Arnulf of Lisieux (1104/1109 – 31 August 1184) was a medieval French bishop who figured prominently as a conservative figure during the Renaissance of the 12th century, built the Cathedral of Lisieux, which introduced

Gothic architecture Gothic architecture (or pointed architecture) is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It ...

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

, and implemented the reforms of

Bernard of Clairvaux Bernard of Clairvaux, O. Cist. ( la, Bernardus Claraevallensis; 109020 August 1153), venerated as Saint Bernard, was an abbot, mystic, co-founder of the Knights Templars, and a major leader in the reformation of the Benedictine Order throug ...

Biography

He was born in Normandy, the second son of Hardouin de Neuville,''

DNB Drum and bass (also written as drum & bass or drum'n'bass and commonly abbreviated as D&B, DnB, or D'n'B) is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by fast breakbeats (typically 165–185 beats per minute) with heavy bass and sub-ba ...

''
"Arnulf of Lisieux"
and having been educated there by his elder brother, Jean,

Bishop of Sées A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

, studied

canon law Canon law (from grc, κανών, , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. It is th ...

at Rome. He made his mark writing in defence of Pope Innocent II a violent letter against Gerard,

bishop of Angoulême A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or offic ...

, a partisan of the Jewish-descended Antipope Anacletus II (Petrus Leonis). He went to England to serve in the court of

Stephen Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...

during The Anarchy. In 1141 he was raised to the See of Lisieux. He accompanied Louis VII on his crusade (1147), was faithful to Pope Alexander III at the Council of Tours (1163) during the schism, and encouraged his brother bishops to defend the cause of ecclesiastical liberty against

Henry II of England Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189), also known as Henry Curtmantle (french: link=no, Court-manteau), Henry FitzEmpress, or Henry Plantagenet, was King of England from 1154 until his death in 1189, and as such, was the first Angevin king ...

. He was an early partisan of Henry in his struggles as Duke of Normandy to become king of England and took the king's side in the conflict between Henry and

Thomas Becket Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), was an English nobleman who served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then ...

, but in attempting to mediate between king and archbishop he alienated both sides; after Becket's murder Arnulf undertook the royal defence before the pope. In 1181 or perhaps a little earlier, he lost the good will of the king, and for a while that of

Pope Lucius III Pope Lucius III (c. 1097 – 25 November 1185), born Ubaldo Allucingoli, reigned from 1 September 1181 to his death in 1185. Born of an aristocratic family of Lucca, prior to being elected pope, he had a long career as a papal diplomat. His pa ...

. He then resigned his see, claiming age and feebleness, and retired to the Abbey of St. Victor, Paris, where he died. His writings include a collection of letters, collated by himself, which survive in 19 manuscripts, and some poetry.In '' Patrologia Latina'', CCI:1–200; the first English translation of the letters is by Carolyn Shriber, ''The Letter-Collections of Arnulf of Lisieux'' (Mellen Press), 1997. He was the uncle of

Hugh Nonant Hugh Nonant (sometimes Hugh de Nonant; died 27 March 1198) was a medieval Bishop of Coventry in England. A great-nephew and nephew of two Bishops of Lisieux, he held the office of archdeacon in that diocese before serving successively Thomas Be ...

, who was

Bishop of Coventry The Bishop of Coventry is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Coventry in the Province of Canterbury. In the Middle Ages, the Bishop of Coventry was a title used by the bishops known today as the Bishop of Lichfield. The presen ...

from 1185 to 1198.Spear "The Norman Empire and the Secular Clergy" ''Journal of British Studies'' p. 5

References

* Potthast, August, ''Bibliotheca historica medii aevi'', 2d ed., vol. I:121 * Molinier, Auguste, ''Sources de l'histoire de France'' (1902), II, n. 1908 *Spear, David S. "The Norman Empire and the Secular Clergy, 1066–1204" ''The Journal of British Studies'' Volume XXI Number 2 Spring 1982 p. 1–10

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arnulf of Lisieux 12th-century French Roman Catholic bishops 1100s births Year of birth uncertain 1184 deaths Bishops of Lisieux Medieval Latin poets Christians of the Second Crusade