Philip of Poitou facts for kids

Philip of Poitou (also known as Philip of Poitiers) was an important church leader in England. He served as the Bishop of Durham from 1197 until he died in 1208. Before that, he was an Archdeacon of Canterbury.

Philip's Early Life and Career

We don't know much about Philip's early life. He might have gone to a university. The first time we hear about him is in 1191. He was with King Richard I during the Third Crusade. This was a big journey to the Holy Land.

Philip was also with King Richard when the king was captured in Germany. Before March 1194, King Richard made Philip the Archdeacon of Canterbury. An archdeacon is a senior church official. Philip had also worked as a royal clerk, helping the king with official papers.

Becoming a Bishop

Philip was chosen to be the Bishop of Durham in November 1195. The church leaders in Durham formally elected him in January 1196. The Pope, who is the head of the Catholic Church, approved his election.

Philip became a priest in June 1196. Then, in April 1197, the Pope officially made him a bishop in Rome. Before this, Philip got permission to make coins in Durham. He also appointed his nephew, Aimeric, as an archdeacon in Durham and Carlisle.

Working for the King and Pope

In 1197, Philip traveled to Rome. He went with another bishop to discuss land issues in France. The Pope helped them solve the problem. While there, the Pope consecrated Philip as bishop.

In 1198, Philip went to Germany. He was there to help choose a new Holy Roman Emperor. This shows how important Philip was in politics.

Philip was at the coronation of King John in 1199. He tried to point out that the Archbishop of York was not there. After the coronation, King John sent Philip to talk with Scotland. This was to help with peace between the two countries.

In 1201, Philip went on a religious journey. He traveled to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. After he came back, he helped settle a dispute. This was about the rights of King Richard's queen, Berengaria of Navarre.

Quarrels and Challenges

In 1207, Philip had a disagreement with King John. The king wanted to tax church lands. Philip believed the king did not have this right. Because of this, King John took away Philip's lands. Philip and another archbishop went to the king. They asked for forgiveness. Philip had to pay a fine to get his lands back.

As bishop, Philip also had problems with the monks of his church. They argued about who had the right to choose clergy for churches. At one point, the monks were trapped inside the cathedral. The leader of the monks was even excommunicated. Some people thought Philip's nephew, Aimeric, made the fight worse. But Philip also strongly disagreed with the monks. Eventually, they found a way to settle their differences.

Death and Legacy

Philip of Poitou died on April 22, 1208. It is said that the monks of his church refused to give him a proper Christian burial. His body was reportedly placed in a simple grave without a religious ceremony. However, his gravestone is recorded in the chapter-house of the cathedral.