Robert of Jumièges

Infobox Archbishop of Canterbury
Full name = Robert of Jumiéges


caption= Modern ruins of the Abbey of Jumièges
birth_name =
began =unknown
consecration = 1051
term_end = 1052
predecessor = Edsige
successor = Stigand
birth_date =
death_date = 26 May 1055
tomb =

Robert of Jumièges (sometimes Robert Chambert or Robert Champart) (died 26 May 1052 or 1055, or between 1053 and 1055)#tag:ref|In other words, his date of death is not sure.|group=notes was the first Norman Archbishop of Canterbury.Barlow "Edward the Confessor" p. 50] He also served as prior of the Abbey of St Ouen at Rouen, abbot of Jumièges Abbey, both Benedictine abbeys in France, and as Bishop of London. He was a good friend and advisor to the king of England, Edward the Confessor, who appointed him as Bishop of London in 1044, and then archbishop in 1051. His time as archbishop was short however, as his conflict with the powerful Earl Godwin of Wessex culminated in his exile and deposition in 1052. William the Conqueror gave Robert's treatment by the English as one of the justifications for his invasion of England.

William of Jumièges, a Norman medieval chronicler,#tag:ref|William of Jumieges does not appear to be a relation to Robert. Both gained the surname by being monks at Jumieges. [van Houts, Elizabeth " [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/54418 William of Jumieges (subscription required)] " "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography"] |group=notes claimed that Robert went to Normandy in 1051 or 1052 and told Duke William, the future William the Conqueror, that Edward wished William to be his heir. The archbishop died in exile at Jumièges sometime between 1052 and 1055. His building works at Jumièges helped influence English building through Edward the Confessor's church at Westminster.

Background and early life

A Norman, Robert was prior of the church of St Ouen at Rouen before he became abbot of Jumièges AbbeyDouglas "William the Conqueror" p. 167–170] Barlow "The English Church 1000–1066" p. 44] in 1037. His alternate surname "Champart" or "Chambert" probably derived from champart, a term for the part of a crop paid as rent to a landlord. His origin and family background are unknown, except that the preceding abbot at Jumieges was a relative. While abbot, Robert began construction of the abbey church, in the new Romanesque style.Cowdrey " [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23717 Robert of Jumièges (d. 1052/1055) (subscription required)] " "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography"]

Robert became friendly with Edward the Confessor while Edward was living in exile in Normandy. Edward was a claimant to the English throne, the son of Ethelred the Unready, king of England, who had been replaced by Canute the Great in 1016. Canute subsequently married Ethelred's widow Emma of Normandy, Edward's mother, and had a son with her, Harthacanute. For their own safety, Edward and his brother Alfred were sent to Emma's relatives in Normandy.Hindley "A Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons" pp. 306–310] #tag:ref|Both Alfred and Edward returned to England in 1036, but afterwards Alfred was murdered, apparently on Harold's orders. [Hindley "A Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons" pp. 316–317] |group=notes After Canute's death in 1035, Harold Harefoot, his elder son by his first wife, acceded to the English throne. Following Harald's death in 1040, Harthacanute succeeded him for a short time, but as neither Harald nor Harthacanute left offspring, the throne was offered to Edward on Harthacanute's death in 1042.Hindley "A Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons" pp. 315–318]

Bishop and Archbishop

Robert accompanied Edward the Confessor on Edward's recall to England in 1042 to become king following Harthacanute's death. It was due to Edward that in August 1044 Robert was appointed bishop of London,Fryde, et. al. "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 230] one of the first episcopal vacancies which occurred in Edward's reign.Barlow "The English Church 1000–1066" pp. 46–50] Robert remained close to the king and was the leader of the party opposed to Earl Godwin. Godwin, for his part, was attempting to expand the influence of his family, which had already acquired much land. Godwin's daughter was Edward's queen, and two of his sons were elevated to earldoms.Mason "House of Godwine" pp. 51–53] The "Life of Saint Edward", a hagiographical work on King Edward's life, claimed that Robert "was always the most powerful confidential adviser of the king".Quoted in Huscroft "Ruling England" p. 50] Robert seems to have favoured closer relations with Normandy, and its duke. Edward himself had grown up in the duchy, and spent 25 years in exile there before his return to England. The evidence shows that Edward brought many Normans with him to England, and seems to have spent much time in their company.Potts "Normandy" "Companion to the Anglo-Norman World" p. 33]

In October 1050,Higham "Death of Anglo-Saxon England" pp. 128–129] Archbishop Eadsige of Canterbury died, following which the post remained vacant for five months. The cathedral chapter elected Æthelric, a kinsman of Godwin and a monk at Canterbury,Barlow "Edward the Confessor" p. 104] Walker "Harold" p. 27] but were overruled when Edward appointed Robert Archbishop of Canterbury,Fryde "Handbook of British Chronlogy" p. 214] at a royal council held during Lent in 1051. Although the monks of Canterbury opposed, the king's appointment stood.Barlow "The English Church 1000–1066" p. 209] Robert went to Rome to receive his pallium and returned to England in June 1051.Barlow "Edward the Confessor" p. 106] He was ceremonially enthroned at Canterbury on 29 June 1051. Some Norman chroniclers state that he visited Normandy on this trip and informed Duke William, the future William the Conqueror, that William was King Edward's heir, Edward having no children. According to these chroniclers, the decision to make William the heir had been decided at the same Lentan royal council in 1051 that had declared Robert archbishop.

