Nigel

Exterior view of Ely cathedral, where Nigel may be buried
Denomination	Catholic
Senior posting
See	Diocese of Ely
Title	Bishop of Ely
Period in office	1133–1169
Predecessor	Hervey le Breton
Successor	Geoffrey Ridel
Religious career
Previous post	Archdeacon of Salisbury
Personal
Date of birth	about 1100
Date of death	May 30, 1169

Nigel (d. The Diocese of Ely is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury. The Bishop of Ely is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Ely in Hervey le Breton (also known as Hervé le Breton) (died 30 August 1131 was a Breton cleric who became Bishop of Bangor and later Bishop of Ely Geoffrey Ridel (died 1189 was the nineteenth Lord Chancellor of England, from 1162 to 1173 Events 1416 - The Council of Constance, called by the Emperor Sigismund a supporter of Antipope John XXIII burns Jerome of Prague following 1169) (sometimes Nigel Poor^[1] or Nigel of Ely) was an Anglo-Norman bishop of Ely. The Bishop of Ely is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Ely in He came from a family of ecclesiastics, as his uncle was also a bishop and governmental minister for King Henry I of England. Henry I (c 1068/1069 – 1 December 1135) was the fourth son of William I the Conqueror, the first King of England after the Norman Nigel owed his advancement to his uncle, who also secured a bishopric for Nigel's brother Alexander. As a royal servant, Nigel served as Treasurer of England under Henry I, before being appointed to the see, or bishopric, of Ely in 1133. The post of Lord High Treasurer or Lord Treasurer is an old English (after 1707, British) government position

After the ascension of King Stephen of England, the successor of Henry I, Nigel remained Treasurer for only a short time, before his family was ousted from political office by the king. Stephen often referred to in history as Stephen of Blois (c 1096 &ndash 25 October, 1154) was the last Norman King of England After rebelling, Nigel was eventually reconciled with Stephen, but when Stephen died Nigel was returned to the Treasurership by Stephen's successor King Henry II of England, in order to restore order to the treasury. He was succeeded in office by his son, Richard FitzNeal, who he had trained in the operations of the Exchequer, or treasury of England. Richard FitzNeal or FitzNigel, sometimes called Richard of Ely (ca

Early life

Nigel's exact date of birth is uncertain, but it was probably sometime about 1100. ^[2] His uncle was Roger of Salisbury, Bishop of Salisbury, who saw to Nigel's education,^[3] at the school of Laon,^[4] where he probably studied mathematics under^[5] Anselm of Laon. Roger (or Roger le Poer) (died 1139 was a Norman Medieval Bishop of Salisbury and the seventh Lord Chancellor and Lord Keeper The Bishop of Salisbury is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury. Anselm of Laon (died 1117 was a French theologian. Born of very humble parents at Laon before the middle of the 11th century he is said to have studied ^[2] Other students at Laon included William de Corbeil, later Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert de Bethune, who became Bishop of Hereford, Geoffrey le Breton, later to be Archbishop of Rouen, and men who held other bishoprics in the Anglo-Norman kingdom. William de Corbeil or William of Corbeil ( c. 1070&ndash1136 was a medieval Archbishop of Canterbury. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the Robert de Bethune (or Robert de Betun) was a medieval Bishop of Hereford. The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury. ^[6] Nigel held a prebend, an ecclesiastical office in the cathedral, in the see of London before he held the office of Archdeacon of Salisbury. A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic Cathedral or Collegiate church and is a type of canon. The Diocese of London forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England. ^[7] Nigel's brother was Alexander of Lincoln, who later became Bishop of Lincoln. Alexander of Lincoln (Latin Alexander Lincolniensis) (died in early 1148 Bishop of Lincoln, was born in Blois, France. See also List of bishops of Lincoln and precursor offices The Bishop of Lincoln heads the ( Anglican) ^[5]

