchester where Lincoln and the new episcopal centre was located. This dispute continued throughout Remigius' bishopric.
In the 1080's Remigius was at the royal court when the king was in England, as he is attested at royal courts in February and May 1081, again at the Christmas court in 1085, and again in 1086. These are all of the appearances of King William in England during this decade, except for one quick visit in the winter of 1082 and 1083. However, Remigius is never a witness to royal documents that were drawn up in Normandy, and from this information it appears likely that the bishop remained in England after his acquisition of his diocese, except for the visit to Rome in 1071.
Remigius was one of the bishops that met in 1085 at Gloucester, and took part in the discussions there that led to the survey known as Domesday Book
. Remigius was heavily involved in the creation of Domesday. He served as a Domesday commissioner for Worcester, part of the "Circuit V" of Domesday, which included – besides Worcestershire – Cheshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, and Staffordshire.
of hot iron, which he survived. The exact date of this event is unknown, and it might be connected with a rebellion in 1075 against William I. Another possibility is that it was part of the rebellion of Odo of Bayeux at the start of William II's reign. A third possibility is that it might not be connected to either rebellion. Possibly connected to this episode is an extant letter from Lanfranc to Remigius, reassuring the bishop that although some doubted his loyalty to the king, the king did not. Lanfranc's letter does not make it clear which king is intended, and it is possible that this letter is not connected to the episode related by Henry of Huntingdon. If either episode is related to the rebellion at the start of William II's reign, the period of uncertainty about Remigius' loyalty was short-lived, as he witnessed a charter of the king's shortly after the rebellion was quashed.
Remigius' last days were dominated by a struggle with Thomas, the Archbishop of York
, who claimed that the diocese of Lincoln was within his province, instead of Canterbury. The medieval chronciler John of Worcester
related that Remigius bribed King William II to order all the English bishops to attend the consecration, in order to sidestep Thomas' efforts to assert his claims to Lincoln. The consecration conflict is part of a tale related by another medieval chronciler, William of Malmesbury
, about the astrological interests of Robert Losinga
, the Bishop of Hereford
. According to William of Malmesbury, Robert's astrological horoscopes predicted Remigius' death and that it would take place prior to the cathedral's consecration.
Remigius introduced Benedictine
monks to the abbey of St. Mary at Stow
before 1076, and annexed Eynsham Abbey
to Stow in 1091. This may have been the opening move in an attempt to introduce monks into the Lincoln cathedral chapter
, but Remigius' successor, Robert Bloet
, did not follow through with the scheme, if this was the intention.
, as well as the abbey church of St Etienne, Caen
. An older view, that the design was influenced by St Mark's, Venice, has been rejected by most historians. The tower he constructed, which is now incorporated into the west front of the Cathedral, may have been constructed as a keep tower. The art historian Anthony Quiney
suggests that the tower may have served as the bishop's palace until the time of Alexander of Lincoln
.
Although traditional accounts have stated that the new cathedral was constructed on the site of a church dedicated to Saint Mary in Lincoln, and that thus the new cathedral usurped the endowment of that church as well as its site. However, recent historical research has challenged this view, with the historian Dorothy Owen
arguing that although there was a church on the site, it was a small parish church with little lands or property.
Little now remains of Remigius' construction, just the tower which has been greatly altered from the original design by the addition of three porches. It is likely that construction began in the middle part of the 1070's and was mostly complete by the time of its consecration in 1092.
Along with building a new cathedral, Remigius also organized the cathedral chapter
, or the clergy that served the new church. At Lincoln, Remigius set up a chapter that was composed of secular clergy
, rather than one composed of monks, which some of the other new cathedrals founded after the Norman Conquest used. This was an unusual choice, as Remigius himself was a monk, and many of the new monastic cathedral chapters were founded by monks, but Bates suggests that one reason may have been the sheer size of the diocese, which required large numbers of clergy to fully staff its functions. Monks in the required numbers would have been difficult to find.
