Richard of Dover facts for kids

Richard (died 1184) was an important Benedictine monk and Archbishop of Canterbury in medieval England. He worked for Thomas Becket right before Becket's death. Richard helped arrange Becket's burial in Canterbury Cathedral. Later, Richard became the Archbishop of Canterbury himself, after a difficult election.

During his time as archbishop, Richard often had disagreements with Roger de Pont L'Evêque, the Archbishop of York, about who was more important in the English Church. He also had a dispute with St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury about his authority over them. Richard got along better with King Henry II of England than Becket had. The king even used Richard for important diplomatic tasks. Richard also had the trust of the Pope and served as a judge for the Church. Some of his questions to Pope Alexander III were added to the Decretals, which were collections of Church laws. He also supported legal experts, which helped the study of Church law in England.

Richard's Early Life and Church Work

A stained glass window showing the murder of Thomas Becket, in Canterbury Cathedral.

Richard was born in Normandy, a region in France. He became a monk at Canterbury and worked as a chaplain for Theobald of Bec, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury before Becket. We don't know where Richard went to school, but he did get an education.

His first known role was as a monk at Christ Church. He worked alongside Thomas Becket when they were both serving Archbishop Theobald. In 1157, Richard was made the prior (a leader) of St. Martin's priory in Dover. St. Martin's was a Benedictine priory that was connected to Christ Church Cathedral Priory in Canterbury.

Just before Becket died, Becket asked Richard to meet with Henry the Young King, but Richard was not successful. After Becket was killed, Richard took care of Becket's body and made sure he was buried right away in Canterbury Cathedral.

Becoming Archbishop of Canterbury

In 1173, more than two years after Thomas Becket was murdered, King Henry II decided it was time to choose a new Archbishop of Canterbury. There were two main candidates: Richard and Odo, who was the prior of Canterbury.

Richard was chosen on 3 June 1173, even though the monks preferred Odo. Both sides complained to the Pope in Rome. Richard traveled to Rome with Reginald Fitz Jocelin, who had just been chosen as the Bishop of Bath and Wells. Richard had to defend himself against accusations of buying his church office, being born outside of marriage, and swearing an oath to the king.

After hearing everything, the Pope dismissed the charges. Richard's election was approved on 2 April 1174. A few days later, on 7 April 1174, Richard was officially made archbishop by Pope Alexander III. Richard returned to England later that year, bringing with him his pallium (a special wool vestment given by the Pope). The Pope also gave him special powers as a papal representative.

Disputes and Royal Relations

Throughout his time as archbishop, Richard often disagreed with Roger de Pont L'Evêque, the Archbishop of York. They argued about the importance and rights of their two church regions. In 1175, at a meeting in London, their supporters even got into a fight! King Henry II arranged a five-year peace agreement between the archbishops.

However, Richard soon got into another argument. This time it was with Roger, the abbot of St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury. They argued about whether the abbey reported directly to the Pope or if the archbishop had authority over it. In the end, the Pope arranged a compromise. The abbey would report directly to the Pope, but the archbishop would have spiritual authority over the churches on the Isle of Thanet, which the abbey had controlled before.

Richard's time as archbishop was much calmer than Becket's had been. He seemed to have a better relationship with the king. Richard attended royal meetings and traveled with the king to Normandy more than once. Richard was also less strict about the rights of the clergy (church officials) than Becket had been. Some monks and Becket's followers saw this as a sign of weakness. Pope Alexander III even criticized Richard when Richard agreed to bishops being chosen in the king's chapel.

Richard also helped the king with diplomatic missions. In 1176, he escorted Henry's daughter Joan to Provence on her journey to marry King William II of Sicily. Richard also spent part of 1177 in Flanders on diplomatic business for King Henry.

Richard's Legacy and Death

Burial site of Richard of Dover in the north aisle of the nave of Canterbury Cathedral

Richard invited many experts in canon law (Church law) to join his household. These included Gerard la Pucelle, Peter of Blois, and Henry Pium of Northampton. They advised him on legal matters.

At a Church council Richard held in May 1175, nineteen new rules were created. These rules dealt with things like priests getting married, having too many ordained clergy, how clergy should behave and dress, and the buying or selling of church offices. Another rule dealt with secret marriages and set rules for child marriages.

Richard was also very involved in judging legal cases, both making judgments himself and making sure others' judgments were carried out. Four of his questions to Pope Alexander III were included in the Decretals and other collections of Church law from the 13th century. This shows his influence on Church law.

Richard died at Halling, Kent on 16 February 1184. He was buried in his cathedral in Canterbury. Some historians have described Richard as not being very strong or effective. However, Richard did a lot to promote the use of Church law throughout England. He also used his papal powers to get involved in monastic affairs, removing the abbot of Peterborough Abbey in 1175. He even threatened to visit other monasteries that were usually free from a bishop's control to check on their affairs.

On a more practical note, Richard was considered a good manager of Canterbury's lands and was very interested in making them more productive. He was also seen as a religious and gentle man.