Walter of Albano facts for kids

Walter (also known as Gualterio of Albano) was an important church leader who lived a long time ago, dying in the year 1101. He was a special kind of bishop called a cardinal-bishop for the area of Albano in Italy. He held this position from 1091 until his death.

One of his most important jobs was when he acted as a papal legate (which means he was a special representative for the Pope) in England in May 1095. His main goal was to get King William II of England to officially recognize Pope Urban II as the true Pope. Walter also brought a special scarf called a pallium for the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Anselm of Canterbury. This pallium was a symbol of the archbishop's authority.

Becoming a Cardinal

Walter was chosen to be a cardinal by Pope Urban II in 1091. Cardinals are high-ranking church officials who advise the Pope. Walter was a strong supporter of Pope Urban II and worked closely with him in the papal curia, which was like the Pope's main office and court.

Around 1095, there was a big problem in the church: two different people claimed to be the Pope! One was Antipope Clement III and the other was Pope Urban II. King William II of England hadn't chosen which one to support. However, Anselm of Canterbury, who was about to become the Archbishop, believed Urban II was the true Pope. Anselm wanted to travel to Rome to get his pallium directly from Urban II.

King William II didn't want Anselm to go to Rome or recognize any Pope until the King himself had decided. So, he called a big meeting called the Council of Rockingham to try and convince Anselm to wait. But the meeting didn't solve the problem for the King. To fix things without giving up his royal power to choose the Pope for England, the King sent two of his trusted helpers to Rome. They went to talk with Urban II about England recognizing him and about Anselm getting his pallium. They left in February 1095 and returned to England with Walter by May 13, 1095.

Walter's Mission in England

When Walter arrived in England, he didn't meet Anselm right away. Instead, he went straight to the King. Walter had permission from Pope Urban II to give the King "all that he wanted" if William II would recognize Urban as the true Pope. The King's main person for these talks was William de St-Calais, the Bishop of Durham.

Some historical writers, like Hugh of Flavigny, said that Walter even promised that no more papal legates would be sent to England without King William's permission, for as long as the King lived. The Pope also approved of the King's actions in the dispute. King William then tried to get Walter to remove Anselm from his position as archbishop, but Walter didn't agree to this.

In the end, they reached a deal. This agreement limited how much the Pope could get involved in the English Church. In return, King William officially recognized Urban II as the Pope.

Giving Anselm the Pallium

When it was time to give Anselm his pallium, the King first suggested that he, the King, should give it to Anselm. But Anselm refused. So, they found a compromise: Walter placed the pallium on the main altar at Canterbury Cathedral on May 27, 1095. Then, Anselm took the pallium from the altar himself.

Walter stayed in England for a while to collect something called Peter's Pence. This was a traditional payment that English churches made to the Pope.

Walter and Anselm didn't get along very well from the start. Walter even said that Anselm's election as archbishop had been made by "schismatics" (people who had split from the main church), which made Anselm's position seem uncertain. Their relationship got even more difficult later that summer. Walter wrote a letter to Anselm, sharing some accusations that other English bishops had made against the archbishop.

Walter tried to talk with Anselm about making reforms in the church. However, Anselm said he couldn't discuss it because they were expecting an invasion from Robert Curthose (the King's brother), and Anselm had military duties. Anselm also said that nothing could be done about a church council in England without the King's approval.

What Happened Next?

Walter left England sometime in the summer or autumn of 1095. He took a letter from Anselm and a small gift for Pope Urban II back to Rome with him. He was in Rome on August 14, 1099. He likely helped choose the next Pope, Pope Pascal II, on August 13, 1099. Walter himself died in 1101.