William II and the Church (III)
- Created by: Alasdair
- Created on: 11-06-17 18:11
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- How significant was William II's relationship with the papacy?
- Relationship between the Papacy and the Conqueror?
- Tense, long period of disagreement
- In 1084, Pope Gregory VII was forced out of Rome by Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV
- Gregory VII replaced by anti-pope (alternative pope) Clement III.
- Meant William I was under less pressure to acquiesce to demands of papacy
- Too much of state of upheaval for papacy to be bothered with English affairs
- Meant William I was under less pressure to acquiesce to demands of papacy
- Situation when William Rufus came to power
- Papal split still in place
- Gregory VII had died in 1085 and was replaced by Victor III
- Victor III lasted until 1088 when he too died and was replaced by Gregory VII's nominee successors, Urban II
- Split and quick turnover of 'official' popes suited new king who had little interest in papal affairs
- Schism meant (as it had done for Conqueror) papacy showed minimal concern for what was happening in other parts of Continent, including England
- Rufus took opportunity to declare he would remain neutral in his attitue towards papal claimants
- Revealed in way he dealt with trial of William of aint-Calais
- Rufus took opportunity to declare he would remain neutral in his attitue towards papal claimants
- Canterbury
- In 1089, Archbishop Lanfranc died leaving see of Canterbury vacant
- For number of years, William II was content to do nothing about this as he was able to exploit situation by gathering income from Canterbury which he would use to finance his own projects
- For number of years, William II was content to do nothing about this as he was able to exploit situation by gathering income from Canterbury which he would use to finance his own projects
- Changed in 1093 after Rufus suffered short but serious illness
- Blamed his misfortune on his mmisjudggement over archbishopric of Canterbury
- Therefore sought forgiveness and support of God by turning to renowned clergyman, Anselm, abbot of Bec, to ask for penitence.
- Blamed his misfortune on his mmisjudggement over archbishopric of Canterbury
- For Rufus it was also important to fill position of Canterbury and he forced Anselm to accept role
- Caused Anselm much grief and resulted in protracted disagreement between Archbishop and king
- Off-shoot of protracted disagreement with Anselm was Rufus was impelled to acknowledge Urban II as pope
- Anselm had supported Urban II from beginning and when Rufus eventually called for Anselm's pallium (1095), act equated to King's recognition of Urban II as pope
- However, became part of deal between Urban II and Pope
- In return for recognition, Urban would grant King all he wanted for the term of William's life
- Presumably royal rights and customs which had been in dispute, even perhaps a legation
- According to Hugh of Flavigny, who was in next papal legation to England in 1096, Urban II's envoy Walter conceded no papal legate should henceforth be sent to kingdom except at king's command
- As result of concordat, no papal envoy was thereafter received with due honour, while no archbishop, bishop, clerk or monk in England dared receive or obey papal letters unless King commanded them to do so
- In return for recognition, Urban would grant King all he wanted for the term of William's life
- However, became part of deal between Urban II and Pope
- Anselm had supported Urban II from beginning and when Rufus eventually called for Anselm's pallium (1095), act equated to King's recognition of Urban II as pope
- In 1089, Archbishop Lanfranc died leaving see of Canterbury vacant
- Would appear Anselm was used by both Rufus and Urban II as tool for arriving at agreement over official relationship between two
- Rufus would acknowledge Urban II as pope and that, in turn, Urban would respect king's secular authority
- From 1095 until end of Rufus's reign.
- William II's relationship with Urban II was determined by King's dealings with Anselm
- Anselm great supporter of Urban II's proposed reforms for Church
- Based of Gregorian reform movement established by Pope Gregory VII (1073-85)
- Gregory had stressed need for clergy to focus on developing moral integrity as well as their independence from secular affairs
- Central to this was desire for monks to be celibate
- When Anselm started to quarrel with Rufus over matters such as holding Church councils in England there was possibility Archbishop would plead to Pope for help
- 1097, matters came to head over disagreement concerning conduct of campaign against Welsh
- Anslem asked to leave England for Rome, which Rufus agreed to
- Only returned after Rufus died, but more importantly event revealed how tide was turning with respect to relationship between Norman rulers and pope
- Anselm's defection was indicative of support that had been growing for Urban II across Europe, especially after calling of First Crusade in 1095
- By fleeing to Rome, Anselm showed key members of clergy were no longer willing to accept total authority of English king over English Church
- Moreover, by end of William II's reign, King's supportive attitude towards Urban II's position had probably transformed into one of outright hostility
- Relationship between the Papacy and the Conqueror?
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