Hugh de Puiset
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Hugh de Puiset ( c. 1125 – 3 March 1195) was a medieval
Bishop of Durham The Bishop of Durham is the Anglican bishop responsible for the Diocese of Durham in the Province of York. The diocese is one of the oldest in England and its bishop is a member of the House of Lords. Paul Butler has been the Bishop of Durham ...
and Chief Justiciar of England under King
Richard I Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, and Count of Poitiers, Anjou, Maine, and Nantes, and was ...
. He was the nephew of King
Stephen of England Stephen (1092 or 1096 – 25 October 1154), often referred to as Stephen of Blois, was King of England from 22 December 1135 to his death in 1154. He was Count of Boulogne '' jure uxoris'' from 1125 until 1147 and Duke of Normandy from 1135 ...
and Henry of Blois, who both assisted Hugh's ecclesiastical career. He held the office of treasurer of York for a number of years, which led him into conflict with
Henry Murdac Henry Murdac (died 1153) was abbot of Fountains Abbey and Archbishop of York in medieval England. Early life Murdac was a native of Yorkshire.Knowles ''Monastic Order'' p. 239 He was friendly with Archbishop Thurstan of York, who secured hi ...
,
Archbishop of York The archbishop of York is a senior bishop in the Church of England, second only to the archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and the metropolitan bishop of the province of York, which covers th ...
. In 1153, Hugh was elected bishop of Durham despite the opposition of Murdac. Hugh was not involved in the controversy between King Henry II 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 ...
, Archbishop of Canterbury. The king did suspect Hugh of supporting Henry's heir,
Henry the Young King Henry the Young King (28 February 1155 – 11 June 1183) was the eldest son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine to survive childhood. Beginning in 1170, he was titular King of England, Duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou and Mai ...
, when the prince rebelled and Hugh was also suspected of aiding the King of Scots,
William I William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 10 ...
, during an invasion of Northern England in 1174. After the accession of Henry's second son Richard as king, Hugh bought the office of
Sheriff of Northumberland This is a list of the High Sheriffs of the English county of Northumberland. The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries ...
, as well as the
earldom of Northumbria Earl of Northumbria or Ealdorman of Northumbria was a title in the late Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-Scandinavian and early Anglo-Norman period in England. The ealdordom was a successor of the Norse Kingdom of York. In the seventh century, the Anglo-Sa ...
. He also acquired the office of Justiciar, which he was supposed to share with
William de Mandeville William de Mandeville (died before 1130) was an Anglo-Norman baron and Constable of the Tower of London. Life William de Mandeville inherited the estates of his father Geoffrey de Mandeville, the Domesday tenant-in-chief, around 1100. He was C ...
, but with Mandeville's death Hugh shared the office with
William Longchamp William de Longchamp (died 1197) was a medieval Lord Chancellor, Chief Justiciar, and Bishop of Ely in England. Born to a humble family in Normandy, he owed his advancement to royal favour. Although contemporary writers accused Longchamp's fa ...
. Longchamp had managed to secure the office for himself by the middle of 1190. As a bishop, Hugh was noted as a builder, including a stone bridge in the city of Durham and the Galilee Chapel in Durham Cathedral. His administration of the episcopal lands included an inquest into the exact holdings of the bishopric. As a patron, Hugh sponsored the career of the medieval chronicler
Roger of Hoveden Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...
. Hugh had a long-term mistress, by whom he had at least two sons, and possibly two more.


