Ralph d'Escures facts for kids

Ralph d'Escures (sometimes called Radulf) was an important church leader in medieval England. He lived a long time ago, dying on October 20, 1122. Ralph started as an abbot at Séez Abbey. Later, he became the Bishop of Rochester. His most important role was Archbishop of Canterbury. This was the top church position in England.

Ralph studied at the famous Abbey of Bec. He became a monk there in 1079. In 1091, he was chosen as the abbot of St Martin at Séez. He was good friends with two other important churchmen: Archbishop Anselm of Canterbury and Bishop Gundulf of Rochester. After Gundulf died, Ralph took over his role as Bishop of Rochester.

As Archbishop of Canterbury, Ralph worked hard to protect the rights of the church in England. He even disagreed with the Pope at times. Sadly, Ralph had a stroke in 1119. This made it hard for him to speak clearly. He died a few years later in 1122.

Early Life and Education

Abbey of Bec, where Ralph entered monastic life

Ralph d'Escures was the son of Seffrid d'Escures and his first wife, Rascendis. He also had a half-brother named Seffrid I. Seffrid I later became the Bishop of Chichester.

Ralph went to school at the Abbey of Bec. This was a very famous place for learning back then. In 1079, he joined the abbey of St Martin at Séez as a monk. This abbey was founded by powerful families, the Montgomery and Bellême families. In 1091, Ralph was chosen to be the abbot of this abbey. Anselm of Canterbury, who was abbot of Bec at the time, was there for Ralph's election.

Becoming a Bishop in England

Soon after becoming an abbot, Ralph visited England. He might have visited Shrewsbury Abbey, which was connected to Séez. Some stories say he helped King Henry I of England in 1102. He might have been the one who gave the keys to Shrewsbury Castle to the king.

In 1103, Ralph had to leave France. He came to England to escape from Robert of Bellême. Robert was demanding that Ralph pay him homage and heavy taxes. But Pope Urban II had said that church leaders should not pay homage to regular people. So, Ralph refused and fled to England. He stayed with his friends, Saint Anselm and Bishop Gundulf of Rochester.

Ralph was present when the remains of Saint Cuthbert were moved in Durham. He was one of the people who checked the body. He declared that the saint's body was still in good condition. In 1106, he visited Anselm at the Abbey of Bec. After Anselm became Archbishop of Canterbury, Ralph joined his household.

In June 1108, Ralph became the Bishop of Rochester. Bishop Gundulf had chosen him before he died. Ralph was made a bishop on August 9, 1108. He was with Anselm when he died in April 1109. After Anselm's death, Ralph managed the Canterbury church. He did this until April 26, 1114.

Archbishop of Canterbury: Challenges and Triumphs

Ralph was chosen as Archbishop of Canterbury at Windsor. The king wanted his doctor, Faricus, for the job. But the nobles and bishops disagreed. They wanted someone from Normandy, not Italy. They also preferred someone who was not a monk. As a compromise, Ralph was chosen. He was a monk, but also a bishop. This made the other bishops happy.

Ralph did not travel to Rome to get his pallium. A pallium is a special scarf given by the Pope. Instead, Pope Paschal II sent it to England. It was difficult to convince the Pope to send it. The Pope wanted to have more power over the English Church. He complained that English bishops were being moved without his permission. He also said that his messengers were not allowed into England. And people could not ask the Pope for help with church issues.

In 1116, the Pope even asked for "Peter's Pence." This was a payment from every household in England directly to the Pope. Ralph promised to be loyal to the Pope. But he supported King Henry in disagreeing with the Pope's demands.

As archbishop, Ralph strongly defended the rights of the Canterbury church. He said Canterbury had authority in Wales and Scotland. He wrote to the Pope about this. He told the bishop of Llandaff to build a new Llandaff Cathedral. He also gave a special blessing to people who helped pay for it.

Ralph refused to make Thurstan the Archbishop of York. This was because Thurstan would not promise to obey Canterbury. This was part of a long argument between Canterbury and York. Ralph first asked the king for help. Later, he asked the Popes to make Thurstan obey. This led to a disagreement with the Pope. Pope Paschal II supported Thurstan.

Ralph went to Rome in 1117. But he could not meet the Pope. The Pope had fled because an army was invading. Ralph got sick with an ulcer on his face during the trip. People thought he might die. He got better, but the trip did not solve anything. Even Popes Gelasius II and Calixtus II told Ralph to consecrate Thurstan. But Ralph still refused. Thurstan was not made archbishop until after Ralph died. Thurstan was finally consecrated by Pope Calixtus II in 1119.

Ralph believed that the argument about who could appoint church leaders was settled in England. In 1117, he took a neutral side in a dispute between the Pope and the Emperor. In 1115, he refused to consecrate Bernard in the royal chapel. The king's advisor wanted it there. But Ralph insisted on his right to choose. The king did not push the issue, and Ralph won. He also attended a church meeting in Normandy in 1118.

Later Years and Legacy

Ralph had a stroke on July 11, 1119. This happened after he finished celebrating Mass. From then on, he was partly paralyzed. He also could not speak clearly. But he was still involved in important decisions. In 1120, he agreed that Eadmer should become the next Bishop of St Andrew's. This was King Alexander I of Scotland's idea.

In 1121, Ralph was one of the lords asked about King Henry I's new marriage. The king was marrying Adeliza of Leuven. Ralph successfully insisted on his right to celebrate the marriage. Another bishop, Roger of Salisbury, tried to do it instead. Because of his stroke, Ralph could not perform the ceremony himself. But he chose William Giffard, the Bishop of Winchester, to do it.

Ralph died on October 20, 1122, in Canterbury. He was buried in Canterbury Cathedral on October 23, 1122. His nephew, John, worked for him. Ralph later made John the Archdeacon of Canterbury. After Ralph's death, John was chosen to be the Bishop of Rochester.

People thought Ralph was a "witty, easygoing" man. But his struggles with York and his illness changed him. In his last years, he became more quarrelsome. One writer, Orderic Vitalis, said Ralph was well-educated and loved by people. Even William of Malmesbury, who often found fault with church leaders, only said Ralph was sometimes too playful.

Ralph wrote a sermon for a special church day, the Assumption of the Virgin. About fifty copies of this sermon still exist in Latin. For a long time, people thought Anselm of Canterbury wrote it. But in 1927, it was shown to be Ralph's work. An English translation of the sermon is also kept in the British Library. Ralph's original sermon was in French, and the Latin version was a translation.

Ralph also had the monks at Christ Church, Canterbury search for old documents. These documents were about Canterbury's special rights. He had them copied into a manuscript that still exists today. Ralph's seal is one of the first of its kind for bishops. It shows Ralph standing, wearing his church clothes, and holding his crosier. He is giving a blessing with his right hand. The seal was shaped like a pointed oval.