The exact organization of the chapter seems to have evolved over time, with territorial archdeaconries
being set up. Although the later medieval writer Gerald of Wales asserted that Remigius borrowed the structure of the cathedral chapter of Rouen Cathedral
, this has been refuted by modern historians, who have shown that Rouen had no fully organized chapter at the time, thus making it impossible for Remigius to have borrowed the complete structure as Gerald asserted. Whether the chapter was organized into prebends during Remigius' episcopate is unclear, with Gerald claiming that there were 21 by the time of Remigius' death, but this is suspiciously half of the number that Gerald claimed existed at the death of Remigius' successor, Robert Bloet
, so it must be viewed with suspicion. What is clear, however, is that the library at Lincoln was in existence. While only one surviving manuscript can be traced to the cathedral under Remigius, a surviving book catalogue testifies to the existence of the library under Remigius.
In the twelfth century, a haigiography was written and attempts were made to have him canonized as a saint. The Vita Sancti Remigi was composed by Gerald of Wales. The start of the effort may have begun in the 1180s, and the Vita was based on a list of miracles performed at the bishop's tomb from that time period. Although miracles were ascribed to him and cult persisted into the thirteenth century, he was never canonized.
Henry of Huntingdon described Remigius as short but great-hearted and very charming. He also had a dark complexion. William of Malmesbury, another medieval writer, concurred with the fact that Remigius was short, and the implication in William's work is that the bishop was a dwarf.
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...
monk who was a supporter of William the Conqueror.
Early life
Remigius' date of birth is unknown, although he was probably born sometime during the 1030's, as canon lawCanon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
in the 11th century required a candidate for a bishopric to be at least 30 years of age. Likely, he was named for Saint Remigius
Saint Remigius
Saint Remigius, Remy or Remi, , was Bishop of Reims and Apostle of the Franks, . On 24 December 496 he baptised Clovis I, King of the Franks...
, and the name was an unusual one for Normandy in that period. It may imply that he was always intended for a career in the church, and may have been a child oblate
Oblate
An oblate spheroid is a rotationally symmetric ellipsoid having a polar axis shorter than the diameter of the equatorial circle whose plane bisects it. Oblate spheroids stand in contrast to prolate spheroids....
. He was a monk at Fécamp Abbey
Fécamp Abbey
Fécamp Abbey is a Benedictine abbey in Normandy, northern France.The abbey was the first producer of Bénédictine, a herbal liqueur, based on brandy.-First foundation:...
, holding the office of almoner
Almoner
An almoner is a chaplain or church officer who originally was in charge of distributing cash to the deserving poor.Historically, almoners were Christian religious functionaries whose duty was to distribute alms to the poor. Monasteries were required to spend one tenth of their income in charity to...
, although the information that he held that office only dates from the Ship List, a listing of ships used by William the Conqueror in the initial invasion of England in 1066. This list only exists in a mid-12th century manuscript, but is likely a copy of an original list dating to right after 1066.
Remigius was related to William in some unknown manner. He was also related to William of Aincourt, who was also related to King William II of England
William II of England
William II , the third son of William I of England, was King of England from 1087 until 1100, with powers over Normandy, and influence in Scotland. He was less successful in extending control into Wales...
. Both of these relationships are documented on a lead plate said by the antiquarian William Dugdale
William Dugdale
Sir William Dugdale was an English antiquary and herald. As a scholar he was influential in the development of medieval history as an academic subject.-Life:...
to have been found in the grave of William of Aincourt in Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral is a historic Anglican cathedral in Lincoln in England and seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England. It was reputedly the tallest building in the world for 249 years . The central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt...
. The historian David Bates
David Bates (historian)
Professor David Bates is a British historian.He was Professor of Medieval History at the University of Glasgow from 1994 until 2003. He then took up the post of director of the Institute of Historical Research at the University of London between 2003 and 2008, and now holds a chair in Medieval...
argues that the relationship to the Aincourt family is likely, based on fact that the family held lands near Fécamp. Bates is less inclined to believe in any relationship to either William I or William II, but feels it isn't possible to rule it out either, due to the complex nature of the early history of the Norman ducal family. Bates speculates that whatever relationship may have existed between Remigius and King William may have been from Remigius' possible descent from a earlier ducal concubine.