Early life

Hugh was the nephew of brothers King Stephen of England and Henry of Blois,Greenway "Winchester: Archdeacons" ''Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300'': Volume 2: Monastic Cathedrals (Northern and Southern Provinces) born as the younger son of Hugh III, lord of Puiset and Agnes, sister of Stephen and Henry. Agnes' parents were
Stephen, Count of Blois Stephen Henry (in French, ''Étienne Henri'', in Medieval French, ''Estienne Henri''; – 19 May 1102) was the Count of Blois and Count of Chartres. He led an army during the First Crusade, was at the surrender of the city of Nicaea, and direc ...
and Adela, a daughter of King
William the Conqueror William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first House of Normandy, Norman List of English monarchs#House of Norman ...
. His paternal family held a lordship in Northern France. Hugh was born in approximately 1125, for in 1153 with his election as bishop he was still under the canonical age limit for bishops of 28.Barrow "Puiset, Hugh du, earl of Northumberland" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' Henry acquired for Hugh the office of archdeacon in the
see of Winchester The Diocese of Winchester forms part of the Province of Canterbury of the Church of England. Founded in 676, it is one of the older dioceses in England. It once covered Wessex, many times its present size which is today most of the historic enla ...
, sometime before 1139. Hugh afterwards became
archdeacon of York The Archdeacon of York (or of the West Riding) is a senior clergy position in an archdeaconry subdivision of the Church of England Diocese of York in the Province of York. It is named for the City of York and consists of the seven rural deanerie ...
and treasurer of York, sometime around 1143, probably through the patronage of
William FitzHerbert William Fitzherbert may refer to: *Saint William of York, Archbishop of York *William Fitzherbert (New Zealand politician) (1810–1891), New Zealand politician * Sir William FitzHerbert, 1st Baronet (1748–1791), of Derbyshire *William Fitzherb ...
while he was serving his first term as Archbishop of York. While treasurer, he was a member of the party at York that wanted to elect Hilary as archbishop after William FitzHerbert's deposition in 1147. The successful candidate was
Henry Murdac Henry Murdac (died 1153) was abbot of Fountains Abbey and Archbishop of York in medieval England. Early life Murdac was a native of Yorkshire.Knowles ''Monastic Order'' p. 239 He was friendly with Archbishop Thurstan of York, who secured hi ...
, the Abbot of Fountains, who was supported by the bishops of Durham and Carlisle, William of St. Barbara and
Æthelwold Æthelwold was a common Anglo Saxon name. It may refer to: Royalty and nobility *King Æthelwold of Deira, King of Deira, d. 655 *King Æthelwold of East Anglia, King of East Anglia, d. 664 *King Æthelwold Moll of Northumbria, King of Northumbria ...
respectively. Murdac excommunicated Hugh, who returned the gesture.Barlow ''English Church 1066–1154'' p. 98–99


