Regenbald facts for kids

Regenbald (sometimes called Regenbald of Cirencester) was an important priest and royal helper in England long ago. He worked for King Edward the Confessor during the Anglo-Saxon period. His name makes historians think he wasn't from England, maybe he was German or Norman.

Regenbald first appears in history around 1050. He was a royal chaplain (a priest who serves the king) and a clerk (someone who writes official documents). He kept these jobs for the rest of King Edward's rule. Many royal papers call him "chancellor," which was a very important role. However, it's not clear if he was like the later Lord Chancellors. Some of these old documents might even be fake or changed!

No matter his exact title, King Edward gave Regenbald lots of land as a reward. The king also gave him the special status of a bishop, even though he wasn't officially made a bishop. Regenbald continued to work for the English kings even after the Norman Conquest in 1066. We don't know exactly when he died, but it was probably during the time of King William I or King William II. After he died, some of his lands were used to help start Cirencester Abbey in 1133.

Regenbald's Early Life

We don't know much about where Regenbald came from. He was probably not born in England. He might have been from Germany or Normandy (a part of France).

His name, Regenbald, sounds German or French. This suggests he was one of the many people from other countries who became important to King Edward the Confessor.

Working for the King

Regenbald first shows up in history in 1050. He was a witness to an official paper from King Edward. King Edward gave him large areas of land because he was a loyal royal chaplain.

The Domesday Book from 1086 lists Regenbald as owning at least seven churches. But it seems he only worked as a priest in two of them. Another special gift from the king was giving Regenbald the status of a bishop. This meant he had the respect of a bishop, but he didn't actually hold the official job. He might not have become a full bishop because he was married, or because of his lifestyle.

The Role of "Chancellor"

In royal documents, Regenbald is often called "royal chancellor." For example, a document from 1062 calls him regis cancellarius in Latin. This doesn't mean there was an official job called "chancellor" like there is today.

Regenbald was likely in charge of King Edward's royal clerks and scribes (people who wrote documents). He probably did some of the jobs that a chancellor would do later on. Some historians believe he was indeed a chancellor. The Domesday Book also lists him as "chancellor."

Regenbald also worked as a royal judge. He helped decide cases, like one with Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester, and Æthelwig, Abbot of Evesham. A very old source from the 1200s says he was the dean (a church leader) of the church at Cirencester during King William's time.

Regenbald stayed at the royal court (the king's main home and government) throughout King Edward's rule. He continued to serve when King William the Conqueror took over. King William confirmed that Regenbald could keep all his lands and belongings after the Norman Conquest. We don't know if he worked for King Harold after King Edward died. This is because very few official papers from Harold's short rule still exist.

Regenbald's Wealth

Regenbald owned a lot of land. A document from King Henry I of England's time talks about these lands after Regenbald's death. Many of these lands were also listed in the Domesday Book.

His lands were in several different areas of England. These included Gloucestershire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Northamptonshire, Worcestershire, and Dorset. The Domesday Book said his lands were worth about £40 each year. This was a lot of money back then! His estates covered about 90 "hides" of land. A "hide" was an old way to measure land, usually enough for one family. Some of these lands were given to him after the Norman Conquest.

Death and Legacy

Regenbald likely died during the rule of King William I or King William II. He might have been buried at Cirencester. There is a stone tomb in the old Saxon church's crypt there that could be his.

After Regenbald died, some of his lands were used to help start Cirencester Abbey. King Henry I of England founded this abbey in 1133. Regenbald also had a brother who owned land near him in Cirencester. Regenbald had a son named Edward, who also owned lands in Gloucester.