Participation in the Norman Conquest
The medieval writer Henry of HuntingdonHenry of Huntingdon
Henry of Huntingdon , the son of a canon in the diocese of Lincoln, was a 12th century English historian, the author of a history of England, Historia anglorum, "the most important Anglo-Norman historian to emerge from the secular clergy". He served as archdeacon of Huntingdon...
states that Remigius was a participant in the Norman Conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
, and was at the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
in 1066. The Ship List states that Remigius contributed one ship and 20 knights to the invasion force used by William the Conqueror in addition to his presence at Hastings. However, as mentioned earlier, this list only survives from a 12th century copy which originates from Battle Abbey
Battle Abbey
Battle Abbey is a partially ruined abbey complex in the small town of Battle in East Sussex, England. The abbey was built on the scene of the Battle of Hastings and dedicated to St...
, the monastery founded by King William to commemorate his victory at Hastings. Battle was known to have manufactured documentary evidence to support its claims to lands as well as to have embellished the historical record to enhance its reputation. The Ship List's authenticity has been challenged, but the most recent editor of the manuscript feels that it is a copy of an earlier 11th-century listing, and thus is substantially accurate.
A later medieval writer, Gerald of Wales, who was involved in late 12th century attempts to have Remigius canonized, wrote a hagiography
Hagiography
Hagiography is the study of saints.From the Greek and , it refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of saints and ecclesiastical leaders. The term hagiology, the study of hagiography, is also current in English, though less common...
, or saint's life, of the bishop. In it, he stated that instead of contributing a ship and 20 knights on his own, Remigius was in charge of Fécamp's contribution of 10 knights to William's cause. This is unlikely to be accurate, as Gerald was attempting to secure the bishop's sainthood, and thus often reworked some incidents in Remigius' life to make the canonization more likely.
Consecration and difficulties
Remigius was given the Bishopric of DorchesterBishop of Dorchester (Roman Catholic)
The Bishop of Dorchester was a bishop in the pre-Reformation Church of England in the Anglo-Saxon period, in charge of the Diocese of Dorchester. His seat, or cathedra, was at the cathedral in Dorchester-on-Thames in Oxfordshire.-History:...
in 1067. This was the largest diocese in England at the time, and was the first bishopric to become vacant after the Norman Conquest. Remigius was the first Norman to be appointed to an ecclesiastical post in England after the Norman Conquest. The reason for his appointment was his service to the new king, particularly for his donation of ships to the Norman Conquest. This led to accusations of simony
Simony
Simony is the act of paying for sacraments and consequently for holy offices or for positions in the hierarchy of a church, named after Simon Magus , who appears in the Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24...
, or the purchase of ecclesiastical office, against Remigius.
Remigius was consecrated by Stigand
Stigand
Stigand was an English churchman in pre-Norman Conquest England. Although his birthdate is unknown, by 1020, he was serving as a royal chaplain and advisor. He was named Bishop of Elmham in 1043, and then later Bishop of Winchester and Archbishop of Canterbury...
, the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, sometime around 1067. The new bishop was present at the coronation of Matilda
Matilda of Flanders
Matilda of Flanders was the wife of William the Conqueror and, as such, Queen consort of the Kingdom of England. She bore William nine/ten children, including two kings, William II and Henry I.-Marriage:...
, William's wife, as queen in 1068. But in 1070, the arrival of 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....
s led to problems for Remigius, especially in regards to his consecration by Stigand. As part of the consecration, Remigius had made a profession of obedience to Stigand. However, shortly after Easter in 1070, the papal legates deposed Stigand, and this action brought the acts of Stigand into disrepute, including the consecration of Remigius. The papal legates suspended the bishop from office, which did not prevent him from being present at the consecration of Lanfranc
Lanfranc
Lanfranc was Archbishop of Canterbury, and a Lombard by birth.-Early life:Lanfranc was born in the early years of the 11th century at Pavia, where later tradition held that his father, Hanbald, held a rank broadly equivalent to magistrate...
, Stigand's successor at Canterbury in August 1070. Because of the uncertainty surrounding his consecration at Stigand's hands, Remigius had to receive papal absolution for the uncanonical consecration.
