Peter of Brixey facts for kids
Peter of Brixey (who died in 1192) was an important church leader in the Middle Ages. He served as the Bishop of Toul from 1167 until his death. Peter was a strong supporter of the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick Barbarossa. This was during a time when emperors and popes often disagreed about who had more power. Peter was one of the few bishops in the region of Lorraine who stood with the Emperor.
Contents
Peter's Early Life and Rise to Power
Peter was born to Peter, who was the Count of Brixey-aux-Chanoines, and Matilda of Rinel. His family was quite important.
He began his church career in 1152. At that time, he became a canon at Toul Cathedral. A canon is like a priest who helps run a cathedral. Later, in 1156, he became an archdeacon. This was a higher position, helping the bishop manage the church's affairs.
In 1165, the previous Bishop of Toul passed away. Two years later, in 1167, Peter was chosen to be the new bishop. He was officially made a bishop by Hillin of Falmagne, who was the Archbishop of Trier. Peter was a "suffragan" bishop to Hillin, meaning he was under Hillin's authority.
Restoring Peace and Building Power
After becoming bishop, Peter worked to end a conflict. There had been a war between Frederick IV, the Count of Toul, and the church leaders at the cathedral. Peter helped bring peace to the area.
By 1177, he had rebuilt the Liverdun castle. This castle had been destroyed during the fighting. He made Liverdun and its nearby town a strong center of power for his diocese. To encourage people to move there, he offered them a special "charter of freedom." This was the first time such a charter was given in Lorraine. It gave people more rights and freedoms.
In 1178, Peter received a special right from the Holy Roman Emperor. He was allowed to make his own money, or "coinage." This showed how much power and importance he had.
Conflicts and Founding Monasteries
In the years that followed, Peter had his own disagreements. He came into conflict with Matthias I, Duke of Lorraine. Matthias wanted to take money from the church of Toul for his son, Theoderic. Theoderic was the Bishop of Metz. Peter took his case to Pope Alexander III. However, the Pope was busy with his own struggles against Emperor Barbarossa. So, the Pope could not help Peter much.
Later, the Count of Toul died without any children. Peter then gave the leadership of the county to Matthias's youngest son, who was also named Matthias.
After these events, Peter focused on building new religious communities. He founded several monasteries. One was in Liverdun in 1184, another in Rinel in 1185, and a third in Commercy in 1186.
Peter's Support for Emperor Barbarossa
Peter was a very strong supporter of Emperor Barbarossa. He visited the Emperor's court many times. He also hosted the Emperor twice in Toul. The Emperor visited in 1171 and again in 1187.
When Hillin's successor, Arnold I of Vaucourt, died in 1183, there was a disagreement. Two people wanted to be the new Archbishop of Trier. One was Folmar of Karden, who supported the Pope. The other was Rudolf of Wied, who supported the Emperor. Peter strongly supported Rudolf.
When Folmar returned from Rome in 1186, he was a special representative of the Pope. He had a judgment from Pope Urban III. But Peter refused to let Folmar into Toul. Soon after, Folmar officially removed Peter from the church (this is called excommunication). This happened at a quick meeting of church leaders in Mouzon.
Peter quickly traveled to Rome himself. He arrived just in time for Pope Urban's funeral. The new Pope, Pope Gregory VIII, canceled Peter's excommunication. This happened on November 30, 1187. After this, Peter returned to his diocese and worked to put things back in order.
Journey to the Holy Land
Peter was present at a big meeting in Mainz in 1184. He also likely attended another important meeting in Mainz in 1188. At this meeting, Emperor Barbarossa decided to go on a Crusade to the Holy Land.
Peter soon followed the Emperor's army in 1189. He traveled with other important nobles and leaders. Before he left, he made his nephew Frederick and the abbot of Saint Aprus of Toul temporary leaders of the church in Toul.
In 1191, Peter was present at the Siege of Acre. This was a major battle during the Third Crusade. He had arrived with Henry II, Count of Champagne.
After a peace agreement, the Treaty of Jaffa, was signed in 1192. This treaty allowed Christians to visit Jerusalem freely. Peter then traveled to Jerusalem. He died there and was buried in the city.
