Ranulf of Wareham

Infobox bishopbiog
name =Ranulf of Wareham


religion =Catholic
See =Diocese of Chichester
Title = Bishop of Chichester
Period = 1217–1222
Predecessor = Richard Poore
Successor =Ralph Neville
ordination =
bishops =
post =Prior of Norwich
date of birth =
place of birth =
date of death =September 1222
place of death =

Ranulf of Wareham or Ranulph de Wareham or Ralph Wareham was a medieval Bishop of Chichester.

Life

He was a monk of Norwich Cathedral before becoming prior of that foundation by 1217. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33867 British History Online Priors of Norwich] accessed on 21 October 2007] Nothing else is known of his ancestry or origins except that he either came from Wareham, Dorset or Warham, Norfolk. He is referred to as "magister", showing that he had a university education. He acted as Bishop John de Gray of Norwich's agent during Gray's frequent absences from his see, and after Gray died in 1214, King John of England appointed him the royal custodian of the diocese during the vacancy. With the election of Pandulph to Norwich in 1215, Ranulf was once more left in charge of the diocese while the bishop went to Rome.Hoskin "Wareham, Ranulf of (d. 1222)" "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/95134 Online Edition revised in October 2007] accessed 26 November 2007] As the agent for John de Gray, he did most of the administrative work in the diocese.Harper-Bill "John and the Church" "King John" p. 294]

He was captured by the baronial forces in May of 1216, and was not released until August of 1217. He owed his capture to his service to one of the main supporters of King John. However, at some point in 1217 he was elected by the cathedral chapter of Norwich to the office of prior. It is unclear if he was ever formally installed as prior before his election as bishop of Chichester. His elevation to the episcopate was due to the influence of the papal legate Cardinal Guala Bicchieri.

He was nominated to the see of Chichester about 17 December 1217, and was consecrated on 7 January 1218.Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 239] His election was a rare example of a monk being chosen as bishop by a non-monastic cathedral chapter.Moorman "Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century" p. 161 footnote 3] He mainly occupied himself with diocesan affairs, although he did journey to Rome in 1218 to negotiate about the payment of tribute on the king's behalf.

He died on 14 September or 15 September in 1222, after having been paralyzed for some time. His death was commemorated on 15 September. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=34293 British History Online Bishops of Chichester] accessed on 21 October 2007] His bones may have been found in 1829 in Chichester Cathedral.

Notes

References

* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=34293 British History Online Bishops of Chichester] accessed on 21 October 2007
* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33867 British History Online Priors of Norwich] accessed on 21 October 2007
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* Hoskin, Philippa "Wareham, Ranulf of (d. 1222)" "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" Oxford University Press, October 2007 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/95134 Online Edition revised in October 2007] accessed 26 November 2007
* Moorman, John R. H. "Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century" Revised Edition Cambridge:Cambridge University Press 1955

Persondata
NAME=Ranulf of Wareham
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Wareham, Ranulph de; Wareham, Ralph
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Bishop of Chichester
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=September 1222
PLACE OF DEATH=