Pope Alexander II
Pope Alexander II
Pope Alexander II , born Anselmo da Baggio, was Pope from 1061 to 1073.He was born in Milan. As bishop of Lucca he had been an energetic coadjutor with Hildebrand of Sovana in endeavouring to suppress simony, and to enforce the celibacy of the clergy...
later deprived Remigius of his office, requiring Remigius to travel to Rome in order to regain his see, which he did in 1071. While at Rome, the issue of simony was brought up, with the evidence of his contribution of the ship and knights to William being put forward as evidence that he and William had an agreement to give Remigius a bishopric in return for the contribution of men and transport. The issue of Remigius' consecration by and profession to Stigand was also brought up, and in his defense the bishop claimed that he did not know of any issues concerning Stigand's own canonical status. Bates points out that in 1067, when Remigius was consecrated, the newly crowned king was attempting to conciliate and work with the native English. By 1070, the royal policy was no longer strongly in favour of conciliating the English which would have put Remigius' actions in 1067 in a different light. Another possible reason for Remigius' consecration by and profession to Stigand rather than to the more canonically sound Ealdred
Ealdred
Ealdred may refer to:* Ealdred , 11th century English ecclesiastic* Ealdred of Northumbria, 10th century king of Northumbria* Ealdred * Ealdred of Hwicce, 8th century king of Hwicce...
, the Archbishop of York was the claims that York had made in regards to Dorcester being in the archdiocese of York rather than in Canterbury.
Eventually, Remigius secured resinstatement to his bishopric. He owed his restoration to the intercession of Lanfranc, the new archbishop of Canterbury, who had petitioned Alexander for Remigius' pardon. But this was not the end of the matter, as in 1073, Remigius sought further guarantees from Pope Gregory VII
Pope Gregory VII
Pope St. Gregory VII , born Hildebrand of Sovana , was Pope from April 22, 1073, until his death. One of the great reforming popes, he is perhaps best known for the part he played in the Investiture Controversy, his dispute with Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor affirming the primacy of the papal...
in regards to his tenure of his diocese, which he received in the form of a letter from Gregory in December of that year.
Bishop under William I
Remigius' bishopric was the largest in England, and one of the largest in the western Church. It encompased what had originally been three different bishoprics – that of DorchesterDiocese of Dorchester
The Diocese of Dorchester was an Anglo-Saxon Roman Catholic diocese in southern and eastern England.The Bishop of Dorchester had his seat, or cathedra, at Dorchester Abbey in Dorchester-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. The Wessex diocese covered most of Hampshire, Berkshire, parts of Oxfordshire and...
, Leicester
Diocese of Leicester
The Diocese of Leicester is a Church of England diocese based in Leicester and including the current county of Leicestershire. The cathedral is Leicester Cathedral, where the Bishop of Leicester has his seat....
and Lindsey, which were combined together by about 1010. Normally considered part of the Province of Canterbury, the Archbishops of York had long claimed it as part of their province due to Lindsey having been converted by Paulinus of York
Paulinus of York
Paulinus was a Roman missionary and the first Bishop of York. A member of the Gregorian mission sent in 601 by Pope Gregory I to Christianize the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism, Paulinus arrived in England by 604 with the second missionary group...
, the first Bishop of York. Included within Remigius' diocese were a number of monasteries, including the wealthy ones of Ely Abbey, Peterborough Abbey, Ramsey Abbey
Ramsey Abbey
Ramsey Abbey is a former Benedictine abbey located in Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, England, southeast of Peterborough and north of Huntingdon, UK.-History:...
and Thorney Abbey
Thorney Abbey
Thorney Abbey was on the island of Thorney in The Fens of Cambridgeshire, England.- History :The earliest documentary sources refer to a mid-7th century hermitage destroyed by a Viking incursion in the late 9th century. A Benedictine monastery was founded in the 970s, and a huge rebuilding...
. One difficulty with the diocese was that Dorchester was in the southern part of the large diocese, which made administration difficult. Another issue was that Dorchester
Dorchester, Oxfordshire
Dorchester-on-Thames is a village and civil parish on the River Thame in Oxfordshire, about northwest of Wallingford and southeast of Oxford. Despite its name, Dorchester is not on the River Thames, but just above the Thame's confluence with it...
was a very small town, but there was a large town in the diocese – Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
, which probably numbered around 6500 inhabitants.
In the years 1071–1074 Remigius was involved in as a royal judge in a case dealing with lands of Ely Abbey that were lost. Remigius served with Geoffrey de Montbray
Geoffrey de Montbray
Geoffrey de Montbray , bishop of Coutances , a right-hand man of William the Conqueror, was a type of the great feudal prelate, warrior and administrator at need....
