Rotrou, Archbishop of Rouen
Encyclopedia
Rotrou or Rothrud was the bishop of Évreux and twenty-fifth archbishop of Rouen
, France, from 1165, a year after the death of Archbishop Hugh IV, until his own death. He was the fourth son of Henry de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Warwick
, and Margaret, daughter of Geoffrey II of Perche. He was also the chief justiciar
and steward
of Normandy
.
He has a place in the history of the Kingdom of Sicily
through his cousin, the queen regent Margaret of Navarre, who was the daughter of Marguerite de l'Aigle, daughter of Julienne, another daughter of Geoffrey of Perche. Margaret wrote him a letter beseeching him to send a relative of theirs to Sicily to assist her in the government. The man Rotrou sent was Stephen du Perche
, later archbishop of Palermo
. Rotrou also later sent Walter of the Mill
, also later an archbishop of Palermo, to Sicily to be a tutor to William II
. Rotrou also escorted an embassy of William's to London
and back to France with Joanna, daughter of Henry II of England
, betrothed to William.
His successor was Gautier de Coutances, the companion of Richard the Lion-Hearted.
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....
, France, from 1165, a year after the death of Archbishop Hugh IV, until his own death. He was the fourth son of Henry de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Warwick
Henry de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Warwick
Henry de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Warwick was a Norman nobleman. Henry was the younger son of Roger de Beaumont and Adeline of Meulan, daughter of Waleran I, Count of Meulan. He was given by his father the modest lordship of Le Neubourg, in central Normandy...
, and Margaret, daughter of Geoffrey II of Perche. He was also the chief justiciar
Justiciar
In medieval England and Ireland the Chief Justiciar was roughly equivalent to a modern Prime Minister as the monarch's chief minister. Similar positions existed on the Continent, particularly in Norman Italy. The term is the English form of the medieval Latin justiciarius or justitiarius In...
and steward
Steward (office)
A steward is an official who is appointed by the legal ruling monarch to represent him or her in a country, and may have a mandate to govern it in his or her name; in the latter case, it roughly corresponds with the position of governor or deputy...
of 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:...
.
He has a place in the history of the Kingdom of Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
through his cousin, the queen regent Margaret of Navarre, who was the daughter of Marguerite de l'Aigle, daughter of Julienne, another daughter of Geoffrey of Perche. Margaret wrote him a letter beseeching him to send a relative of theirs to Sicily to assist her in the government. The man Rotrou sent was Stephen du Perche
Stephen du Perche
Stephen du Perche was the chancellor of the Kingdom of Sicily and Archbishop of Palermo during the early regency of his cousin, Queen Margaret of Navarre ....
, later archbishop of Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
. Rotrou also later sent Walter of the Mill
Walter of the Mill
Walter of the Mill , Italianised as Gualtiero Offamiglio or Offamilio and Latinised as Ophamilius , was the archdeacon of Cefalù, dean of Agrigento, and archbishop of Palermo , called il primo ministro...
, also later an archbishop of Palermo, to Sicily to be a tutor to William II
William II of Sicily
William II , called the Good, was king of Sicily from 1166 to 1189. William's character is very indistinct. Lacking in military enterprise, secluded and pleasure-loving, he seldom emerged from his palace life at Palermo. Yet his reign is marked by an ambitious foreign policy and a vigorous diplomacy...
. Rotrou also escorted an embassy of William's to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and back to France with Joanna, daughter of Henry II of England
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
, betrothed to William.
His successor was Gautier de Coutances, the companion of Richard the Lion-Hearted.
Sources
- Beaumont, Edward T. The Beaumonts in History. AD 850-1850. OxfordOxfordThe city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
. - Norwich, John JuliusJohn Julius NorwichJohn Julius Cooper, 2nd Viscount Norwich CVO — known as John Julius Norwich — is an English historian, travel writer and television personality.-Early life:...
. The Kingdom in the Sun 1130-1194. Longman: LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 1970.