Hugh de Puiset (c. 1125–March 3, 1195) was a medieval bishop of Durham and held the chief minister position in the English Government as Chief Justiciar of England under Richard I. He was the nephew of King Stephen of England and Henry of Blois, both of whom helped Hugh's ecclesiastical career. He held the office of treasurer of York for a number of years, which led him into conflict with one Archbishop of York, Henry Murdac. In 1153, Hugh was elected bishop of Durham despite the opposition of Murdac. In medieval England and Scotland, the Chief Justiciar (latterly known simply as the Justiciar) was a rough equivalent to that of the modern Prime Minister: the Monarchs chief minister. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Events January 21 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade September 3- Richard I of England is crowned as king of England. ... Events March 16 - Massacre and mass-suicide of the Jews of York, England prompted by Crusaders and Richard Malebys kill 150-500 Jews in Cliffords Tower June 10 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowned in the Saleph River while leading an army to Jerusalem. ... Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England and ruler of the Angevin Empire from 6 July 1189 until his death. ... Ranulf de Glanvill (sometimes written Glanvil, Glanville) (died 1190) was chief justiciar of England during the reign of King Henry II and reputed author of a book on English law. ... William Longchamp (died 1197), chancellor of England and bishop of Ely, entered public life at the close of Henry IIs reign as official to the kings son Geoffrey, for the archdeaconry of Rouen. ... Stephen (c. ... Henry of Blois (1111-1171) was bishop of Winchester from 1129 to his death. ... Geoffrey, Archbishop of York (c. ... The Diocese of Durham is a Church of England diocese, based in Durham, and covering the historic County Durham (and therefore including the southern part of Tyne and Wear and the northern part of Cleveland). ... The Bishop of Durham is the officer of the Church of England responsible for the diocese of Durham, one of the oldest in the country. ... William of St. ... Philip of Poitou (d. ... is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Priory of St Marys, Bushmead, founded. ... is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Priory of St Marys, Bushmead, founded. ... The Bishop of Durham is the officer of the Church of England responsible for the diocese of Durham, one of the oldest in the country. ... In medieval England and Scotland, the Chief Justiciar (latterly known simply as the Justiciar) was a rough equivalent to that of the modern Prime Minister: the Monarchs chief minister. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England and ruler of the Angevin Empire from 6 July 1189 until his death. ... Stephen (c. ... Henry of Blois (1111-1171) was bishop of Winchester from 1129 to his death. ... Arms of the Archbishop of York The Archbishop of York, Primate of England, is the metropolitan bishop of the Province of York, and is the junior of the two archbishops of the Church of England, after the Archbishop of Canterbury. ... Henry Murdac, abbot of Fountains Abbey (1144-1147) and archbishop of York (1147-1153), was a native of Yorkshire, but descended from a wealthy family from Compton Murdac (now Compton Verney), in Warwickshire. ...

Hugh was not involved in the controversy between King [[[Henry II of England]] and Thomas Becket, who was Archbishop of Canterbury. The king did suspect Hugh of supporting Henry's heir, Henry the Young King, when the prince rebelled. Hugh was also suspected of aiding the King of Scots, William I during an invasion of Northern England in 1174. After the accession of Henry's second son Richard as king, Hugh bought the office of Sheriff of Northumbria, as well as the earldom of Northumbria. He also acquired the office of Justiciar, which he was supposed to share with William de Mandeville, but with Mandeville's death Hugh shared the office with William Longchamp. Longchamp managed to gather the sole office into his hands by the middle of 1190. St. ... The Archbishop of Canterbury is the spiritual leader and senior clergyman of the Church of England, recognized by convention as the head of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ... Henry, the Young King Henry the Young King (February 28, 1155–June 11, 1183) was the second of five sons of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. ... William I the Lion ( known in Gaelic as Uilliam Garm1 or William the Rough), (1142/1143 - December 4, 1214) reigned as King of Scots from 1165 to 1214. ... Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England and ruler of the Angevin Empire from 6 July 1189 until his death. ... In medieval England and Scotland, the Chief Justiciar (latterly known simply as the Justiciar) was a rough equivalent to that of the modern Prime Minister: the Monarchs chief minister. ... William de Mandeville was the name of two important barons in medieval England, who were grandfather and grandson. ... William Longchamp (died 1197), chancellor of England and bishop of Ely, entered public life at the close of Henry IIs reign as official to the kings son Geoffrey, for the archdeaconry of Rouen. ...