, the Bishop of Coutances, Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria, and two sheriffs. Remigius was said by Gerald of Wales to have set up 21 prebends for his cathedral clergy. He also was involved in a long dispute with the monks of Ely over the episcopal rights over the abbey.
The seat of Remigius' see was at Dorchester, but in 1072 the Accord of Winchester
Accord of Winchester
The Accord of Winchester is the 11th century document that establishes the primacy of the Archbishop of Canterbury over the Archbishop of York....
arranged that bishoprics should be in cities and not small villages, so Remigius moved his see to Lincoln. The diocese received grants of lands, both in Lincoln and elsewhere, as part of the move. The choice of Lincoln was dictated by the wealth of the town and its location, which was on a strategic site on the River Witham
River Witham
The River Witham is a river, almost entirely in the county of Lincolnshire, in the east of England. It rises south of Grantham close to South Witham, at SK8818, passes Lincoln at SK9771 and at Boston, TF3244, flows into The Haven, a tidal arm of The Wash, near RSPB Frampton Marsh...
and was at the junction of two roads. He received papal approval for the move before 21 April 1073. He did not complete the move until sometime between 1075 and 1081, as he was still being titled "Bishop of Dorchester or Lincoln" in the accounts of the Council of London
Council of London
The Council of London may refer to one of four church councils held in London:*The Council of London *The Council of London *The Council of London *The Council of London , also known as the Council of Westminster...
held in 1075, but was named as plain "Bishop of Lincoln" in a document dating from 1081.
During the early 1070s, what ecclesiastical province Dorchester belonged to was disputed between Canterbury and York, the two archdioceses in Britain. Lanfranc had demanded that Remigius profess obedience to Canterbury, but Thomas of Bayeux, the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, made a counter-claim to the dioceses of Dorchester, Lichfield and Worcester. Lanfranc and Thomas both attempted to get the papacy to rule on the dispute but Pope Alexander II referred the matter back to a council in England, where in the spring of 1072 it was decided that the three dioceses in dispute belonged in the province of Canterbury. However, Remigius continued to feel that York was attempting to secure the disputed bishoprics through other means. When Thomas requested the help of Remigius and the Bishop of Worcester in the consecration of the Bishop of the Orkney Islands, Remigius sought Lanfranc's support in avoiding the effort, and other bishops were sent to help with the consecration. Remigius may have been extra sensitive to the issue, as York continued to make claims Lindsey, a part of the diocese of Dorchester where Lincoln and the new episcopal centre was located. This dispute continued throughout Remigius' bishopric.
In the 1080's Remigius was at the royal court when the king was in England, as he is attested at royal courts in February and May 1081, again at the Christmas court in 1085, and again in 1086. These are all of the appearances of King William in England during this decade, except for one quick visit in the winter of 1082 and 1083. However, Remigius is never a witness to royal documents that were drawn up in Normandy, and from this information it appears likely that the bishop remained in England after his acquisition of his diocese, except for the visit to Rome in 1071.
Remigius was one of the bishops that met in 1085 at Gloucester, and took part in the discussions there that led to the survey known as Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
. Remigius was heavily involved in the creation of Domesday. He served as a Domesday commissioner for Worcester, part of the "Circuit V" of Domesday, which included – besides Worcestershire – Cheshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, and Staffordshire.
Bishop under William II
Remigius was present at the first Christmas court held by William II at Westminster, along with a number of other bishops and barons. Henry of Huntingdon, a medieval chronicler, recorded that Remigius was once accused of treason, but was cleared after one of his servants performed the ordealOrdeal
Ordeal may refer to* The American title of What Happened to the Corbetts, a 1939 novel by Nevil Shute* Trial by ordeal, the judicial practice...
of hot iron, which he survived. The exact date of this event is unknown, and it might be connected with a rebellion in 1075 against William I. Another possibility is that it was part of the rebellion of Odo of Bayeux at the start of William II's reign. A third possibility is that it might not be connected to either rebellion. Possibly connected to this episode is an extant letter from Lanfranc to Remigius, reassuring the bishop that although some doubted his loyalty to the king, the king did not. Lanfranc's letter does not make it clear which king is intended, and it is possible that this letter is not connected to the episode related by Henry of Huntingdon. If either episode is related to the rebellion at the start of William II's reign, the period of uncertainty about Remigius' loyalty was short-lived, as he witnessed a charter of the king's shortly after the rebellion was quashed.