After returning from Rome, Robert refused to consecrate Spearhafoc, the Abbot of Abingdon and the king's goldsmith,Huscroft "Ruling England" p. 52] as his successor to the bishopric of London, claiming that Pope Leo IX had forbidden the consecration. Almost certainly the grounds were simony, the purchase of ecclesiastical office, [Coredon "Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases" p. 260] as Leo had recently issued proclamations against that sin. In refusing to consecrate Spearhafoc, Robert was following his own interests against the wishes of both the king and Godwin.Walker "Harold" p. 29–30] In the end Robert's favoured candidate, William the Norman, was consecrated instead of Spearhafoc. Robert also discovered that some lands belonging to Canterbury had fallen into Godwin's hands, but his efforts to recover them through the shire courts were unsuccessful. Canterbury had also lost control of some revenues from the shire of Kent to Godwin during Edsige's tenure as archbishop, which Robert also attempted to reclaim, but without much success.Red "Harold II" pp. 42–43] These disputes over the estates and revenues of the archbishopric contributed to the friction between Robert and Godwin.Campbell "A Pre-Conquest Norman Occupation of England" "Speculum" p. 22] Events came to a head at a council held at Gloucester in September 1051, when Robert accused Earl Godwin of plotting to kill King Edward.Barlow "Edward the Confessor" p. 111] #tag:ref|Godwin was especially vulnerable to this charge, as he had been involved in the death of Edward's brother Alfred during Harthacanute's reign.Barlow "The Godwins" p. 42] |group=notes Godwin and his family were exiled and Robert probably claimed the office of sheriff of Kent on the strength of Archbishop Edsige having also held the office.Barlow "Edward the Confessor" p. 115]

Although Robert refused to consecrate Spearhafoc, there is little evidence that he was interested in the growing movement towards Church reform being promulgated by the papacy.Rex "Harold II" p. 46] Pope Leo IX was beginning a reform movement later known as the Gregorian Reform, initially focused on improving the clergy and prohibiting simony. In 1049 Leo IX publicly pronounced that he would take more interest in English church matters and would investigate episcopal candidates more strictly before confirming them. It may have been partly to appease Leo that Edward appointed Robert instead of Æthelric, hoping to signal to the papacy that the English crown was not totally opposed to the growing reform movement.Stafford "Unification and Conquest" pp. 89–92] It was against this backdrop that Robert refused to consecrate Spearhafoc, although there is no other evidence that Robert embraced the reform position, and his claim that the pope forbade the consecration probably had more to do with finding an easy excuse than any true desire for reform. There are also some indications that Spearhafoc was allied to Godwin, and his appointment was meant as a quid pro quo for the non-appointment of Æthelric.John "Reassessing Anglo-Saxon England" p. 177] If true, Robert's refusal to consecrate Spearhafoc would have contributed to the growing rift between the archbishop and the earl.

Godwin in exile

The "Life of Saint Edward" claims that while Godwin was in exile Robert tried to persuade King Edward to divorce Queen Edith, Godwin's daughter, but Edward refused and instead she was sent to a nunnery. However, the "Life" is a hagiography, written to show Edward as a saint. Thus it stresses that Edward voluntarily remained celibate, something unlikely to have been true and not corroborated by any other source. Modern historians have felt it more likely that Edward, at Robert's urging, wished to divorce Edith and remarry in order to have children to succeed him on the English throne,Walker "Harold" p. 35–36] although it is possible that he merely wished to be rid of her, without necessarily wanting a divorce.