As a bishop, Hugh built a number of structures, including a stone bridge in the city of Durham and the Galilee Chapel in Durham Cathedral. His administration of the episcopal lands included an inquest into the exact holdings of the bishopric. As a patron, Hugh sponsored the career of the medieval chronicler Roger of Hoveden. Hugh had a long-term mistress, by whom he had two sons, and possibly two more. Durham Cathedrals famous Sanctuary Knocker on the North Door Ground plan of Durham Cathedral Legend of the founding of Durham depicted on cathedral The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, which is almost always referred to as Durham Cathedral, in the city... Roger of Hoveden, or Howden (fl. ...

Early life

He was the nephew of the brothers King Stephen of England and Henry of Blois.^[1] Hugh was the younger son of Hugh, lord of Puiset and Agnes, who was a sister of Stephen and Henry. Agnes' parents were Stephen, Count of Blois and Adela, a daughter of King William the Conqueror. Hugh was born sometime around 1125, as in 1153 when he was elected bishop he was still under the canonical age limit for bishops of 28.^[2] Henry aqcuired for Hugh the office of archdeacon in the see of Winchester,^[3] sometime before 1139.^[2] Stephen (c. ... Henry of Blois (1111-1171) was bishop of Winchester from 1129 to his death. ... Stephen II Henry (c. ... Adela of Blois (c. ... William I of England (c. ... For the Major League Baseball player, see Maurice Archdeacon. ... The Diocese of Winchester forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England. ...

Hugh afterwards became archdeacon of York and treasurer of York,^[1] sometime around 1143, probably through the patronage of William FitzHerbert while he was serving his first term as Archbishop of York.^[2] While treasurer, he was a member of the party at York that wanted to elect Hilary as archbishop after William FitzHerbert had been deposed as archbishop in 1147. The successful candidate was Henry Murdac, the Abbot of Fountains, who was supported by the bishops of Durham and Carlisle, William of St. Barbara and Æthelwold respectively. Murdac excommunicated Hugh, who returned the gesture.^[4] Saint William of York, (died 1154) also known as William FitzHerbert, William I FitzHerbert and William of Thwayt, was an English bishop and Archbishop of York. ... Arms of the Archbishop of York The Archbishop of York, Primate of England, is the metropolitan bishop of the Province of York, and is the junior of the two archbishops of the Church of England, after the Archbishop of Canterbury. ... Hilary was a medieval Bishop of Chichester. ... Henry Murdac, abbot of Fountains Abbey (1144-1147) and archbishop of York (1147-1153), was a native of Yorkshire, but descended from a wealthy family from Compton Murdac (now Compton Verney), in Warwickshire. ... William of St. ...