Treasurer under Henry I

He was Lord High Treasurer in the reigns of Henry I of England^[8] and Henry II of England, first appearing as treasurer about 1126. The post of Lord High Treasurer or Lord Treasurer is an old English (after 1707, British) government position Henry I (c 1068/1069 – 1 December 1135) was the fourth son of William I the Conqueror, the first King of England after the Norman ^[9][10] He served as treasurer for both England and Normandy. ^[11] In 1133 Roger of Salisbury secured the bishopric of Ely for Nigel; Ely had been without a bishop since 1131. After a two year vacancy, King Henry made the appointment because he was returning to Normandy, and was settling outstanding business before leaving England. Ely was not the only bishopric filled, as Henry appointed two other bishops at this time. Geoffrey Rufus was appointed to Durham, and Æthelwold was named to the newly created Diocese of Carlisle. Geoffrey Rufus was a medieval Bishop of Durham and Lord Chancellor of England The Diocese of Durham is a Church of England Diocese, based in Durham, and covering the historic County Durham (and therefore Athelwold (or Æthelwulf, Aethelwulf, Aldulf, Ethelwulf, or Adelulf) was the first Bishop of Carlisle. The Diocese of Carlisle was created in 1133 by Henry I out of part of the Diocese of Durham, although many people of Celtic descent in the area actually ^[12] Nigel was consecrated on October 1, 1133,^[13] at Lambeth by William de Corbeil, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Lambeth is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth, although the area is now more commonly known as Waterloo, after the railway station whose viaduct separates the William de Corbeil or William of Corbeil ( c. 1070&ndash1136 was a medieval Archbishop of Canterbury. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the ^[2] He continued to hold the office of Treasurer until 1136, when he was replaced by a relative, Adelelm. Adelelm was Lord High Treasurer of England and nephew of Roger, Bishop of Salisbury. ^[9] The Constitutio domus regis, or Establishment of the King's Household may have been written by Nigel, or possibly for his use. ^[2][14]

Stephen's early reign

After Stephen's accession, Nigel was at first retained as Treasurer; but, like his uncle and his brothers, the king came to suspect him of secretly supporting the Empress Matilda, King Henry I's daughter and Stephen's rival for the throne of England. Matilda of England (sometimes Maud or Maude; 7 February 1102 &ndash 10 September 1167 was the daughter and dispossessed Heir of Henry I of England At a court held at Oxford in June 1139, Stephen required Roger of Salisbury, Alexander of Lincoln, and Nigel to surrender their castles. ^[15] The prime movers behind Stephen's move against the bishops were the Beaumont family, headed by the twin brothers Robert, Earl of Leicester, and Waleran, Count of Meulan,^[16] who wished to be the main advisors of the king. Robert de Beaumont 2nd Earl of Leicester (1104 &ndash 5 April 1168) was Justiciar of England 1155-1168 Waleran de Beaumont, Count of Meulan, 1st Earl of Worcester (1104 &ndash 9 April 1166, Preaux) was the son of Robert de Beaumont ^[17][18] Nigel managed to escape arrest by first fleeing to the castle of Devizes,^[19] which surrendered three days after the king invested it. Devizes is a small Market town and Civil parish in the heart of the English county of Wiltshire, in the southern United Kingdom ^[20] Stephen had threatened to hang Roger in front of the castle unless it was surrendered, and this led Nigel to surrender. All three bishops then submitted and surrendered their secular offices and castles. They were, however, allowed to retain their dioceses. ^[18]

