Hugh of Amiens
Encyclopedia
Hugh of Amiens monk
of Cluny
, prior of Limoges, prior of Lewes, abbot of Reading and archbishop of Rouen
, was a 12th-century Picard-French Benedictine
prelate
.
late in the eleventh century. He belonged in all probability to the noble family of Boves
, a theory to which his arms (an ox passant) give support. He was educated at Laon in the celebrated school of Anselm
and Ralph, and became a monk of Cluny
. A few years after his reception the abbot made him prior of Limoges, but he went to England about the same time, and became for a short time prior of Lewes, whence he was transferred in 1125 to the abbey of Reading. As Reading Abbey was a new foundation, Hugh was its first ever abbot.
While travelling abroad in 1129 he was elected to the archbishopric of Rouen and consecrated 14 September 1130. At this time he founded the abbey of St Martin of Aumale
. In his province he was vigorous and strict, and tried for some time in vain to bring the powerful abbots under his control. He took part with Pope Innocent II
against Anacletus, received Innocent at Rouen
in 1131, and rejoined him at the council of Rheims
in the same year, bringing him letters in which the king of England recognised him as lawful pope.
Henry I had taken the side of the abbots in their recent struggle with Hugh, and he was now further incensed by Hugh's refusal to consecrate Richard, natural son of the Earl of Gloucester
, bishop of Bayeux on account of his illegitimate birth. This difficulty was overcome through a special dispensation
from the pope, but Hugh thought it prudent to go in 1134 to the Council of Pisa, and on its conclusion to remain in Italy on legatine business for some time.
He was recalled, however, by the murmuring of the nobles of his province and the personal complaints of Henry, and returned in 1135 in time, according to a letter preserved in the Historia Novella of William of Malmesbury
, to attend the king, who had always respected him, on his deathbed at Colombières
. In 1136 he was back at Rouen.
, and passed much time in England during the civil wars
. Early in 1137 Stephen went to Normandy
, and when he had failed to capture Matilda's illegitimate half-brother, Robert, Earl of Gloucester
, Hugh was one of his sureties that he would do Robert no further injury. It was by his intervention that the dispute between the king and the bishops regarding the custody of castles was settled at the council of Oxford in 1139, which Henry of Blois
had summoned. Hugh also reconciled the Earl of Gloucester and the Count of Boulogne
.
As the rebellious abbots of his province were now without royal support, he was able to carry out the decision of the council of Rheims, and to exact an oath of obedience; among those whom he forced to tender it was Theobald
, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury
, then newly elected abbot of Bec. In 1147 Hugh took part in the controversy with Gilbert de la Porrée
. In 1150 Henry, eldest son of Henry II, began to rule in Normandy, and Hugh found in him a strong supporter. He died 11 November 1164, and was buried in the cathedral at Rouen, where there is an epitaph composed by Arnulf of Lisieux
.
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
of Cluny
Cluny Abbey
Cluny Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Cluny, Saône-et-Loire, France. It was built in the Romanesque style, with three churches built in succession from the 10th to the early 12th centuries....
, prior of Limoges, prior of Lewes, abbot of Reading and archbishop of Rouen
Archbishop of Rouen
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rouen is an Archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. As one of the fifteen Archbishops of France, the ecclesiastical province of the archdiocese comprises the majority of Normandy....
, was a 12th-century Picard-French 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...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
.
Early career
Hugh was born in LaonLaon
Laon is the capital city of the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-History:The hilly district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance...
late in the eleventh century. He belonged in all probability to the noble family of Boves
Boves, Somme
Boves is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Boves is situated on the D935 and D116 road junction, on the banks of the river Avre, some southeast of Amiens.-Population:-History:...
, a theory to which his arms (an ox passant) give support. He was educated at Laon in the celebrated school of Anselm
Anselm of Laon
Anselm of Laon was a French theologian and founder of a school of scholars who helped to pioneer biblical hermeneutics.Remembered in the century after his death as "Anselmus" or "Anselm", his name was more properly "Ansellus" or, in Modern French, "Anseau."Born of very humble parents at Laon...
and Ralph, and became a monk of Cluny
Cluny Abbey
Cluny Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Cluny, Saône-et-Loire, France. It was built in the Romanesque style, with three churches built in succession from the 10th to the early 12th centuries....
. A few years after his reception the abbot made him prior of Limoges, but he went to England about the same time, and became for a short time prior of Lewes, whence he was transferred in 1125 to the abbey of Reading. As Reading Abbey was a new foundation, Hugh was its first ever abbot.