Bishop of Durham under Henry II

On 22 January 1153 Hugh was elected to the
see of Durham The Bishop of Durham is the Church of England, Anglican bishop responsible for the Diocese of Durham in the Province of York. The diocese is one of the oldest in England and its bishop is a member of the House of Lords. Paul Butler (bishop), Pau ...
by the cathedral chapter, in spite of the opposition of Henry Murdac, who excommunicated the chapter in response.Barlow ''English Church 1066–1154'' p. 102Knowles ''Monastic Order'' p. 257 Because of Murdac's opposition and refusal to confirm the election, Hugh only obtained consecration by making a personal visit to Rome, where the pope was able to over-rule the Archbishop of York.Greenway "Durham: Bishops" ''Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300: Volume 2'': Monastic Cathedrals (Northern and Southern Provinces) He was consecrated on 20 December 1153,Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 241 by Pope Anastasius IV. Hugh was enthroned, or ceremonially installed as bishop in his cathedral, at
Durham Durham most commonly refers to: *Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham *County Durham, an English county * Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States *Durham, North Carolina, a city in N ...
on 2 May 1154. King Stephen granted to Puiset as bishop of Durham, the mineral rights at Weardale, which included lead mines. Silver was also extracted from the lead ore mined there, and that silver probably helped the bishops form their own mint.Geddes "Twelfth-Century Metalwork" ''Medieval Art and Architecture'' p. 140 Hugh may not have attended the coronation of King Henry II of England and his queen
Eleanor of Aquitaine Eleanor ( – 1 April 1204; french: Aliénor d'Aquitaine, ) was Queen of France from 1137 to 1152 as the wife of King Louis VII, Queen of England from 1154 to 1189 as the wife of King Henry II, and Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right from 1 ...
. Some sources place him at the coronation, others do not.Powell and Wallis ''House of Lords'' p. 73 and footnote3 He also did not attend the Council of Clarendon in 1164 that issued the
Constitutions of Clarendon The Constitutions of Clarendon were a set of legislative procedures passed by Henry II of England in 1164. The Constitutions were composed of 16 articles and represent an attempt to restrict ecclesiastical privileges and curb the power of the Chu ...
, that was the cause of the quarrel between the king and Thomas Becket.Powell and Wallis ''House of Lords'' p. 80 footnote 49Barlow ''Thomas Becket'' p. 98 In the ensuing dispute between the king and Becket, Hugh did not take sides. He was, however, present with
Roger de Pont L'Évêque Roger de Pont L'Évêque (or Robert of Bishop's Bridge; c. 1115–1181) was Archbishop of York from 1154 to 1181. Born in Normandy, he preceded Thomas Becket as Archdeacon of Canterbury, and together with Becket served Theobald of Bec while Th ...
the Archbishop of York at the coronation of the king's eldest son Henry the Young King in 1170, and consequently was suspended by Alexander III. The coronation of the Young King eventually led to Becket's martyrdom in December 1170.Poole ''Domesday Book to Magna Carta'' pp. 213–214 Hugh obtained an exemption allowing him to keep his castle at
Northallerton Northallerton ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the Hambleton District of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Vale of Mowbray and at the northern end of the Vale of York. It had a population of 16,832 in the 2011 census, an increa ...
in Yorkshire when Henry was ordering the
destruction Destruction may refer to: Concepts * Destruktion, a term from the philosophy of Martin Heidegger * Destructive narcissism, a pathological form of narcissism * Self-destructive behaviour, a widely used phrase that ''conceptualises'' certain kin ...
of most of the illegal castles that had been built during King Stephen's reign.Bartlett ''England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings'' p. 279–280 He also built a castle at Norham, designed to help defend the north of England against raids from Scotland. Hugh was suspected of involvement in the Young King's revolt in 1173. He does not seem to have taken an active part, but King Henry II suspected him of supporting the rebellion.Warren ''Henry II'' p. 123 When King
William the Lion William the Lion, sometimes styled William I and also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough"''Uilleam Garbh''; e.g. Annals of Ulster, s.a. 1214.6; Annals of Loch Cé, s.a. 1213.10. ( 1142 – 4 December 1214), reigned as King of Scots from 11 ...