Bishop of Durham under Henry II

An 1890 photograph of the Gallilee Chapel

On 22 January 1153 he was elected to the see of Durham by the cathedral chapter, in spite of the opposition of Henry Murdac archbishop of York, who excommunicated the chapter.^[5][6] Hugh only obtained consecration by making a personal visit to Rome.^[3] He was consecrated on December 20, 1153,^[7] by Pope Anastasius II.^[5] Hugh was enthroned at Durham on May 2, 1154.^[3] Image:Durham Cathedral. ... Image:Durham Cathedral. ... is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 6 - Henry of Anjou arrives in England. ... The Bishop of Durham is the officer of the Church of England responsible for the diocese of Durham, one of the oldest in the country. ... Chapter (Latin capitulum) designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches. ... Henry Murdac, abbot of Fountains Abbey (1144-1147) and archbishop of York (1147-1153), was a native of Yorkshire, but descended from a wealthy family from Compton Murdac (now Compton Verney), in Warwickshire. ... Arms of the Archbishop of York The Archbishop of York, Primate of England, is the metropolitan bishop of the Province of York, and is the junior of the two archbishops of the Church of England, after the Archbishop of Canterbury. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 6 - Henry of Anjou arrives in England. ... Anastasius II (died November 16, 498) was pope from November 24, 496 to his death. ... Durham (IPA: locally, in RP) is a small city and main settlement of the City of Durham district of County Durham in North East England. ... is the 122nd day of the year (123rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... King Stephen of England dies at Dover, and is succeeded by his adopted son Henry Plantagenet who becomes King Henry II of England, aged 21. ...

Hugh may not have attended the coronation of King Henry II of England and his queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. Some sources place him at the coronation, others do not.^[8] He also did not attend the Council of Clarendon in 1164 that issued the Constitutions of Clarendon that led to the quarrel between the king and Thomas Becket.^[9][10] Hugh didn't take sides in the dispute between the king and Becket either. He was, however, present with Roger, archbishop of York, at the coronation of young Henry in 1170, and was in consequence suspended by Alexander III.^[2] Henry II of England (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189) ruled as King of England (1154–1189), Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. ... Eleanor of Aquitaine (right) and John sans Terre Eleanor of Aquitaine (or Aliénor), Duchess of Aquitaine and Gascony and Countess of Poitou (1122[1]–April 1, 1204) was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Europe during the High Middle Ages. ... The Constitutions of Clarendon were a set of legislative procedures passed by Henry II of England in 1164. ... St. ... Roger de Pont LEvêque was a contemporary of Thomas Becket. ... Pope Alexander III (c. ...

Hugh obtained a exemption allowing his castle of Northallerton not to be torn down in the first part of King Henry II's reign, when Henry was ordering the destruction of most illegal castles that had been built during King Stephen's reign.^[11] Hugh also built a castle at Norham, designed to help defend the north of England against raids from Scotland.^[2]

Hugh was suspected of involvement in the Young King's revolt in 1173. He never seems to have taken an active part, but King Henry II suspected him.^[12] When King William I of Scotland invaded the north of England in the spring of 1174, Hugh either conived at the invasion or helped the rebels and the Scottish king.^[13] After the revolt had been put down, King Henry II ordered Hugh's castle of Northallerton destroyed.^[11] Hugh also was required to surrender his other castles.^[14] The Revolt of 1173–1174 was a rebellion against Henry II of England by three of his sons, his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine and rebel supporters. ... William I the Lion ( known in Gaelic as Uilliam Garm1 or William the Rough), (1142/1143 - December 4, 1214) reigned as King of Scots from 1165 to 1214. ...

In ecclesiastical affairs, he attended the 1163 Council of Tours that was held by Pope Alexander III. In 1179 he attended the Lateran Council at Rome. It was while he was there that he became involved in the conflict between the king of Scots and the chapter of St Andrews over the election of the bishop of St Andrews. The king wanted his chaplain, another Hugh, and the chapter wanted John the Scot. The pope ordered Puiset to compel the king to obey, but in 1183 the controversy was solved by a compromise.^[2] In the medieval Roman Catholic church there were several Councils of Tours, that city being an old seat of Christianity, and considered fairly centrally located in France. ... Pope Alexander III (c. ... The Third Council of the Lateran met in March, 1179 as the 11th ecumenical council. ...