While travelling abroad in 1129 he was elected to the archbishopric of Rouen and consecrated 14 September 1130. At this time he founded the abbey of St Martin of Aumale
Aumale
Aumale is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in north-western France.-Geography:A village of farming and associated light industry, situated in the valley of the Bresle River of the Norman Pays de Bray in Normandy on the border with Picardie. It is around ...
. In his province he was vigorous and strict, and tried for some time in vain to bring the powerful abbots under his control. He took part with Pope Innocent II
Pope Innocent II
Pope Innocent II , born Gregorio Papareschi, was pope from 1130 to 1143, and was probably one of the clergy in personal attendance on the antipope Clement III .-Early years:...
against Anacletus, received Innocent at Rouen
Rouen
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...
in 1131, and rejoined him at the council of Rheims
Council of Rheims
Reims, located in the north-east of modern France, hosted several councils or synods in the Roman Catholic Church. These councils did not universally represent the church and are not counted among the official Ecumenical Councils.-Early synodal Councils of Reims:...
in the same year, bringing him letters in which the king of England recognised him as lawful pope.
Henry I had taken the side of the abbots in their recent struggle with Hugh, and he was now further incensed by Hugh's refusal to consecrate Richard, natural son of the Earl of Gloucester
Earl of Gloucester
The title of Earl of Gloucester was created several times in the Peerage of England. A fictional earl is also a character in William Shakespeare's play King Lear. See also Duke of Gloucester.-Earls of Gloucester, 1st Creation :...
, bishop of Bayeux on account of his illegitimate birth. This difficulty was overcome through a special dispensation
Dispensation (Catholic Church)
In the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, a dispensation is the suspension by competent authority of general rules of law in particular cases...
from the pope, but Hugh thought it prudent to go in 1134 to the Council of Pisa, and on its conclusion to remain in Italy on legatine business for some time.
He was recalled, however, by the murmuring of the nobles of his province and the personal complaints of Henry, and returned in 1135 in time, according to a letter preserved in the Historia Novella of 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,...
, to attend the king, who had always respected him, on his deathbed at Colombières
Colombières
Colombières is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-External links:* *...
. In 1136 he was back at Rouen.
Later career
Hugh was a staunch supporter of King StephenStephen, King of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
, and passed much time in England during the civil wars
The Anarchy
The Anarchy or The Nineteen-Year Winter was a period of English history during the reign of King Stephen, which was characterised by civil war and unsettled government...
. Early in 1137 Stephen went to Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, and when he had failed to capture Matilda's illegitimate half-brother, Robert, Earl of Gloucester
Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester
Robert Fitzroy, 1st Earl of Gloucester was an illegitimate son of King Henry I of England. He was called "Rufus" and occasionally "de Caen", he is also known as Robert "the Consul"...
, Hugh was one of his sureties that he would do Robert no further injury. It was by his intervention that the dispute between the king and the bishops regarding the custody of castles was settled at the council of Oxford in 1139, which Henry of Blois
Henry of Blois
Henry of Blois , often known as Henry of Winchester, was Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey from 1126, and Bishop of Winchester from 1129 to his death.-Early life and education:...
had summoned. Hugh also reconciled the Earl of Gloucester and the Count of Boulogne
Count of Boulogne
The county of Boulogne was a historical region in the Low Countries. It consisted of a part of the present-day French département of the Pas-de-Calais , in parts of which there is still a Dutch-speaking minority....
.
As the rebellious abbots of his province were now without royal support, he was able to carry out the decision of the council of Rheims, and to exact an oath of obedience; among those whom he forced to tender it was Theobald
Theobald of Bec
Theobald was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1139 to 1161. He was a Norman; his exact birth date is unknown. Some time in the late 11th or early 12th century Theobald became a monk at the Abbey of Bec, rising to the position of abbot in 1137. King Stephen of England chose him to be Archbishop of...
, afterwards 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...
, then newly elected abbot of Bec. In 1147 Hugh took part in the controversy with Gilbert de la Porrée
Gilbert de la Porrée
Gilbert de la Porrée , also known as Gilbert of Poitiers, Gilbertus Porretanus or Pictaviensis, was a scholastic logician and theologian.-Life:...
. In 1150 Henry, eldest son of Henry II, began to rule in Normandy, and Hugh found in him a strong supporter. He died 11 November 1164, and was buried in the cathedral at Rouen, where there is an epitaph composed by Arnulf of Lisieux
Arnulf of Lisieux
"Arnoul" redirects here. For the Cyborg 009 character, Francoise Arnoul, see more info in Cyborg 009.Arnulf of Lisieux was a medieval French bishop.He was educated by his brother, the Bishop of Sées, and studied canon law at Rome...
.