Æthelric II
Encyclopedia
Æthelric was the second to last medieval Bishop of Selsey in England before the see was moved to Chichester
. Consecrated
a bishop in 1058, he was deposed in 1070 for unknown reasons and then imprisoned by King William I of England
. He was considered one of the best legal experts of his time, and was even brought from his prison to attend the trial on Penenden Heath
where he gave testimony about English law before the Norman Conquest of England
.
at Canterbury
prior to his becoming a bishop. Several historians opine that he might have been the same as the Æthelric who was a monk of Canterbury and a relative of Godwin, Earl of Wessex
. That Æthelric was elected by the monks of Canterbury to be Archbishop of Canterbury
in 1050, but was not confirmed by King Edward the Confessor
who insisted on Robert of Jumièges
becoming archbishop instead. The evidence is not merely that they shared the same name, because the name was a relatively common one in Anglo-Saxon England. Other evidence pointing to the possibility of them being the same person includes the fact that he was felt to have been unfairly deposed in 1070 as well as the bishop's great age in 1076.
Æthelric was consecrated bishop in 1058 by Stigand
, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Æthelric was consecrated by Stigand, unlike most of the English bishops of the time period, because at that point, Stigand held a valid pallium
, or symbol of an archbishop's authority and ability to consecrate bishops.
(not the same as the archbishop), who later moved the seat of the diocese to Chichester. It is possible, that his deposition was tied to the fact that about that time, King Harold of England
's mother and sister took refuge with the count of Flanders. If Æthelric was related to the Godwin's, King William I of England
may have feared that the bishop would use his diocese to launch a rebellion. Other reasons put forward include the fact that Æthelric had been consecrated by Stigand, but the other bishop that Stigand had consecrated, Siward the Bishop of Rochester
was not deposed. Æthelric was a monk, and while not having a great reputation for sanctity, he was not held to be immoral either. The pope did not feel that his deposition had been handled correctly, so his deposition was confirmed at the Council of Winchester on 1 April 1076. It continued to be considered uncanonical, but Æthelric was never restored to his bishopric.
of Odo of Bayeux, earl of Kent
. This took place sometime between 1072 and 1076. At that time, he was the most prominent legalist in England. He helped clarify Anglo-Saxon land laws, as the trial was concerned with the attempts of Lanfranc to recover lands from Odo. The medieval writer Eadmer
also consulted Æthelric for information on Eadmer's Life of St Dunstan.
Presumably Æthelric died soon after the trial, as he was already an old man when he attended the trial.
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
. Consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
a bishop in 1058, he was deposed in 1070 for unknown reasons and then imprisoned by King William I of England
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...
. He was considered one of the best legal experts of his time, and was even brought from his prison to attend the trial on Penenden Heath
Penenden Heath
Penenden Heath is a suburb in the town of Maidstone in Kent, England.As the name suggests it is nucleated around a former heath .-History:...
where he gave testimony about English law before 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...
.
Early life
Æthelric was a monk at Christ Church PrioryCanterbury 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....
at Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
prior to his becoming a bishop. Several historians opine that he might have been the same as the Æthelric who was a monk of Canterbury and a relative of Godwin, Earl of Wessex
Godwin, Earl of Wessex
Godwin of Wessex , was one of the most powerful lords in England under the Danish king Cnut the Great and his successors. Cnut made him the first Earl of Wessex...
. That Æthelric was elected by the monks of Canterbury to be 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...
in 1050, but was not confirmed by 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....
who insisted on Robert of Jumièges
Robert of Jumièges
Robert of Jumièges was the first Norman Archbishop of Canterbury. He had previously served as prior of the Abbey of St Ouen at Rouen in France, before becoming abbot of Jumièges Abbey, near Rouen, in 1037...
becoming archbishop instead. The evidence is not merely that they shared the same name, because the name was a relatively common one in Anglo-Saxon England. Other evidence pointing to the possibility of them being the same person includes the fact that he was felt to have been unfairly deposed in 1070 as well as the bishop's great age in 1076.
Æthelric was consecrated bishop in 1058 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. Æthelric was consecrated by Stigand, unlike most of the English bishops of the time period, because at that point, Stigand held a valid 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...
, or symbol of an archbishop's authority and ability to consecrate bishops.
Deposition
Æthelric was deposed by the Council of Windsor on 24 May 1070 and imprisoned at Marlborough, being replaced by StigandStigand of Selsey
Stigand was the last Bishop of Selsey, and first Bishop of Chichester.-Life:Shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066, there was a purge of the English episcopate, Archbishop Stigand was deposed in 1070 along with four other bishops, including Æthelric II of Selsey, probably because of his...
(not the same as the archbishop), who later moved the seat of the diocese to Chichester. It is possible, that his deposition was tied to the fact that about that time, King Harold of England
Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.It could be argued that Edgar the Atheling, who was proclaimed as king by the witan but never crowned, was really the last Anglo-Saxon king...
's mother and sister took refuge with the count of Flanders. If Æthelric was related to the Godwin's, King William I of England
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...
may have feared that the bishop would use his diocese to launch a rebellion. Other reasons put forward include the fact that Æthelric had been consecrated by Stigand, but the other bishop that Stigand had consecrated, Siward the Bishop of Rochester
Bishop of Rochester
The Bishop of Rochester is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers the west of the county of Kent and is centred in the city of Rochester where the bishop's seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin...
was not deposed. Æthelric was a monk, and while not having a great reputation for sanctity, he was not held to be immoral either. The pope did not feel that his deposition had been handled correctly, so his deposition was confirmed at the Council of Winchester on 1 April 1076. It continued to be considered uncanonical, but Æthelric was never restored to his bishopric.
Penenden Heath
He was carted from imprisonment to the Trial of Penenden HeathTrial of Penenden Heath
The Trial of Penenden Heath occurred in the decade after Norman Conquest of England in 1066, probably in 1072, and involved a dispute between Odo Bishop of Bayeux, half-brother of William the Conqueror and Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury and others....
of Odo of Bayeux, earl of Kent
Earl of Kent
The peerage title Earl of Kent has been created eight times in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.See also Kingdom of Kent, Duke of Kent.-Earls of Kent, first creation :*Godwin, Earl of Wessex...
. This took place sometime between 1072 and 1076. At that time, he was the most prominent legalist in England. He helped clarify Anglo-Saxon land laws, as the trial was concerned with the attempts of Lanfranc to recover lands from Odo. The medieval writer Eadmer
Eadmer
Eadmer, or Edmer , was an English historian, theologian, and ecclesiastic. He is known for being a contemporary biographer of his contemporary archbishop and companion, Saint Anselm, in his Vita Anselmi, and for his Historia novorum in Anglia, which presents the public face of Anselm...
also consulted Æthelric for information on Eadmer's Life of St Dunstan.
Presumably Æthelric died soon after the trial, as he was already an old man when he attended the trial.