Savaric FitzGeldewin facts for kids

Savaric fitzGeldewin (died 8 August 1205) was an important English church leader. He became the Bishop of Bath and Glastonbury in England. A bishop is a high-ranking leader in the Christian church. Savaric was related to the previous bishop and also to Emperor Henry VI.

Savaric was chosen as bishop because his cousin, the previous bishop, wanted him to have the job. As bishop, Savaric spent many years trying to add Glastonbury Abbey to his church area. He also worked hard to help King Richard I of England get free when the king was captured.

Savaric's Early Life

We don't know exactly when Savaric was born. His father, Geldwin, was part of the Bohun family. Geldwin was likely a second cousin to Reginald fitzJocelin, who was also a Bishop of Bath before Savaric. Savaric's mother, Estrangia, came from Burgundy and was related to Emperor Henry VI.

Savaric first appears in history around 1157. He was a canon at Coutances Cathedral in Normandy. A canon is a type of priest who works at a cathedral. Later, he became an archdeacon in Coutances from 1162 to 1174. An archdeacon helps the bishop manage the church's affairs. He was also the Treasurer of Salisbury in 1174 and an archdeacon in Northampton from 1175 to 1187. Savaric owed a lot of money to King Henry II of England. This caused the king to complain to the Pope. Because of these money issues, Savaric lost his archdeacon roles for a few years.

Becoming a Bishop

Savaric joined King Richard I on a crusade. A crusade was a religious war. While they were in Sicily, Savaric was chosen to be a bishop. In December 1191, he was elected Bishop of Bath.

Savaric's election was a bit unusual. King Richard I had given Savaric letters saying he could be chosen for the next bishop job that opened up. When Savaric's cousin, Reginald, became the Archbishop of Canterbury, Reginald went to Bath. He strongly encouraged the church leaders there to choose Savaric as his replacement. The king's official, Walter de Coutances, approved Savaric's election because of Richard's letters. However, the church leaders at Wells were not happy. They felt they should have been asked for their opinion.

Despite the objections, Savaric became a priest on 19 September 1192 in Rome. The very next day, on 20 September 1192, he was officially made a bishop. He also went on the Third Crusade with King Richard.

Helping King Richard I

When King Richard was returning from the crusade, he was captured in Germany. Savaric met with his cousin, Emperor Henry VI, who was holding Richard. Savaric tried to help get King Richard released. He stayed in Germany throughout 1193, working on the negotiations. He returned to England at the end of that year.

Once King Richard was set free, Savaric was one of the people who stayed behind in Germany. He was a hostage to make sure the rest of the ransom money was paid. It's possible that while he was in Germany helping Richard, he was also named an important official for Burgundy. However, he wasn't called by that title until 1197, so the exact date is not clear.

Later Life and Death

Savaric died on 8 August 1205. He passed away in Italy, either in Civitavecchia or Siena. He was visiting the Pope in Rome to support another bishop, Peter des Roches, who was trying to become the Bishop of Winchester. Peter des Roches also helped Savaric with his own challenges involving Glastonbury. Savaric was buried in Bath.