Walter of Lorraine
Encyclopedia
Walter of Lorraine was a medieval Bishop of Hereford
.
, although some sources state he was a Norman. He was chaplain to Edith of Wessex
, wife of Edward the Confessor
sometime before his appointment as bishop. He was appointed to the see of Hereford about Christmas of 1060. His appointment was because Aldred
, the Bishop of Worcester
, who had been supervising the see of Hereford after the death of Leofgar
in 1056, was appointed Archbishop of York
and this opened the way for an appointment to Hereford.
Walter was consecrated on 15 April 1061 by Pope Nicholas II
at Rome. He, along with Giso, who was elected to the see of Wells
, and Tostig Godwinson, went to Rome for consecration because Stigand
, the Archbishop of Canterbury
, was excommunicated and could not consecrate bishops. They were unable to have the Archbishop of York
consecrate them, because Ealdred
, who was the appointee to York, had not yet received his pallium
, the symbol of the authority of an archbishop, and was in fact traveling to Rome with Giso and Walter to receive it. Walter seems to have been little involved in public affairs after his appointment as bishop.
After the Norman Conquest of England
, Walter swore loyalty to William the Conqueror
at Berkhampsted after the Battle of Hastings
. He attended the church councils held at Windsor in 1072 and at London in 1075. But otherwise, his diocesan business is unclear, as no charters of his survive.
The Vita Edwardi, the saint's life of King Edward the Confessor
of England, said of Walter that he was "most suitably and excellently trained in office".
Walter died in 1079. The medieval chronicler William of Malmesbury
records that he was stabbed to death while attempting to rape a seamstress, but William reports this as rumor, so it is unclear if that was actually how he died. No tomb survives, and his burial place is unknown.
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...
.
Life
Walter was a native of LorraineLorraine (province)
The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....
, although some sources state he was a Norman. He was chaplain to Edith of Wessex
Edith of Wessex
Edith of Wessex married King Edward the Confessor of England on 23 January 1045. Unlike most wives of kings of England in the tenth and eleventh centuries, she was crowned queen, but the marriage produced no children...
, wife of Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
sometime before his appointment as bishop. He was appointed to the see of Hereford about Christmas of 1060. His appointment was because Aldred
Aldred
Ealdred was Abbot of Tavistock, Bishop of Worcester, and Archbishop of York in Anglo-Saxon England. He was related to a number of other ecclesiastics of the period. After becoming a monk at the monastery at Winchester, he was appointed Abbot of Tavistock Abbey in around 1027. In 1046 he was named...
, the Bishop of Worcester
Bishop of Worcester
The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. He is the head of the Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury...
, who had been supervising the see of Hereford after the death of Leofgar
Leofgar
Leofgar was a medieval Bishop of Lichfield.Leofgar was consecrated after 1017 and died sometime before about 1026. He was appointed by Cnut, the king of England, and nothing is known of why he was chosen or of his background.-External links:*...
in 1056, was appointed 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...
and this opened the way for an appointment to Hereford.
Walter was consecrated on 15 April 1061 by Pope Nicholas II
Pope Nicholas II
Pope Nicholas II , born Gérard de Bourgogne, Pope from 1059 to July 1061, was at the time of his election the Bishop of Florence.-Antipope Benedict X:...
at Rome. He, along with Giso, who was elected to the see of Wells
Diocese of Bath and Wells
The Diocese of Bath and Wells is a diocese in the Church of England Province of Canterbury in England.The diocese covers the county of Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Episcopal seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in the tiny city of...
, and Tostig Godwinson, went to Rome for consecration because 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...
, was excommunicated and could not consecrate bishops. They were unable to have 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...
consecrate them, because 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...
, who was the appointee to York, had not yet received his 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...
, the symbol of the authority of an archbishop, and was in fact traveling to Rome with Giso and Walter to receive it. Walter seems to have been little involved in public affairs after his appointment as bishop.
After 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...
, Walter swore loyalty to William the Conqueror
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
at Berkhampsted after 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...
. He attended the church councils held at Windsor in 1072 and at London in 1075. But otherwise, his diocesan business is unclear, as no charters of his survive.
The Vita Edwardi, the saint's life of King Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
of England, said of Walter that he was "most suitably and excellently trained in office".
Walter died in 1079. The medieval chronicler 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,...
records that he was stabbed to death while attempting to rape a seamstress, but William reports this as rumor, so it is unclear if that was actually how he died. No tomb survives, and his burial place is unknown.