Remigius' last days were dominated by a struggle with Thomas, the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, who claimed that the diocese of Lincoln was within his province, instead of Canterbury. The medieval chronciler John of Worcester
John of Worcester
John of Worcester was an English monk and chronicler. He is usually held to be the author of the Chronicon ex chronicis.-Chronicon ex chronicis:...
related that Remigius bribed King William II to order all the English bishops to attend the consecration, in order to sidestep Thomas' efforts to assert his claims to Lincoln. The consecration conflict is part of a tale related by another medieval chronciler, William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury was the foremost English historian of the 12th century. C. Warren Hollister so ranks him among the most talented generation of writers of history since Bede, "a gifted historical scholar and an omnivorous reader, impressively well versed in the literature of classical,...
, about the astrological interests of Robert Losinga
Robert of Hereford
Robert of Hereford was a priest who became Bishop of Hereford following the Norman Conquest of England.-Life:...
, the Bishop of Hereford
Bishop of Hereford
The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury.The see is in the City of Hereford where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Ethelbert which was founded as a cathedral in 676.The Bishop's residence is...
. According to William of Malmesbury, Robert's astrological horoscopes predicted Remigius' death and that it would take place prior to the cathedral's consecration.
Remigius introduced 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...
monks to the abbey of St. Mary at Stow
Stow, Lincolnshire
Stow is a small village and civil parish within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is eleven miles northwest of the city of Lincoln and six miles southeast of Gainsborough, and has a total resident population of 355.Stow dates back to Roman times and in the...
before 1076, and annexed Eynsham Abbey
Eynsham Abbey
Eynsham Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Eynsham, Oxfordshire, in England between 1005 and 1538. King Æthelred allowed Æthelmær the Stout to found the abbey in 1005. There is some evidence that the abbey was built on the site of an earlier minster, probably founded in the 7th or 8th...
to Stow in 1091. This may have been the opening move in an attempt to introduce monks into the Lincoln cathedral chapter
Cathedral chapter
In accordance with canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese in his stead. These councils are made up of canons and dignitaries; in the Roman Catholic church their...
, but Remigius' successor, Robert Bloet
Robert Bloet
Robert Bloet was a medieval English bishop and a Chancellor of England. Born into a noble Norman family, he became a royal clerk under King William I of England. Under William I's son and successor King William II, Bloet was first named chancellor then appointed to the see of Lincoln...
, did not follow through with the scheme, if this was the intention.
Construction and organization of Lincoln Cathedral
Remigius began the construction of Lincoln Cathedral, which was consecrated in 1092, two days after Remigius' death. The church was modeled after the cathedral at RouenRouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, as well as the abbey church of St Etienne, Caen
Abbaye-aux-Hommes
The Abbaye aux Hommes is a former abbey church in the French city of Caen, Normandy. Dedicated to Saint Stephen , it is considered, along with the neighbouring Abbaye aux Dames , to be one of the most notable Romanesque buildings in Normandy. Like all the major abbeys in Normandy, it was Benedictine...
. An older view, that the design was influenced by St Mark's, Venice, has been rejected by most historians. The tower he constructed, which is now incorporated into the west front of the Cathedral, may have been constructed as a keep tower. The art historian Anthony Quiney
Anthony Quiney
Anthony Prosper Quiney is an architectural historian, building archaeologist, writer and photographer who has lived in Blackheath for many years. Dr. Quiney is Professor Emeritus of Architectural History at the University of Greenwich, a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and a former...
suggests that the tower may have served as the bishop's palace until the time of Alexander of Lincoln
Alexander of Lincoln
Alexander of Lincoln was a medieval English Bishop of Lincoln, a member of an important administrative and ecclesiastical family. He was the nephew of Roger of Salisbury, a Bishop of Salisbury and Chancellor of England under King Henry I, and he was also related to Nigel, Bishop of Ely...
.
