Geoffrey Rufus

Infobox bishopbiog
name = Geoffrey Rufus


religion = Catholic
See = Diocese of Durham
Title = Bishop of Durham
Period = 1133–1141
Predecessor = Ranulf Flambard
Successor = William Cumin
ordination =
bishops =
post =
date of birth =
place of birth =
date of death =6 May 1141
place of death =

Geoffrey Rufus was a medieval Bishop of Durham and Lord Chancellor of England.

Life

Geoffrey's parentage and upbringing is unknown. The circumstances around his acquisition of the nickname "Rufus" have not been discovered either.Dalton "Geoffrey Rufus (d. 1141)" "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography"] He was a royal clerk [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33859 British History Online Bishops of Durham] accessed on 25 October 2007] before being named the tenth Lord Chancellor and Lord Keeper of England, from 1123 to 1133.Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 83] Geoffrey had also worked for the previous chancellor Ranulf.Barlow "The English Church 1066-1154" p. 88-89] He may have started his career as a clerk for Roger of Salisbury, King Henry I of England's chief minister,Green "Government of England Under Henry I" p. 167] for he first appears as a witness to a charter of Roger's in 1114.Green "Government of England Under Henry I" p. 255-256] From charter evidence, it appears that Geoffrey was often in England, even when King Henry was in Normandy.Hollister "Henry I" p. 361-363] In the Pipe Roll of 1130, he had custody of more royal land than any other official. After Geoffrey became a bishop, the king chose to keep the office of chancellor vacant until the king's death. The functions of the office were performed by the head of the "scriptorium", Robert de Sigello.Green "Government of England Under Henry I" p. 27]

He was nominated to the see of Durham about 14 May 1133, and consecrated on 6 August 1133.Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 241] He was enthroned on 10 August 1133. The see had been vacant since 1128. Geoffrey at first quarrelled with his cathedral chapter, but peace was restored when the bishop allowed the monks their privileges. Geoffrey also was a benefactor to Newminster Abbey. During Geoffrey's episcopate the chapterhouse at Durham was completed. Geoffrey also employed as a clerk William Cumin, who after Geoffrey's death conspired with King David I of Scotland to seize the see of Durham.

When King Stephen took the thone at the death of King Henry, Geoffrey acknowledged Stephen as king, but did not attend the royal court often. In 1136, a peace treaty between King David and King Stephen was signed at Durham, but in 1138 Geoffrey's castle of Norham surrendered to King David, an act that brought condemnation to the bishop for failing to defend the castle adequately. Geoffrey, however, refused David's offer to return Norham to Geoffrey in return for repudiating Stephen. In retaliation, Norham was destroyed. Geoffrey does not seem to have supported either side at the Battle of the Standard in August of 1138. At the end of Geoffrey's life, because of King David's invasion of northern England in support of the Empress Matilda, most of the diocese was under the control of the Scottish king.Huscroft "Ruling England" p. 134]

He died on 6 May 1141. Geoffry was married, and had at least one daughter, who married Robert of Amundeville. His son Geoffrey seems not to have been involved in politics, although he held an estate in Dorset of 18 and a half hides.Mooers "Familial Clout and Financial Gain" "Albion" p. 280]

Notes

References

* Barlow, Frank "The English Church 1066-1154" London:Longman 1979 ISBN 0-582-50236-5
* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33859 British History Online Bishops of Durham] accessed on 25 October 2007
* Dalton, Paul "Geoffrey Rufus (d. 1141)" "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/24259 Online Edition] accessed 22 January 2008
*
* Green, Judith A. "The Government of England Under Henry I" Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1986 ISBN 0-521-37586-X
* Huscroft, Richard "Ruling England 1042-1217" London: Pearson Longman 2005 ISBN 0-582-84882-2
*

Persondata
NAME= Rufus, Geoffrey
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Bishop of Durham; Lord Chancellor of England
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=6 May 1141
PLACE OF DEATH=