Simeon (abbot) facts for kids

Simeon (who passed away on November 21, 1093) was a relative of King William I, also known as William the Conqueror. He was also the brother of Walkelin, who was the Bishop of Winchester.

Simeon's brother, Bishop Walkelin, was quite influential. Because of this, Simeon first became the prior of Winchester. A prior is like a leader in a monastery, but usually under an abbot. Later, in 1082, Simeon became the Abbot of Ely. An abbot is the head of a monastery.

Simeon's Work at Ely

When Simeon became the Abbot of Ely, he started an important project: building the Ely Cathedral. This is the same impressive cathedral you can see today!

Recovering Lands for Ely

Simeon also worked hard to get back lands for the Ely monastery. These lands had been given to the Normans during a time of conflict. This happened when the Normans were trying to take over the island of Ely, which was being defended by a famous English rebel named Hereward the Wake. Simeon successfully recovered these lands, which was a big deal for the monastery.

After Simeon's Death

Simeon passed away in 1093. After his death, the monastery's properties and income, known as its "temporalities," were taken over by Ralph Flambard. He was a powerful minister working for William Rufus, who was King William I's son and the next king of England. Because of this, no new abbot was chosen for Ely until King Henry I came to the throne in 1100.