Stephen's brother, Henry of Blois, who was Bishop of Winchester and papal legate in England, tried to bring Stephen to trial for his treatment of the bishops, but did not succeed. Adelelm was Lord High Treasurer of England and nephew of Roger, Bishop of Salisbury. Richard FitzNeal or FitzNigel, sometimes called Richard of Ely (ca Henry of Blois, often known as Henry of Winchester; (1101 &ndash 1171 was Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey from 1126 and Bishop of Winchester from 1129 See also List of bishops of Winchester The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England A Papal Legate – from the Latin authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the Pope to Foreign nations or to some part of the Catholic Bishop Roger died in December 1139 while in the king's custody. ^[15] After the death of his uncle, Nigel, then in East Anglia, revolted. The revolt was quickly suppressed in early January, and Nigel took refuge at the court of Stephen's rival the Empress Matilda. Nigel's own cathedral chapter had opposed the revolt, and refused to support him. In accordance with Canon law, a cathedral chapter is a body of clerics ( chapter) formed to advise a Bishop and in the case of a vacancy in the bishop’s The revolt stood little chance of succeeding, for there were no supporters of Matilda close to East Anglia, and it is likely that Nigel reacted more out of fear and anger at his uncle's death than anything else. ^[21] It appears likely that Nigel appealed to Pope Innocent II at this time, for in October 1140 Innocent issued a papal bull, or papal instruction, ordering the restoration of Nigel to his bishopric. A Papal bull is a particular type of Letters patent or charter issued by a Pope. ^[2] In 1141, Nigel, along with his brother Alexander, was one of the supporters of Matilda who, after the capture of Stephen by Matilda's forces, reached an agreement with Henry of Blois to replace Stephen with Matilda on the throne. ^[22] Ultimately, this agreement came to nothing when the chief supporter of Matilda, her half-brother Robert of Gloucester, was captured and later exchanged for Stephen. Robert 1st Earl of Gloucester (c 1090 &ndash October 31, 1147) was an Illegitimate son of King Henry I of England, and one ^[23]

In 1143, Nigel became involved in a quarrel with the powerful Henry of Blois. Charges of depriving a priest of a church, giving church property to laymen, and encouraging sedition were brought against Nigel, and he was forced to go to Rome to defend himself, only reaching Rome in 1144. He did not return to his diocese until 1145. ^[24] While he was in Rome, Pope Lucius II issued a number of rulings in Nigel's favor, ordering his restitution to Ely. Pope Lucius II (died 15 February, 1145) born Gherardo Caccianemici dal Orso, was Pope from March 9, 1144 until his death ^[2] He was then finally reconciled with Stephen by paying a fine of 200 pounds and offering his son Richard fitzNeal as a hostage. Richard FitzNeal or FitzNigel, sometimes called Richard of Ely (ca ^[25] While Nigel was at Rome, Ely was attacked by the king's forces. The monks sent to Geoffrey de Mandeville for aid, and Geoffrey came and occupied the Isle of Ely, while the king's forces occupied the lands of the diocese outside the Isle. Geoffrey de Mandeville 1st Earl of Essex (1st Creation (d Sept The Isle of Ely is a historic region around the city of Ely now in Cambridgeshire, England but previously a county in its own right Both occupying forces did damage to the lands of the diocese and the cathedral chapter. ^[26]

Stephen's later reign and under Henry II

By 1147, Nigel was again witnessing Stephen's charters, and in 1153 or 1154 he was named in a grant of lands to St Radegund's priory in Cambridge. The bishop also was a witness to the charter of Stephen that left England to Matilda's son, Henry of Anjou. When Henry succeeded Stephen, Nigel was present at the coronation. ^[2]

After the accession of Henry II Nigel was summoned to reorganize the Exchequer. The Exchequer was (and in some cases still is a part of the governments of England (latterly to include Wales) Scotland, and Northern Ireland The king had to ask Nigel several times to return before the bishop agreed, and one reason for Nigel's reluctance may have been that he would have to work with Robert, count of Leicester, who had been one of those responsible for turning Stephen against Nigel's family in 1139. ^[27] Nigel was the only surviving minister of Henry I, and his knowledge of the exchequer was needed to help reorganize the revenues of the king. ^[28] It may be that the survival of the lone Pipe Roll, a type of financial record of the Exchequer, from Henry I's reign, that of the year 1130, owes something to the fact that it may have been Nigel's own copy, which he brought with him to the Exchequer when he returned under Henry II. The Pipe Rolls are a series of financial records from England, beginning in 1130 and lasting mostly complete until 1833. Nigel was able to increase the revenues over what had been collected under Stephen, but was unable to quickly return them to the amounts collected under Henry I. ^[29] It may have been Nigel who urged the king to attempt to recover estates that had been alienated during Stephen's reign. ^[30]

