Tanchelm
Encyclopedia
Tanchelm also known as Tanchelm of Antwerp, Tanchelijn or Tanchelin, was a heretical
itinerant preacher, critical of the established Roman Catholic church, active in the Low Countries
around the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries.
Tanchelm, the date and place of whose birth is unknown, was supposed to have been a monk, perhaps from the circle of Count Robert II of Flanders (1092–1111). From 1112 he preached in Antwerp, the Duchy of Brabant
, Flanders
and Zeeland
against the official church and its hierarchy, opposed the payment of tithe
s and those priests who lived with women. He was apparently also in Rome
, where he is supposed to have campaigned, in vain, for an extension of the Bishopric of Thérouanne to cover the islands of the Scheldt
. He was briefly put under arrest in Cologne
in 1113/1114 but released again, despite the vigorous protests of the cathedral clergy of Utrecht
. In 1115, after he had seized Antwerp and declared himself king, a priest bashed his head in and killed him while floating downriver on the royal barge.
The followers of Tanchelm, who is reported to have allowed himself to be venerated almost to the point of worship, were still to be found for a period after his death in Antwerp; in 1124 Saint Norbert of Xanten
preached against their heresies.
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
itinerant preacher, critical of the established Roman Catholic church, active in the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
around the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries.
Tanchelm, the date and place of whose birth is unknown, was supposed to have been a monk, perhaps from the circle of Count Robert II of Flanders (1092–1111). From 1112 he preached in Antwerp, the Duchy of Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
, Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
and Zeeland
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
against the official church and its hierarchy, opposed the payment of tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
s and those priests who lived with women. He was apparently also in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he is supposed to have campaigned, in vain, for an extension of the Bishopric of Thérouanne to cover the islands of the Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
. He was briefly put under arrest in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
in 1113/1114 but released again, despite the vigorous protests of the cathedral clergy of Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
. In 1115, after he had seized Antwerp and declared himself king, a priest bashed his head in and killed him while floating downriver on the royal barge.
The followers of Tanchelm, who is reported to have allowed himself to be venerated almost to the point of worship, were still to be found for a period after his death in Antwerp; in 1124 Saint Norbert of Xanten
Norbert of Xanten
Saint Norbert of Xanten was a Christian saint and founder of the Norbertine or Premonstratensian order of canons regular.- Life and work :...
preached against their heresies.
Sources
- Beulertz, S. (ed. ) 1999: Tanchelm, in: Lexikon des Mittelalters, vol. 8, col. 455. Stuttgart-Weimar
- Cohn, NormanNorman CohnNorman Rufus Colin Cohn FBA was a British academic, historian and writer who spent fourteen years as a professorial fellow and as Astor-Wolfson Professor at the University of Sussex.-Life:...
, 1988: Das neue irdische Paradies. Revolutionärer Millenarismus und mystischer Anarchismus im mittelalterlichen Europa. Reinbek bei Hamburg: rowohlts enzyklopädie