Although traditional accounts have stated that the new cathedral was constructed on the site of a church dedicated to Saint Mary in Lincoln, and that thus the new cathedral usurped the endowment of that church as well as its site. However, recent historical research has challenged this view, with the historian Dorothy Owen
Dorothy Owen
Dorothy Mary Owen, née Williamson was an English archivist and historian.-Life:Born in Hyde, Cheshire and educated at Manchester University, Dorothy Williamson undertook postgraduate study there under Christopher Cheney, writing her dissertation on the legation of Cardinal Otto in the British...
arguing that although there was a church on the site, it was a small parish church with little lands or property.
Little now remains of Remigius' construction, just the tower which has been greatly altered from the original design by the addition of three porches. It is likely that construction began in the middle part of the 1070's and was mostly complete by the time of its consecration in 1092.
Along with building a new cathedral, Remigius also organized the cathedral chapter
Cathedral chapter
In accordance with canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese in his stead. These councils are made up of canons and dignitaries; in the Roman Catholic church their...
, or the clergy that served the new church. At Lincoln, Remigius set up a chapter that was composed of secular clergy
Secular clergy
The term secular clergy refers to deacons and priests who are not monastics or members of a religious order.-Catholic Church:In the Catholic Church, the secular clergy are ministers, such as deacons and priests, who do not belong to a religious order...
, rather than one composed of monks, which some of the other new cathedrals founded after the Norman Conquest used. This was an unusual choice, as Remigius himself was a monk, and many of the new monastic cathedral chapters were founded by monks, but Bates suggests that one reason may have been the sheer size of the diocese, which required large numbers of clergy to fully staff its functions. Monks in the required numbers would have been difficult to find.
The exact organization of the chapter seems to have evolved over time, with territorial archdeaconries
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...
being set up. Although the later medieval writer Gerald of Wales asserted that Remigius borrowed the structure of the cathedral chapter of Rouen Cathedral
Rouen Cathedral
Rouen Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Gothic cathedral in Rouen, in northwestern France. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Rouen and Normandy.-History:...
, this has been refuted by modern historians, who have shown that Rouen had no fully organized chapter at the time, thus making it impossible for Remigius to have borrowed the complete structure as Gerald asserted. Whether the chapter was organized into prebends during Remigius' episcopate is unclear, with Gerald claiming that there were 21 by the time of Remigius' death, but this is suspiciously half of the number that Gerald claimed existed at the death of Remigius' successor, Robert Bloet
Robert Bloet
Robert Bloet was a medieval English bishop and a Chancellor of England. Born into a noble Norman family, he became a royal clerk under King William I of England. Under William I's son and successor King William II, Bloet was first named chancellor then appointed to the see of Lincoln...
, so it must be viewed with suspicion. What is clear, however, is that the library at Lincoln was in existence. While only one surviving manuscript can be traced to the cathedral under Remigius, a surviving book catalogue testifies to the existence of the library under Remigius.
Death and legacy
Remigius scheduled the dedication of his new cathedral for 9 May 1092, but faced a challenge by Thomas of York who once more claimed that Lindsey, and thus Lincoln, were part of Thomas' diocese. Remigius met Thomas' challenge by securing the permission of King William II for the consecration by the payment of a bribe, and most of the English bishops came to Lincoln to help with the ceremony. However, Remigius died before the consecration, but it is unclear if it was 2 days, 1 day or the night before the ceremony, as different medieval writers gave differing time scales. Most sources give Remigius' death date as 8 May, but his death was commemorated on 6 May. The cathedral was not consecrated on the scheduled date, finally being consecrated later after Robert Bloet, the next bishop, paid another bribe to the king to settle Thomas' claims to Lincoln.In the twelfth century, a haigiography was written and attempts were made to have him canonized as a saint. The Vita Sancti Remigi was composed by Gerald of Wales. The start of the effort may have begun in the 1180s, and the Vita was based on a list of miracles performed at the bishop's tomb from that time period. Although miracles were ascribed to him and cult persisted into the thirteenth century, he was never canonized.
Henry of Huntingdon described Remigius as short but great-hearted and very charming. He also had a dark complexion. William of Malmesbury, another medieval writer, concurred with the fact that Remigius was short, and the implication in William's work is that the bishop was a dwarf.