During Godwin's exile, Robert is said to have been sent by the king on an errand to Duke William of Normandy.Barlow "Edward the Confessor" p. 107] The reason for the embassy is somewhat uncertain. William of Jumièges says that Robert went to tell Duke William that Edward wished William to be his heir. William of Poitiers gives the same reason, but also adds that Robert took with him as hostages Godwin's son Wulfnoth and grandson Hakon (son of Sweyn). The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is silent on the visit however, so it is uncertain whether Robert visited Normandy or not, or why he did so.Walker "Harold" p. 37–38] The entire history of the various missions which Robert is alleged to have made is confused, and complicated by the post-Norman Conquest propaganda claims made by Norman chroniclers.Bates "William the Conqueror" p. 73] #tag:ref|The whole issue is discussed in John "Edward the Confessor and the Norman Succession" "English Historical Review", and Oleson "Edward the Confessor's Promise of the Throne" "English Historical Review", both of which are listed in the further reading section.|group=notes

Outlawing, death, and legacy

After Godwin left England, he went to Flanders, and gathered a fleet and mercenaries in order to force the king to allow his return. In the summer of 1052, Godwin returned to England and was met by his sons, who had invaded from Ireland. By September, they were advancing on London, where negotiations between the king and the earl were conducted with the help of Stigand, the Bishop of Winchester.Mason "The House of Godwine" pp. 69–75] When it became apparent that Godwin would be returning, Robert quickly left EnglandBarlow "Edward the Confessor" p. 124] with Bishop Ulf of Dorcester and Bishop William of London, probably once again taking Wulfnoth and Hakon with him as hostages, whether with the permission of King Edward or not.Walker "Harold" p. 47] #tag:ref|Ulf never returned to England, but William was allowed to return eventually.Red "Harold II" p. 12] |group=notes Robert was declared an outlaw and deposed from his archbishopric on 14 September 1052, mainly because the returning Godwin felt that Robert, along with a number of other Normans, had been the driving force behind his exile.#tag:ref|Edith, after her father's restoration to power, was returned to court and reinstated as queen.Mason "The House of Godwine" p. 75] |group=notes Robert journeyed to Rome to complain to the pope about his own exile,Barlow "Edward the Confessor" p. 126] where Leo IX and successive popes condemned Stigand,Walker "Harold" p. 50–51] whom Edward had appointed to Canterbury.Stafford "Unification and Conquest" p. 94] Robert's personal property was divided between Earl Godwin, Harold Godwinson, and the queen, who had returned to court.Stenton "Anglo-Saxon England" p. 568]

Robert died at Jumièges either between 1053 and 1055, or on 26 May in either 1052 or 1055. Robert's treatment was used by William the Conqueror as one of the justifications for his invasion of England, the other being that Edward had named William his heir. Ian Walker, author of the most recent scholarly biography of Harold Godwinson, suggests that it was Robert, while in exile after the return of Godwin, who testified that King Edward had nominated Duke William to be Edward's heir. However, this view is contradicted by David Douglas, a historian and biographer of William the Conqueror, who believes that Robert merely relayed Edward's decision, probably while Robert was on his way to Rome to receive his pallium. Several medieval chroniclers, including the author of the "Life of Saint Edward", felt that the blame for Edward and Godwin's conflict in 1051–1052 lay squarely with Robert;Stafford "Queen Emma and Queen Edith" p. 11] modern historians tend to see Robert as an ambitious man, with little political skill.

While abbot, Robert began the construction of a new abbey church at Jumièges, in the new Romanesque style which was then becoming popular.#tag:ref|The abbey church was only finished in 1067.Higham "Death of Anglo-Saxon England" p. 148] |group=notes Although the choir has been torn down, the nave and transepts have survived.Plant "Ecclesiastical Architecture" "Companion to the Anglo-Norman World" pp. 219–222] It has been argued by several historians, including Frank Barlow and Emma Mason that Robert brought the new style to England, and that it influenced Edward the Confessor's rebuilding of the church at Westminster Abbey in a style previously unknown in England.Mason "The House of Godwine" p. 83] Barlow "The English Church 1000–1066" p. 51 footnote 2] However, it is also possible that Westminster inspired the building at Jumièges, as the arcade there closely resembles Westminster's arcade, both of them in a style that never became common in Normandy.Breese "Early Normandy and the emergence of Norman Romanesque architecture" "Journal of Medieval History" p. 212] Another legacy was a gift to his old monastery of an illuminated manuscript missal during his tenure as Bishop of London. The missal, which became known as "The Missal of Robert of Jumièges", still exists today.Barlow "The English Church 1000–1066" p. 85 and footnote 3] #tag:ref|It is known now as "Rouen, Bibliothèque Municipale, Manuscript Y.6"|group=notes

Notes

Footnotes

References

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Further reading

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External links

* [http://www.britannia.com/bios/abofc/rjumieges.html Robert of Jumièges at Britannia Biographies]
* [http://www.pase.ac.uk/pase/apps/persons/CreatePersonFrames.jsp?personKey=10517 Prosopography of Anglo Saxon England: Robert]

Persondata
NAME=Robert of Jumièges
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Robert Chambert
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Abbot of Jumièges; Bishop of London; Archbishop of Canterbury
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH= 26 May 1052 or 1055
PLACE OF DEATH=