Under Richard

When King Richard I of England began his reign in 1189, Hugh bought the offices of Earl of Northumbria and Sheriff of Northumbria.^[15] Hugh paid 2000 pounds for the office, and paid a further 1000 pounds for the office of justiciar and a relase from his crusading vow.^[16] The charter that granted Hugh the earldom, mentioned that Richard had invested the bishop with the earldom "by the sword and ring"^[17] which is the earliest mention in a charter of that method of investing an honor in that method.^[18] Richard also filled the office of Archbishop of York with his illegitmate half-brother Geoffrey, but York had been vacant since 1181. The continued vacancy increased Hugh's power, as he had no superior as long as there was no archbishop. For two years, Geoffrey was unable to secure consecration, but in 1191, a new pope, Pope Celestine III was elected and Celestine consecrated Geoffrey and gave Geoffrey a papal letter ordering Hugh to submit to Geoffrey.^[19] Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England and ruler of the Angevin Empire from 6 July 1189 until his death. ... Earl of Northumbria was a title in the Anglo-Danish, late Anglo-Saxon, and early Anglo-Norman period in England. ... In medieval England and Scotland, the Chief Justiciar (latterly known simply as the Justiciar) was a rough equivalent to that of the modern Prime Minister: the Monarchs chief minister. ... Arms of the Archbishop of York The Archbishop of York, Primate of England, is the metropolitan bishop of the Province of York, and is the junior of the two archbishops of the Church of England, after the Archbishop of Canterbury. ... Geoffrey, Archbishop of York (c. ... Pope Celestine III (Rome, c. ...

Hugh shared the office of justiciar with William de Mandeville, but Mandeville died soon after taking office.^[20] Richard then promoted William Longchamp to share the office with Hugh.^[21][22] The two men did not get along, however, so in March of 1190 Richard split the authority, giving Hugh authority north of the Humber RIver and giving authority over the rest of England to Longchamp.^[23] Even this arrangement wasn't permanent, and Longchamp outmanoeuvered Hugh and was sole justiciar by the middle of 1190.^[22] Longchamp arrested Hugh for overstepping his authority^[15] and made him surrender his castle, his earldom and hostages.^[18] William of Newburgh, the medieval chronicler, felt that a bishop taking the office of Justiciar was wrong, and stated that God would accept the loyalties of "a bishop who wishes to please both the heavenly and the earthly king."^[24] William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex (d. ... William Longchamp (died 1197), chancellor of England and bishop of Ely, entered public life at the close of Henry IIs reign as official to the kings son Geoffrey, for the archdeaconry of Rouen. ... William of Newburgh (1136?-1198?), also known as Nubrigensis, was a 12th century English historian, and monk, from Yorkshire. ...

When Prince John, Richard's younger brother, rebelled during King Richard's captivity in 1193, Hugh opposed the rebellion. Hugh attacked some of John's northern holdings.^[25] In concert with Archbishop Geoffrey he laid siege to Tickhill Castle.^[26] This article is about the King of England. ...

Death and legacy

The entrance to Durham Castle

Hugh ordered an inquest into the revenues and resources of his bishopric, along with the customs of the see. This took place in 1183, and when it was finished, the results were entered into a register that became known as the Boldon Book.^[27] Hugh also fought a long running fight with his own cathedral chapter over the right to oversee the monks. This led to the monks forging many documents that purported to show that earlier bishops had granted them many rights and privileges that exempted them from episcopal oversight. He also fought with Archbishop Roger of York over lands they both held in each others' see.^[2]

As a builder, he built the Elvet or New Bridge in Durham, the second stone bridge in the town.^[28] Hugh also oversaw work on Durham Cathedral, decorating the inside with marble, installing stained glass windows, putting in a shrine for the bones of Bede, and building the Galilee Chapel on the west end of the cathedral.^[29] The current Norman doorway and the gallery that is above the doorway in Durham Castle were the work of Hugh also.^[30] He also, along with the king of Scots, built the first bridge over the River Tweed at Berwick.^[2] Elvet is an area of the historical City of Durham in County Durham, England. ... Durham Cathedrals famous Sanctuary Knocker on the North Door Ground plan of Durham Cathedral Legend of the founding of Durham depicted on cathedral The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, which is almost always referred to as Durham Cathedral, in the city... For other uses, see Bede (disambiguation). ... Durham Castle is a Norman castle in the city of Durham in County Durham, England. ... There are other rivers with this name: see Tweed River The River Tweed at Abbotsford, near Melrose The River Tweed at Coldstream The River Tweed (156 kilometres or 97 miles long) flows primarily through the Borders region of Scotland. ... Berwick-upon-Tweed is a border town, now in England, formerly in Scotland. ...

