English embassy to Rome (1061) facts for kids

The English trip to Rome in 1061 was a special journey made by people sent by King Edward the Confessor. They went to see Pope Nicholas II to sort out important Church matters. This included getting three new bishops, Giso of Wells, Walter of Hereford, and Ealdred of York, officially approved by the Pope.

The group traveled under the protection of two powerful brothers, Tostig Godwinson, who was the Earl of Northumbria, and his brother Gyrth Godwinson. At first, Pope Nicholas II didn't want to approve Ealdred because he had broken some Church rules. The trip faced another problem when robbers attacked them on their way home, stealing everything. But when they bravely returned to Rome, Ealdred was finally approved as archbishop. In the end, the group managed to get almost everything they wanted done and returned home to England.

Why the Trip to Rome Was Needed

Back in England, Stigand, the Archbishop of Canterbury, had been chosen by King Edward in 1052. However, the Pope and his followers in Rome believed that all important Church leaders, like archbishops, needed the Pope's approval. Stigand had received his special robe (called a pallium) from a different Pope, Antipope Benedict X, who was later removed from his position. This made Stigand's role as archbishop uncertain.

Around 1060, Ealdred, who was already the Bishop of Worcester, was also chosen to be the Archbishop of York. But he didn't give up his old job in Worcester. At the same time, King Edward chose two of his clerks, Giso and Walter, to become bishops in Wells and Hereford.

These new bishops couldn't be officially approved by Ealdred because he hadn't received his own special robe from the Pope yet. And they couldn't be approved by Stigand because his own position was unclear. So, King Edward decided to send all three of them to Rome to get the Pope's official blessing. They also planned to discuss other Church issues, like moving a bishopric and perhaps getting special permissions for Westminster Abbey. They probably also took a payment called Peter's Pence to Rome.

The Journey to Rome

The group started their journey early in 1061. Besides the three bishops, Tostig Godwinson, the Earl of Northumbria, went along with his wife, Judith, and his brother, Earl Gyrth. A nobleman named Gospatric and a young son of the Earl of Mercia, named Burgheard, also joined them. These two might have been taken along to ensure good behavior in Northumbria while Tostig was away. A large group of the King's soldiers, called housecarls, also came along to protect them.

Their path took them through different parts of Europe, including Saxony, the Rhineland, Burgundy, the Alps, and Lombardy. This route suggests they might have visited various German courts. However, we only know for sure that they visited several Christian holy places. They arrived in Rome before Easter.

Attacked by Robbers

Soon after leaving Rome, perhaps even on their first day, the group was attacked by thieves. This happened while they were traveling along a road called the Via Cassia. These robbers, led by a nobleman named Count Gerard of Galeria, took everything the embassy members had. Some even lost their clothes, and it was reported that some people in the group were killed or hurt.

The robbers wanted to capture Tostig. But Gospatric, the nobleman from Northumbria, who was wearing fancy clothes, bravely pretended to be Tostig. The robbers believed him and let the others go. This gave the earl and the bishops time to escape. After a while, Gospatric admitted he wasn't Tostig. Luckily for him, the robbers were so impressed by his courage that they spared his life. They even gave back everything they had stolen from him and let him go in peace.

Back in Rome

The main group of the embassy returned to Rome and met with Pope Nicholas again. The Pope was very upset and ashamed that such a robbery could happen so close to Rome. He did what he could to help them. He officially condemned Count Gerard and agreed to discuss Ealdred's approval again.

This time, Tostig's strong arguments, Ealdred's humble attitude, and the support of a powerful Church leader named Cardinal Hildebrand convinced the Church meeting to approve Ealdred. The decision was that Ealdred could be the Archbishop of York, but he had to give up his position as Bishop of Worcester to someone else. The Pope gave gifts to the Englishmen and also warned Ealdred to behave well in the future.

The Journey Home

Bishop Giso, and possibly Bishop Walter, must have left Rome earlier, as Giso reached England in the second half of June 1061. We don't know exactly when Ealdred and Tostig left. Their work in Rome must have been finished by the end of June, when Pope Nicholas left Rome, or by July 27, when he died. They likely traveled back to England during the autumn of that year.

They might have traveled with two special representatives from the Pope, called papal legates. These legates were sent to England to check on Church matters, especially to make sure Worcester got a new bishop instead of Ealdred keeping both jobs. The group also visited various holy places on their way home. They stopped in Reims to bury young Burgheard, who had died. His death might have been caused by injuries from Count Gerard's robbers, and he had wished to be buried there.

What Happened Next

When Tostig returned to Northumbria after being away for almost a year, he found out that Malcolm Canmore, the King of Scotland, had raided his earldom. Malcolm had sworn to be like a brother to Tostig. However, they managed to fix their relationship and remained peaceful for the rest of Tostig's life.

The Pope's representatives met with King Edward. Then, they began a tour of England to investigate how Church business was being handled across the kingdom. Ealdred went with them and took them to Worcester, leaving them in the care of Prior Wulfstan. The legates were very impressed by Wulfstan's devotion and simple lifestyle. They returned to the king's court and suggested him as the next bishop of Worcester. Ealdred himself officially approved Wulfstan in York.

Ealdred then went back to Worcester, leaving Wulfstan to take his place in York. Ealdred took advantage of the new bishop's absence to take some of Worcester's most valuable Church properties. Wulfstan later managed to get many of these back through talks, but he didn't fully get back all the Church's lands until after Ealdred died.