Philip of Poitou

Infobox bishopbiog
name =Philip of Poitou


religion =Catholic
See =Diocese of Durham
Title = Bishop of Durham
Period = 1195–1208
Predecessor = Hugh de Puiset
Successor =Richard Poore
ordination =
bishops =
post =Archdeacon of Canterbury
date of birth =
place of birth =
date of death =22 April 1208
place of death =

Philip of Poitou (sometimes Philip of Poitiers) (d. 22 April 1208) was Prince-Bishop of Durham from 1197 to 1208, and prior to this Archdeacon of Canterbury.

Life

His origins and early life are unknown, though it is believed he may have had a university education. The first records of him are in 1191, when he was accompanying Richard I on the Third Crusade, in documents relating to Richard's marriage on Cyprus.Snape "Poitou, Philip of (d. 1208)" "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography"] Philip was with Richard's party when the king was captured in Germany.Gillingham "Richard I" p. 232] He was appointed Archdeacon of Canterbury prior to March of 1194 by Richard I, having previously a royal clerk. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33855 British History Online Archdeacons of Canterbury] accessed on 25 October 2007] An attempt was made to appoint him as Dean of York, but political factors prevented this. Philip was appointed as Bishop of Durham in November of 1195. He was formally elected by the chapter in January of 1196.Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 241] The pope confirmed the election on 13 April 1196 and he was ordained a priest on 15 June 1196. On 20 April 1197 he was finally consecrated as bishop, by the pope in Rome. Prior to his consecration, he obtained a license to operate a mint in Durham, and installed his nephew Aimeric (or Aimery) as the Archdeacon of both Durham and Carlisle.

Philip, along with Wiliam de Rupierre, Bishop of Lisieux, went to Rome in the early part of 1197 to argue before Pope Celestine III about contested lands in France.Powicke "Loss of Normandy" p. 115] In was in the course of this successful negotiation that the pope consecrated him as bishop. In 1198 Philip was sent to Germany to attend the election of a successor to Emperor Henry VI.Gillingham "Richard I" p. 311]

He was present at the coronation of King John in 1199, and attempted to protest the fact that the coronation took place without the Archbishop of York. After the coronation he was employed by John on diplomacy with Scotland. In 1201 he went on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.Bartlett "England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings" p. 473] After his return, he was involved in the resolution of the dower rights of Richard's queen, Berengaria of Navarre, but afterwards was not at the king's court for almost three years.

In 1207, Philip quarrelled with King John over the right of John to tax tenants of the Church. Philip denied that John had such a right,Warren "King John" p. 149-150] but, along with Archbishop Geoffrey of York, had his lands confiscated. Both Geoffrey and Philip went to the court of the king, and begged to be forgiven.Warren "King John" p. 191] Philip had to pay a fine for forgiveness.

As bishop, he quarreled with the monks of his church over the right of the bishop to name clergy to serve churches. At one point, the monks were besieged in the cathedral, and the prior of the monks was excommunicated. Some sources blame the bishop's nephew Aimeric for fanning the flames of the quarrel, but Philip also violently disputed the monks' side. Eventually a settlement was reached.

He died on 22 April 1208. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33859 British History Online Bishops of Durham] accessed on 25 October 2007] It is said the monks refused him a Christian burial, his body ending up in an obscure grave with no religious ceremony. However, his gravestone is recorded in the chapter-house.

See also

Notes

References

* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33859 British History Online Bishops of Durham] accessed on 25 October 2007
* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33855 British History Online Archdeacons of Canterbury] accessed on 25 October 2007]
*
* Gillingham, John "Richard I" New Haven:Yale University Press 1999 ISBN 0-300-07912-5
* Powicke, Sir Maurice "The Loss of Normandy 1189-1204: Studies in the History of the Angevin Kingdom" Second Edition Manchester UK: Manchester University Press 1960 ISBN 0-7190-5740-X
* Snape, M. G. "Poitou, Philip of (d. 1208)" "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/22100 Online Edition] accessed 23 January 2008
* Warren, W. L. "King John" Berkeley:University of California Press 1978 ISBN 0-520-03643-3

Persondata
NAME=Philip of Poitou
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Philip of Poitiers
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Bishop of Durham; Archdeacon of Canterbury
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=22 April 1208
PLACE OF DEATH=