of Scotland invaded northern England in the spring of 1174, Hugh either connived at the invasion or helped the rebels and the Scottish king.Warren ''Henry II'' p. 132–134 Suspicion fell upon the bishop because he was cautious in defending against the Scottish raids. Hugh also concluded truces with the Scots that allowed them free passage through the ecclesiastical lands in return for no damage being done to those lands. Lastly, the bishop's nephew Hugh IV de Puiset, who was Count of Bar-sur-Seine in France, brought an armed force to Hartlepool, supposedly to help defend Hugh, but King Henry feared that this was an attempt to aid the rebellion of the Young King. After the revolt had been put down, King Henry II ordered Hugh's castle of Northallerton destroyed. Hugh also was required to surrender his other castles.Poole ''Domesday Book to Magna Carta'' p. 337 In ecclesiastical affairs, Hugh attended the 1163 Council of Tours that was held by Pope Alexander III. In 1179 he attended the Lateran Council at Rome. It was while he was there that he became involved in the conflict between the king of Scots and the chapter of St Andrews over the election of the bishop of St Andrews. The king wanted his chaplain, another Hugh, and the chapter wanted John the Scot. The pope ordered Puiset to compel the king to obey, but in 1183 the controversy was solved by a compromise. When King Richard I began his reign in 1189, Hugh bought the offices of Earl of Northumbria and Sheriff of Northumberland.Barlow ''Feudal Kingdom of England'' pp. 352–353 Hugh paid 2000 pounds for the office, and paid a further 1000 pounds for the office of Justiciar and a release from his crusading vow.Poole ''From Domesday Book to Magna Carta'' p. 350 The charter granting Hugh the earldom mentioned that Richard had invested the bishop with the earldom "by the sword and ring"Quoted in Powell and Wallis ''House of Lords'' p. 96 which is the earliest mention in a charter of that method of investing an honour.Powell and Wallis ''House of Lords'' p. 96–97 Richard also filled the office of Archbishop of York, which had been vacant since 1181, with Richard's illegitimate half-brother Geoffrey. The continued vacancy at York had increased Hugh's power, as he had no superior as long as there was no archbishop. For two years, Geoffrey was unable to secure consecration, but in 1191, a new pope,
Celestine III Pope Celestine III ( la, Caelestinus III; c. 1106 – 8 January 1198), was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 30 March or 10 April 1191 to his death in 1198. He had a tense relationship with several monarchs, ...
was elected and Celestine consecrated Geoffrey and ordered Hugh to submit to Geoffrey.Barlow ''Feudal Kingdom of England'' p. 374 Hugh shared the office of justiciar with
William de Mandeville William de Mandeville (died before 1130) was an Anglo-Norman baron and Constable of the Tower of London. Life William de Mandeville inherited the estates of his father Geoffrey de Mandeville, the Domesday tenant-in-chief, around 1100. He was C ...
, but Mandeville died soon after taking office.Huscroft ''Ruling England'' pp. 160–161 Richard then promoted William Longchamp to share the office with Hugh.Huscroft ''Ruling England'' p. 144 The two men did not get along, and in March 1190 Richard split the authority, giving Hugh authority north of the Humber River and giving authority over the rest of England to Longchamp.Gillingham ''Richard I'' p. 121 This arrangement was not permanent, and Longchamp outmanoeuvred Hugh to become sole justiciar by the middle of 1190. Longchamp arrested Hugh for overstepping his authority and made him surrender his castle, his earldom and hostages, although the real cause wasn't overstepping authority but Longchamp's animosity towards Hugh.Gilingham ''Richard I'' p. 124
William of Newburgh William of Newburgh or Newbury ( la, Guilelmus Neubrigensis, ''Wilhelmus Neubrigensis'', or ''Willelmus de Novoburgo''. 1136 – 1198), also known as William Parvus, was a 12th-century English historian and Augustinian canon of Anglo-Saxon de ...
, the medieval chronicler, felt that a bishop taking the office of Justiciar was wrong, and stated that God would not accept the loyalties of "a bishop who wishes to please both the heavenly and the earthly king."Quoted in Bartlett ''England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings'' p. 409 When Prince
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...
, Richard's younger brother, rebelled during King Richard's captivity in 1193, Hugh opposed the rebellion. Hugh attacked some of John's northern holdings.Barlow ''Feudal Kingdom of England'' p. 360 In concert with Archbishop Geoffrey he laid siege to
Tickhill Castle Tickhill Castle was a castle in Tickhill, on the Nottingham/Yorkshire West Riding border, England and a prominent stronghold during the reign of King John. Early history The gatehouse range, seen from the bailey The castle started as an 11th- ...
.Barlow ''Feudal Kingdom of England'' p. 377


