William de Cornhill
Encyclopedia
William de Cornhill was a medieval Bishop of Coventry
.
Some sources say William was the son of Henry de Cornhill, who was sheriff of London from 1187 to 1189 and was a brother to Reginald de Cornhill
, one of John's chief administrators. Other sources say that William was either Reginald's son or nephew. William served King John of England
as a financial administrator, and in 1206 he the custodian of Malmesbury Abbey
and the see of Winchester and the see of Lincoln. He was archdeacon of Huntingdon by 1209, when he was serving as a royal justice. In 1212 he once more served as a royal justice. He was elected bishop about 9 July 1214, and consecrated on 25 January 1215. His election involved the monks of Coventry refusing to allow the canons of Lichfield participate in the election, and then the monks rejected a number of candidates before finally settling on William. The monks objected most to the fact that the papal legate, Niccolò de Romanis, cardinal bishop of Tusculum, repeatedly urged them to elect the abbot of Beaulieu, who was the choice of King John. Eventually, the monks were allowed to elect another royal clerk, William. He was consecrated at Reading, England by Stephen Langton
, the Archbishop of Canterbury
. William was present at Runnymede
and was one of the advisors to John about Magna Carta
. He also attended the Third Lateran Council in 1215 and was present at the first coronation of King Henry III of England
in 1216. He may have resigned before his death on 19 August or 20 August 1223, as he had suffered a stroke in 1221 and lost the power of speech. He was buried in Lichfield Cathedral
.
Bishop of Coventry
The Bishop of Coventry is the Ordinary of the England Diocese of Coventry in the Province of Canterbury. In the Middle Ages, the Bishop of Coventry was a title used by the bishops known today as the Bishop of Lichfield....
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Some sources say William was the son of Henry de Cornhill, who was sheriff of London from 1187 to 1189 and was a brother to Reginald de Cornhill
Reginald de Cornhill
Reginald de Cornhill was an English administrator under King John.His father, Gervase, had also been High Sheriff of Kent in 1170-74 and his brother Henry de Cornhill sheriff of London. He became the King's Justiciar, High Sheriff of Kent from 1189 to 1193 and 1196 to 1215 and High Sheriff of...
, one of John's chief administrators. Other sources say that William was either Reginald's son or nephew. William served King John of England
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
as a financial administrator, and in 1206 he the custodian of Malmesbury Abbey
Malmesbury Abbey
Malmesbury Abbey, at Malmesbury in Wiltshire, England, was founded as a Benedictine monastery around 676 by the scholar-poet Aldhelm, a nephew of King Ine of Wessex. In 941 AD, King Athelstan was buried in the Abbey. By the 11th century it contained the second largest library in Europe and was...
and the see of Winchester and the see of Lincoln. He was archdeacon of Huntingdon by 1209, when he was serving as a royal justice. In 1212 he once more served as a royal justice. He was elected bishop about 9 July 1214, and consecrated on 25 January 1215. His election involved the monks of Coventry refusing to allow the canons of Lichfield participate in the election, and then the monks rejected a number of candidates before finally settling on William. The monks objected most to the fact that the papal legate, Niccolò de Romanis, cardinal bishop of Tusculum, repeatedly urged them to elect the abbot of Beaulieu, who was the choice of King John. Eventually, the monks were allowed to elect another royal clerk, William. He was consecrated at Reading, England by Stephen Langton
Stephen Langton
Stephen Langton was Archbishop of Canterbury between 1207 and his death in 1228 and was a central figure in the dispute between King John of England and Pope Innocent III, which ultimately led to the issuing of Magna Carta in 1215...
, 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...
. William was present at Runnymede
Runnymede
Runnymede is a water-meadow alongside the River Thames in the English county of Berkshire, and just over west of central London. It is notable for its association with the sealing of Magna Carta, and as a consequence is the site of a collection of memorials...
and was one of the advisors to John about Magna Carta
Magna Carta
Magna Carta is an English charter, originally issued in the year 1215 and reissued later in the 13th century in modified versions, which included the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority to date. The charter first passed into law in 1225...
. He also attended the Third Lateran Council in 1215 and was present at the first coronation of King Henry III of England
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
in 1216. He may have resigned before his death on 19 August or 20 August 1223, as he had suffered a stroke in 1221 and lost the power of speech. He was buried in Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral is situated in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. It is the only medieval English cathedral with three spires. The Diocese of Lichfield covers all of Staffordshire, much of Shropshire and part of the Black Country and West Midlands...
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