Roger of Worcester

Infobox bishopbiog
name =Roger


religion =Catholic
See =Diocese of Worcester
Title = Bishop of Worcester
Period = 1163–1179
Predecessor = Alured
Successor =Baldwin
ordination =
bishops =
post =
date of birth =
place of birth =
date of death =August 9 1179
place of death = Tours

Roger of Worcester (died Tours, 9 August 1179) was Bishop of Worcester from 1164 to 1179. He had a major role in the controversy between Henry II of England, who was Roger's cousin, and Archbishop Thomas Becket. [Mary G. Cheney, "Roger, Bishop of Worcester 1164 - 1179"_. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1980]

Life

Roger's father was Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33881 British History Online Bishops of Worcester] accessed on November 3, 2007] His illegitimate half-brother Richard was Bishop of Bayeux from 1135 to 1142.Spear "The Norman Empire and the Secular Clergy" "Journal of British Studies" p. 5] Roger was a younger son and he was educated with the future king, Henry II, afterwards ordained priest, and consecrated Bishop of Worcester by Thomas Becket, on 23 August 1163.Powicke "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 260] He adhered loyally to Thomas, and though one of the bishops sent to the pope to carry the king's appeal against the archbishop, he took no active part in the embassy, nor did he join the appeal made by the bishops against the archbishop in 1166, thus arousing the enmity of the king.

When Thomas desired Roger to join him in his exile, Roger went without leave in 1167, Henry having refused him permission. He boldly reproached the king when they met at Falaise in 1170, and a reconciliation followed. After the martyrdom of St. Thomas, England was threatened with an interdict, but Roger interceded with the pope and was thereafter highly esteemed in England and at Rome. Pope Alexander III, who frequently employed him as delegate in ecclesiastical causes, spoke of him and Bartholomew Iscanus Bishop of Exeter, as "the two great lights of the English Church".

He died on August 9 1179 or on August 10. His death was commemorated on August 9.

ee also

* List of Bishops of Worcester

Notes

References

* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33881 British History Online Bishops of Worcester] accessed on November 3, 2007
* Cheney, Mary G. "Roger, Bishop of Worcester 1164 - 1179" Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1980
* Powicke, F. Maurice and E. B. Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" 2nd. ed. London:Royal Historical Society 1961
* Spear, David S. "The Norman Empire and the Secular Clergy, 1066-1204" "The Journal of British Studies" Volume XXI Number 2 Spring 1982 p. 1-10

External links

* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13111a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: Roger of Worcester]

Persondata
NAME=Roger
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Bishop of Worcester
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=August 9, 1179
PLACE OF DEATH=Tours