William Walcher

Infobox bishopbiog
name =William Walcher


religion =Catholic
See =Diocese of Durham
Title = Bishop of Durham
Period = 1070–1080
Predecessor = Ethelwin
Successor =William de St-Calais
ordination =
bishops =
post =
date of birth =
place of birth =
date of death =14 May 1080
place of death =Gateshead

William Walcher or just Walcher (sometimes Walchere or Walker) (d. 14 May 1080) was the bishop of Durham from 1071,Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 241] a Lotharingian, the first non-Englishman to hold that see and an appointee of William the Conqueror.Williams "English and the Norman Conquest" p. 66]

He was a priest in Lotharingia from Liege and a secular clerk. He was invited by William I to fill the post, and he was consecrated bishop in 1071 and probably enthroned on 3 April 1071. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33859 British History Online Bishops of Durham] accessed on 25 October 2007] During the first part of his term as bishop, he was on friendly terms with Waltheof earl of Northumbria, so much so that Waltheof sat with the clergy when Walcher held synods.Barlow "The English Church 1066-1154" p. 152] After Waltheof rebelled and lost his earldom, Walcher was allowed to buy the earldom.Douglas "William the Conqueror" p. 240] Walcher planned to introduce monks into his cathedral chapter, and was remembered as encouraging monasticism in his diocese.Barlow "The English Church 1066-1154" p. 62] Particularly, he was known as the patron of Aldwine, who attempted to re-establish monasticism at Whitby. Eventually, the group settled at Durham under Walcher's successor William de St-Calais.Douglas "William the Conqueror" p. 328]

Walcher was a saintly manDouglas "William the Conqueror" p. 327] but an incompetent leader. According to Symeon of Durham, Walcher's household knights were allowed to plunder and occasionally kill natives without punishment. Kapelle, William "The Norman Conquest of the North" p. 138] One of Walcher's councellors was Ligulf of Lumley, who was connected by birth to the old Northumbrian line and was married to the daughter of Ealdred, Earl of Bernicia.John Sadler "Battle for Northumbria" p. 51] Ligulf's presence in the bishop's council provided a link with the local aristocracy. There was a Scottish invasion in 1079, which Walcher was unable or unwilling to deal with effectively.Barlow "The Feudal Kingdom of England" Fourth Edition p. 94] The Scots, under Malcolm III, were able to plunder Northumberland for about three weeks unopposed before returning to Scotland with slaves and booty. Kapelle, William "The Norman Conquest of the North" p. 139] Ligulf was very critical of Walcher's conduct. A feud ensued between Ligulf and two of Walcher's henchmen, his chaplain Leobwin and his kinsman Gilbert. Gilbert attacked Ligulf's hall in the middle of the night and Ligulf and most of his household were killed. Kapelle, William "The Norman Conquest of the North" p. 139]

The Northumbrians were enraged at the murder of one of their leaders and there was a real threat of rebellion. In order to calm the situation Walcher agreed to travel from Durham and meet Ligulf's kinsmen at Gateshead. He travelled with at least one hundred retainers for safety. At Gateshead, he met Eodulf Rus the leader of the kinsmen and was presented with a petition of wrongs committed. Walcher rejected these and the enraged Northumbrians attacked the Norman party. Walcher and his men sought refuge in a nearby church but the Northumbrians set fire to it. Leobwin died in the blaze and when Walcher, Gilbert and the rest of his party were forced out by the flames they were killed. on 14 May 1080 at Gateshead.Stafford "Unification and Conquest" p. 123]

Following the murder of Walcher, the rebels attacked Walcher’s castle at Durham and besieged it for four days, before returning to their homes. The result of their rising and the murder of William’s appointed bishop, led William to send his half brother Odo of Bayeux with an army to harry the Northumbrian countryside. Many of the native nobility were driven into exile and the power of the Anglo-Saxon nobility in Northumbria was broken. Kapelle, William "The Norman Conquest of the North" p. 141]

Walcher was considered a well-educated bishop, and had a reputation as a pious man. Symeon of Durham portrayed him as an honest, upright man who diligently performed his episcopal duties. Kapelle, William "The Norman Conquest of the North" p. 137] Walcher's successor as Earl of Northumbria was Aubrey de Coucy.Powell "The House of Lords" p. 32] William of Saint Carilef was the next prince-bishop, though not earl.Powell "The House of Lords" p. 36]

Notes

References

* Barlow, Frank "The English Church 1066-1154" London:Longman 1979 ISBN 0-582-50236-5
* Barlow, Frank "The Feudal Kingdom of England: 1042-1216" Fourth Edition New York: Longman 1988 ISBN 0-582-49504-0
* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33859 British History Online Bishops of Durham] accessed on 25 October 2007
*
* Douglas, David C. "William the Conqueror: The Norman Impact Upon England" Berkeley: University of California Press 1964
*
* Kapelle,William. "The Norman Conquest of the North" University of North Carolina Press ISBN 0-7099-0040-6
* Powell, J. Enoch and Keith Wallis "The House of Lords in the Middle Ages: A History of the English House of Lords to 1540" London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson 1968
* Sadler, John "Battle for Northumbria" Bridge Studios 1988 ISBN - 0 9512630 3 X
* Stafford, Pauline "Unification and Conquest: A Political and Social History of England in the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries" London: Edward Arnold 1989 ISBN 0-7131-6532-4
*

Persondata
NAME= Walcher, William
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Walcher; Walchere; Walker
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Bishop of Durham; Earl of Northumbria
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=14 May 1080
PLACE OF DEATH=Gateshead