Eustace (bishop of Ely) facts for kids

Eustace (died 1215) was an important church leader in England during the late 1100s and early 1200s. He held several high positions, including being the Lord Chancellor of England from 1197 to 1198. He was also the Dean of Salisbury and, most notably, the Bishop of Ely.

Eustace's Early Life and Education

Eustace was likely from France or Normandy. He received a good education in Paris, which was a famous center for learning at the time. He even studied with Gerald of Wales, who became a friend for life. After finishing his studies, he was known as a "master," which meant he was highly educated.

Around 1177, Eustace started working as a clerk for Robert Foliot, who was the Bishop of Hereford. He stayed there for about nine years. By 1190, he was a parson (a type of priest) in a place called Withcall, Lincolnshire. He began working for the king sometime before 1194. By May 1194, he was the Dean of Salisbury, a senior church official. He also held other important church roles, like Archdeacon of Richmond and archdeacon of the East Riding.

Becoming a Bishop

Eustace was chosen to become the Bishop of Ely on August 10, 1197. A bishop is a high-ranking church leader who oversees a specific area, called a "see." He was officially made a bishop (this is called "consecration") on March 8, 1198.

After his election, King Richard I of England sent Eustace on a special trip to Germany. This trip delayed his consecration until 1198. The ceremony was performed by Hubert Walter, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury, at Westminster Abbey.

Serving the King and the Pope

From May 1198 to May 1199, Eustace served as the Lord Chancellor. This was a very important job, as the Lord Chancellor was the king's chief minister and responsible for the royal seal. During this time, he also worked as a royal judge. In January 1199, King Richard sent him to King Philip II of France to announce that a peace agreement between them was ending.

When King Richard died and King John of England became king, Eustace was replaced as chancellor. However, King John still used Eustace for important diplomatic missions, including two trips to the French king in 1202 and 1204.

Around this time, Pope Innocent III began to use Eustace as a "papal judge-delegate." This meant Eustace was chosen by the Pope to help settle disagreements within the church. For example, he helped solve a dispute between Archbishop Hubert Walter and the monks of Canterbury.

Disputes with King John

Eustace played a key role during a major disagreement between King John and Pope Innocent III. This dispute was about who had the right to choose the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Stephen Langton. The Pope wanted Langton, but King John refused to accept him.

In August 1207, the Pope appointed Eustace and two other bishops to try and convince King John to accept Langton. When King John still refused, the bishops, including Eustace, announced an interdict on England in March 1208. An interdict meant that many church services, like baptisms and burials, were stopped across the country.

Eustace and the other bishops tried to negotiate with King John again in July 1208, but the king would not meet them. A year later, they finally met at Dover, and an agreement was reached, but it never actually happened. In November, the commissioners, including Eustace, declared King John excommunicated. This meant King John was officially cast out of the church.

Eustace had been living in exile (outside England) since the interdict began in 1208. In 1212, he traveled to Rome to tell Pope Innocent about King John's harsh treatment of the English Church.

Later Life and Death

When King John finally made peace with Pope Innocent, Eustace was allowed to return to England. It was Eustace himself who officially lifted King John's excommunication on July 2, 1214. King John promised to pay Eustace back for the damage done to the Ely area during the interdict, which was estimated to be around £1000.

Eustace died in Reading on February 3 or 4, 1215. He was buried in Ely Cathedral near the altar of St. Mary. A historian named C. R. Cheney said that Eustace, even though he started as a royal official, truly "rose to his responsibilities" as a bishop.

Eustace was also involved in promoting the idea of making Gilbert of Sempringham a saint. He also looked into claims of miracles related to Wulfstan of Worcester. Additionally, he oversaw the building of the church of St. Mary in Ely.