Robert the Lotharingian facts for kids

Robert the Lotharingian (died 26 June 1095) was an important priest from a region called Lorraine. He became a bishop in England after the Norman Conquest of England. Robert was known for his knowledge of math and astronomy. His writings give us clues about how the famous Domesday Book was put together. He might have even brought the abacus, an early calculator, to England!

Robert the Lotharingian: A Medieval Math Whiz

Early Life and Education

Robert came from a region in Europe called Lorraine. He was probably a canon, which is a type of priest, at a big church in Liège. He might have studied at the church's school. This school was famous for teaching mathematics, which became one of Robert's special skills. We don't know exactly when he was born, but it was likely before the year 1049.

Becoming a Bishop

Robert may have arrived in England around the 1050s, or perhaps after the Norman Conquest of England. King William the Conqueror chose Robert to be a bishop. This was a bit unusual because Robert was not from Normandy, and he was more of an astronomer and mathematician than a religious scholar.

Robert became a priest before December 29, 1079. He was ordained by Wulfstan, who was the Bishop of Worcester. On December 29, 1079, Robert was officially made the Bishop of Hereford by Lanfranc, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Robert's Contributions and Legacy

Robert brought a special history book, called a chronicle, by a writer named Marianus Scotus to England. This book helped other historians in England, like Florence of Worcester, with their own writings. Robert added his own notes to his copy of Marianus's chronicle. These notes are some of the best sources we have about how the Domesday Book was created. The Domesday Book was a huge survey of England ordered by William the Conqueror.

Robert also wrote a short introduction to Marianus's chronicle. In it, he corrected some mistakes and talked about calculations. He was well-known as a mathematician and astrologer (someone who studies stars and planets). He helped bring new ideas and learning from Europe to his area.

He was also very familiar with the abacus, which is a tool used for counting and calculating. Some historians believe he helped introduce the abacus to England. However, others think that people in England already knew about the abacus before Robert's time.

Robert was good friends with Wulfstan, the Bishop of Worcester. Robert was the one who buried Wulfstan, who later became a saint. It's possible that Robert gave Wulfstan a copy of Marianus's chronicle. This would have allowed the monks at Worcester to use it in their own historical works. Robert was also friends with Osmund, who was the Bishop of Salisbury.

Later Life and Death

In February 1095, Robert attended a meeting called the Council of Rockingham. This meeting was about a disagreement between King William II of England and Anselm, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury. Robert supported the king in this argument. However, after the meeting, Robert and Osmund, the Bishop of Salisbury, made up with Archbishop Anselm.

Robert died on June 26, 1095. He was buried in Hereford Cathedral. He had built a chapel at Hereford Cathedral that looked like a church in Aachen, Germany. This chapel had two levels, a style usually used for kings or archbishops in Germany. Robert also helped improve the money situation of his diocese, even though it remained a poor area.