Nigel also served as a royal justice under Henry II. However, his relations with the monks of his cathedral chapter, which had never been good, continued to be marked by quarrels. In 1156, the English Pope Adrian IV threatened to suspend Nigel from office unless the bishop restored to the church all the lands that had belonged to the church when Nigel became bishop. Pope Adrian IV (or Hadrian IV – c 1100&ndash 1 September, 1159) born Nicholas Breakspear or Breakspeare, was Pope The restitution was hampered by the absence of the king from England, and the dispute dragged on until finally it was resolved by Nigel pledging in front of Theobald of Bec, Archbishop of Canterbury, to restore the lands. Theobald ( Tedbald) (died 18 April 1161 was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1139 to 1161 Even this did not end the quarrels with the monks, as Nigel then named a married clerk as sacrist of Ely, which action was condemned by Thomas Becket, the new Archbishop of Canterbury. A sacristan is an officer who is charged with the care of the Sacristy, the church, and their contents St Thomas Becket (c 1118 &ndash December 29, 1170) was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 to 1170 ^[2]

Death and legacy

The tomb of King Henry II of England, who summoned Nigel to reorganize the Exchequer.

He died on May 30, 1169. Events 1416 - The Council of Constance, called by the Emperor Sigismund a supporter of Antipope John XXIII burns Jerome of Prague following ^[13] Either in 1164 or in 1166, or possibly both, Nigel had been struck by paralysis, and after this he seems to have withdrawn from active affairs. He took little part in the disputes between the king and Becket. He may have been buried at Ely, where a 12th century marble slab may mark his tomb. ^[2]

Nigel was a married bishop,^[31] and his son Richard fitzNeal was later Lord Treasurer and Bishop of London. The Bishop of London is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury. ^[8] Another son was William, called William the Englishman. ^[2] Richard, who wrote the Dialogue of the Exchequer, was taught the procedures of the Treasury by his father. The Dialogue concerning the Exchequer or Dialogus de Scaccario was a Medieval Treatise on the practice of the English ^[11] His uncle Roger also had at least one son, Roger, who was chancellor for King Stephen, and Adelelm, who succeeded Nigel as treasurer was probably Roger's son also. Adelelm was Lord High Treasurer of England and nephew of Roger, Bishop of Salisbury. ^[32] Besides his uncle, cousins, and brother, another relative was William of Ely, who succeeded Richard fitzNeal as treasurer in 1196. William of Ely is an English Catholic clergyman and 5th Lord High Treasurer of England ^[33]

Nigel was active in draining The Fens, the swampy land around Ely, in order to increase the agricultural lands around his bishopric. The Fens, also known as the Fenland, is a geographic area in eastern England, in the United Kingdom. ^[34] He also fortified the Isle of Ely with stone defenses. ^[35] Early in his time as bishop he was active in recovering lands of the church that had been lost, and soon after his consecration he ordered an inquest made into the lands actually owned by the diocese and cathedral chapter. ^[36] The bishop spent most of his life in debt to various moneylenders, only managing to clear his debts in the year he died with the help of his son. ^[37] The monks of his cathedral chapter did not like the fact that they were required to pay for the bishop's appeals to Rome to recover his see, or pay for regaining the king's favor. Their dislike of their bishop is evident in the Liber Eliensis, the house chronicle of the abbey-turned-bishopric. ^[38]

Notes

Sources