Death and legacy

Hugh ordered an inquest into the revenues and resources of his bishopric, along with the customs of the see. This took place in 1183, and when it was finished, the results were entered into a register that became known as the Boldon Book.Bartlett ''England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings'' pp. 197–198 Hugh also fought a long-running disagreement with his own cathedral chapter over the right to oversee the monks, a conflict that lasted about 40 years.Lawrence ''Medieval Monasticism'' p. 135 This led to the monks forging many documents purporting to show that earlier bishops had granted the monks rights and privileges exempting them from episcopal oversight. He also fought with Archbishop Roger of York over lands they both held in each other's see. As a builder, Hugh built the New Bridge, now
Elvet Bridge Elvet Bridge is a medieval masonry arch bridge across the River Wear in the city of Durham, in County Durham, England. It links the peninsula in central Durham and the Elvet area of the city, and is a Grade I listed building. Building Buildi ...
, in Durham, the second stone bridge in the town.Bartlett ''England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings'' p. 364 Hugh also oversaw work on Durham Cathedral, decorating the inside with marble, installing stained glass windows, putting in a shrine for the bones of Bede, and building the Galilee Chapel on the west end of the cathedral.Bartlett ''England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings'' p. 392 Originally, Puiset had planned to put in a Lady Chapel on the east side of the cathedral, but the ground was unsuitable, and instead work began on the Galilee Chapel on the west side of the cathedral.Carver "Early Medieval Durham" ''Medieval Art and Architecture'' p. 15 The Galilee Chapel is unusual in that it has five aisles, and quatrefoil, or four lobed, piers. A model for the chapel may have been the work being done on
York Minster The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, North Yorkshire, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The minster is the seat of the Arch ...
in rebuilding the choir.Halsey "Galilee Chapel" ''Medieval Art and Architecture'' p. 69 The current Norman doorway and the gallery that is above the doorway in
Durham Castle Durham Castle is a Norman castle in the city of Durham, England, which has been occupied since 1837 by University College, Durham after its previous role as the residence of the Bishops of Durham. Designated since 1986 as a cultural World Heri ...
were also the work of Hugh,Poole ''From Domesday Book to Magna Carta'' p. 223 which was part of a hall built in the bailey of the castle.Kerr ''Norman Sites'' p. 171 Along with the king of Scots, he built the first bridge over the
River Tweed The River Tweed, or Tweed Water ( gd, Abhainn Thuaidh, sco, Watter o Tweid, cy, Tuedd), is a river long that flows east across the Border region in Scotland and northern England. Tweed cloth derives its name from its association with the ...
at Berwick. He also rebuilt
Norham Castle Norham Castle (sometimes Nornam) is a castle in Northumberland, England, overlooking the River Tweed, on the border between England and Scotland. It is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The castle saw much action during ...
, replacing the previous buildings built by
Ranulf Flambard Ranulf Flambard ( c. 1060 – 5 September 1128) was a medieval Norman Bishop of Durham and an influential government minister of King William Rufus of England. Ranulf was the son of a priest of Bayeux, Normandy, and his nickname Flambard ...
, an earlier bishop, with a stone castle.Kerr ''Norman Sites'' p. 174 Hugh was known for his extravagant tastes and opulent lifestyle, as well as his possession of a large library.Poole ''From Domesday Book to Magna Carta'' p. 351–352 He had a son, Henry, who was one of the hostages demanded by Longchamp in 1190. Another son was Hugh, who became chancellor for King
Philip II of France Philip II (21 August 1165 – 14 July 1223), byname Philip Augustus (french: Philippe Auguste), was King of France from 1180 to 1223. His predecessors had been known as kings of the Franks, but from 1190 onward, Philip became the first French m ...
. Both Henry and Hugh were the sons of the bishop's long term mistress, Alice de Percy. Alice may have been the mother of two more of the bishop's sons, William,
archdeacon of Northumberland The Archdeacon of Northumberland is a senior ecclesiastical officer within the Diocese of Newcastle. As such she or he is responsible for the disciplinary supervision of the clergy within the geographical area of the archdeaconry. History The firs ...
, and
Burchard Burchard (and all variant spellings) may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Burchard (name), Burchard and all related spellings as a given name and surname * Burckhardt, or (de) Bourcard, a family of the Basel patriciate * Burchard-Bélaváry family, an a ...
,
archdeacon of Durham The Archdeacon of Durham is a senior ecclesiastical officer of the diocese of Durham (Church of England). They have, within the geographical area the ''archdeaconry of Durham'', pastoral oversight of clergy and care of church buildings (among other ...
and treasurer of York. He had a number of other mistresses but Alice was the most public, so much so that it caused a scandal, and closely resembled a marriage. Hugh was not well known as a scholar. He did, however, serve as a patron to Roger of Hoveden, the medieval chronicler who started writing about 1169.Barlow ''Thomas Becket'' p. 8 He also commissioned two large Bibles, one of which still remains at Durham and is considered a masterpiece of book creation. This is Durham Cathedral Library Manuscript A. II. 1. Hugh died on 3 March 1195,Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 71 having ruled his diocese for an exceptionally long time, forty-two years.Bartlett ''England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings'' p. 395


Notes


Citations


References

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Puiset, Hugh de 1120s births 1195 deaths Bishops of Durham People temporarily excommunicated by the Catholic Church Archdeacons of Winchester (ancient) 12th-century English Roman Catholic bishops High Sheriffs of Northumberland Earls of Northumbria (Peerage of England)