Hugh was know for his extravagent tastes and oppulent lifestyle. He possessed a large library also.^[31] He had a son, Henry, who was one of the hostages demanded by Longchamp in 1190.^[18] Another son was Hugh, who became chancellor for King Philip II of France. Both Henry and Hugh were the sons of the bishop's long term mistress, Alice de Percy. Alice may have been the mother of two more of the bishop's sons, William, archdeacon of Northumberland, and Burchard, archdeacon of Durham and treasurer of York. Besides Alice, he had a number of other mistresses, but Alice was the most public, so much so that it caused a scandal, and closely resembled a marriage.^[2] Philip II Augustus (French: Philippe Auguste) (21 August 1165 – 14 July 1223) was the King of France from 1180 until his death. ...

Hugh was not well known as a scholar.^[2] He did, however, serve as a patron to Roger of Hoveden, the medieval chronicler who started writing about 1169.^[32] He also commissioned two large Bibles, one of which still remains at Durham and is considered a masterpiece of book creation. This is Durham Cathedral Library Manuscript A. II. 1.^[2] Roger of Hoveden, or Howden (fl. ...

He died on March 3, 1195.^[7] Hugh ruled his diocese for an exceptionally long time, forty-two years.^[33] is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Priory of St Marys, Bushmead, founded. ...

Notes

References

• Barlow, Frank (1979). The English Church 1066-1154: A History of the Anglo-Norman Church. New York: Longman. ISBN 0-582-50236-5. 
• Barlow, Frank (1988). The Feudal Kingdom of England 1042-1216, Fourth Edition, New York: Longman. ISBN 0-582-49504-0. 
• Barlow, Frank (1986). Thomas Becket. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-07175-1. 
• Barrow, G. W. S. "Puiset, Hugh du, earl of Northumberland (c.1125–1195)" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press, 2004 Online Edition accessed January 23, 2008
• Bartlett, Robert C. (2000). England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings: 1075-1225. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-822741-8. 
• British History Online Archdeacons of Winchester accessed on October 25, 2007
• British History Online Bishops of Durham accessed on October 25, 2007
• Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1996). Handbook of British Chronology, Third Edition, revised, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-56350-X. 
• Gillingham, John (1999). Richard I. New Haven, Conn: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-07912-5. 
• Huscroft, Huscroft (2005). Ruling England 1042-1217. London: Pearson/Longman. ISBN 0-582-84882-2. 
• Knowles, David (1976). The Monastic Order in England: A History of its Development from the Times of St. Dunstan to the Fourth Lateran Council, 940-1216, Second Edition, reprint, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-05479-6. 
• Norgate, Kate (1887). England under the Angevin Kings.
• Poole, Austin Lane (1955). From Domesday Book to Magna Carta, 1087-1216, Second Edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-821707-2. 
• Powell, J. Enoch; Wallis, Keith (1968). The House of Lords in the Middle Ages: A History of the English House of Lords to 1540. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. 
• Stubbs, William. Preface to Hoveden, iii.
• Warren, W. L. (1973). Henry II. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-03494-5. 

Professor Robert Bartlett (b. ... David Knowles (Studley, Warwickshire 1896-1974) was an English Benedictine monk of Downside Abbey and historian. ... Austin Lane Poole (6 December 1889 - 22 February 1963) was a British mediaevalist. ... William Stubbs (June 21, 1825 - April 22, 1901) was an English historian and Bishop of Oxford. ... Roger of Hoveden, or Howden (fl. ...

Further reading

• Scammell, G. V. Hugh du Puiset: A Biography of a Twelfth-century Bishop of Durham Cambridge 1956