Ralph de Luffa

Infobox bishopbiog
name =Ralph de Luffa


religion =Catholic
See =Diocese of Chichester
Title = Bishop of Chichester
Period = 1091–1123
Predecessor = Godfrey
Successor =Seffrid
ordination =
bishops =
post =
date of birth =
place of birth =
date of death =14 December 1123
place of death =

Ralph de Luffa or Ralph Luffa (died 1123) was an English bishop of Chichester, from 1091 to 1123. [ [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Chichester 1911 Britannica Online article on Chichester] accessed on 25 August 2007]

Life

He was consecrated on 6 January 1091Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 238] by Thomas Archbishop of York. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=34293 British History Online Bishops of Chichester] accessed on 20 October 2007] He had previously been a chaplain for King William II of England, nicknamed "Rufus", and was also the king's friend.Barlow "The English Church" p. 68] He had also served Rufus as a justiciar.Cantor "Church, Kingship and Lay Investiture" p. 33 footnote 102] He was largely responsible for the building of Chichester Cathedral, the current fabric of which is "fundamentally the same church erected" by him. [ [http://localwebsuk.com/sussex/chichester.shtml A Visitor Guide to West Sussex: Chichester] accessed on 25 August 2007] He also built at Amberley, West Sussex. [ [http://www.amberleycastle.co.uk/about/history.html Amberley Castle History] accessed on 25 August 2007] William of Malmesbury had high praise for Ralph's actions as bishop, where he is said to have toured his diocese three times a year on preaching tours, as well as only accepting gifts from his flock. William of Malmesbury also praised Ralph's piety.Barlow "William Rufus" p. 180] During the crisis between the king and Archbishop Anselm of Canterbury in 1095 and 1096, Ralph managed to support Anselm while retaining the king's respect.Cantor "Church, Kingship and Lay Investiture" p. 81] In 1106 during the height of the Investiture Crisis in England, Ralph signed a letter to Anselm written by William Giffard Bishop of Winchester-elect that begged the archbishop to return to England from his exile.Cantor "Church, Kingship and Lay Investiture" p. 256]

After his cathedral church was burned down in 1114, Ralph managed to secure King Henry I of England's financial help in rebuilding the church. Ralph also gained Henry's respect because Ralph was the lone bishop to resist Henry's financial extortion from the clergy. It was during Ralph's tenure of the see that the first disputes between the bishop and Battle Abbey started, although they were not large. Mainly they had to do with the right of the bishop to be entertained by the abbey and the requirement that the abbot attend the diocesan councils. Ralph also supported Anselm's attempts to assert Canterbury's primacy over the Archbishop of York in 1108 and 1109.Mayr-Harting "Ralph [Ralph Luffa] (d. 1123)" "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23049 Online Edition] accessed 24 November 2007]

On his deathbed, he gave away all his belongings, including his sheets and underclothes. He died on 14 December 1123.

Notes

References

* [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Chichester 1911 Britannica Online article on Chichester] accessed on 25 August 2007
* [http://localwebsuk.com/sussex/chichester.shtml A Visitor Guide to West Sussex: Chichester] accessed on 25 August 2007
* [http://www.amberleycastle.co.uk/about/history.html Amberley Castle History] accessed on 25 August 2007
* Barlow, Frank "The English Church 1066-1154" London:Longman 1979 ISBN 0-582-50236-5
* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=34293 British History Online Bishops of Chichester] accessed on 20 October 2007
* Cantor, Norman F. "Church, Kingship, and Lay Investiture in England 1089-1135" Princeton, NJ:Princeton University Press 1958
*
* Mayr-Harting, Henry "Ralph [Ralph Luffa] (d. 1123)" "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23049 Online Edition] accessed 24 November 2007

External links

* [http://www.flickr.vip.mud.yahoo.com/photos/ettlz/748495766/in/pool-18-55mm/ Portrait in Cathedral window]

Persondata
NAME=Ralph de Luffa
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Ralph Luffa
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Bishop of Chichester
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=14 December 1123
PLACE OF DEATH=