Ralph Foliot facts for kids

Ralph Foliot (who died around 1198) was an important English clergyman and a judge during the Middle Ages. He served the King and held important roles in the church.

Ralph's Early Life

Ralph Foliot was the nephew of Gilbert Foliot. Gilbert was a very important church leader. He was first the Bishop of Hereford and later the Bishop of London. We don't know who Ralph's parents were or where he was born.

Ralph first appears in official records in 1144. This was in a document from his uncle Gilbert. At that time, Gilbert was the Bishop of Hereford. The document called Ralph "nepote episcopi," which means "the bishop's nephew." It's likely that his uncle helped him start a career in the church.

Ralph probably went to school in Hereford. The schools there were very famous for higher learning back then. After his uncle moved to London in 1163, Ralph seems to have stayed in Hereford. He worked for the new bishop until at least 1180.

Becoming a Church Leader

Ralph Foliot became a canon at Hereford Cathedral by December 2, 1178. A canon is a type of priest who works at a cathedral. He might have become a canon even earlier, by April 25, 1178.

He is first mentioned as the Archdeacon of Hereford in a document from 1179 to 1181. An archdeacon is a senior church official who helps the bishop manage the church's affairs in a certain area. Ralph was last mentioned as archdeacon on October 28, 1195. He had passed away by 1199. He might have died as early as 1197, but it was more likely in 1198 or 1199. People remembered him at Hereford on December 20.

It's possible Ralph was also a canon at Salisbury Cathedral. A person named Ralph Foliot was a canon there in 1193. However, we are not sure if it was the same Ralph.

Working for the King

Ralph Foliot also worked for the King in the royal chancery. This was like the King's main office. He signed official documents for King Henry II of England in 1181 and 1182. He was called the King's sigillarius, which means he was in charge of the King's seal.

Ralph also went on important trips for King Henry. These were called diplomatic missions. Once, he met with papal legates, who were special representatives of the Pope. Another time, he traveled to Paris with William Marshall. William Marshall was a famous knight.

King Henry rewarded Ralph for his service. The King asked a monastery in Northampton to make Ralph the parson of a church. This church was in Potton, Bedfordshire. The monastery controlled that church. Ralph also received other rewards. These included a share of the tithes (church taxes) from Teilleul. He also got a church in Worcestershire that was controlled by Tewkesbury Abbey.

When King Richard I (Henry's son) became king, Ralph continued to serve. From 1194, Ralph regularly worked as a royal judge. He worked alongside other important judges like Richard Barre and William de Warenne. Before this, he had also served as a justice in special traveling courts in 1190 and 1192.

Ralph's Legacy

Ralph Foliot had a brother named William. William was the precentor of the Hereford cathedral chapter. A precentor is a church official who leads the singing and services.

When Ralph died, he left 20 books to Hereford Cathedral. These books were very valuable. They included notes on the Bible and other important religious texts. Among them were Gemma Animae by Honorius of Autun and Sentences by Peter Lombard. Ralph was also friends with a writer named Gerald of Wales. Gerald wrote a letter to William Foliot to express his sadness after Ralph's death.