Peter (died 25 December 1139) was a

Benedictine monk The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict ( la, Ordo Sancti Benedicti, abbreviated as OSB), are a Christian monasticism, monastic Religious order (Catholic), religious order of the Catholic Church following the Rule of Saint Benedic ...

and a "prelate of more than average distinction", who held the bishopric of Viviers (1125–31, as Peter II) and subsequently the

archbishopric of Lyon The Archdiocese of Lyon (Latin: ''Archidiœcesis Lugdunensis''; French language, French: ''Archidiocèse de Lyon''), formerly the Archdiocese of Lyon–Vienne–Embrun, is a Latin Church metropolis (religious jurisdiction), metropolitan archdioce ...

(1131–39, as Peter I). Throughout his archiepiscopate he held the office of Papal legate. Peter was from Burgundy, but his family is unidentified. He was related to Albert de Posquières d'Uzès,

bishop of Nîmes 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 ...

(1141–80). Prior to his election to Viviers, Peter was a monk of

Cluny Cluny () is a commune in the eastern French department of Saône-et-Loire, in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. It is northwest of Mâcon. The town grew up around the Benedictine Abbey of Cluny, founded by Duke William I of Aquitaine in ...

. There he first met and befriended Peter the Venerable, later abbot. He once gave Peter a golden ring as a sign of his affection. When he was transferred to Lyon, Peter wrote him a laudatory letter, in which he thanks divine providence for raising Peter "from the valley of Viviers to the mount of Lyon, a high place to a still higher place". In 1129, in cooperation with the bishops of Die and

Grenoble lat, Gratianopolis , commune status = Prefecture and commune , image = Panorama grenoble.png , image size = , caption = From upper left: Panorama of the city, Grenoble’s cable cars, place Saint- ...

, Peter intervened to end the conflict between Silvion II, lord of Clérieu, and the collegiate church of Saint-Barnard de Romans. In 1130, Pope Innocent II recruited Peter to judge the case of the church of

Bessan Bessan (; oc, Beçan) is a commune in the Hérault department of the Occitanie region in France. Its inhabitants are known as 'Bessanais' in French. Geography Built among vineyards on the river Hérault, Bessan is a mainly agricultural vi ...

, disputed between the abbeys of

Saint-Thibéry Saint-Thibéry (; oc, Sant Tibèri) is a commune in the Hérault ''département'' in the Occitanie region in southern France. The village of Saint-Thibéry is built at the confluence of the Rivers Thongue and Hérault. The old Roman road "Via Do ...

and

La Chaise-Dieu La Chaise-Dieu (; Auvergnat: ''La Chasa Dieu'') is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France. Its inhabitants are called ''Casadéens'', from the Latin name of the city. Geography La Chaise-Dieu occupies a 1082 m butte w ...

. The case was judged in favour of Saint-Thibéry. In 1138 the election of the

bishop of Langres The Roman Catholic Diocese of Langres (Latin: ''Dioecesis Lingonensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Langres'') is a Roman Catholic diocese comprising the ''département'' of Haute-Marne in France. The diocese is now a suffragan in ecclesiastical pr ...

was disputed between two factions, and in June or July Peter gave his approval to the election of a Cluniac bishop—probably William of Sabran—whom he duly consecrated. Although

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 ...

attacked Peter in a letter to Pope Innocent II on this occasion, it does not seem to have harmed Peter's reputation. In 1139 Pope Innocent sent him as legate to the

Kingdom of Jerusalem The Kingdom of Jerusalem ( la, Regnum Hierosolymitanum; fro, Roiaume de Jherusalem), officially known as the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem or the Frankish Kingdom of Palestine,Example (title of works): was a Crusader state that was establish ...

to settle a dispute between Patriarch

Ralph of Domfront Ralph of Domfront (or Radulph, la, Radulfus; died c. 1146) was the archbishop of Mamistra and second Latin patriarch of Antioch (as Ralph I) from 1135 until 1140. William of Tyre describes him as "a military man, very magnificent and generous, a g ...

and the canons of the

Antioch Antioch on the Orontes (; grc-gre, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου, ''Antiókheia hē epì Oróntou'', Learned ; also Syrian Antioch) grc-koi, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου; or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπ� ...

. Peter sailed to Acre and went from there to Jerusalem. He returned to Acre and died there on Christmas Day before moving on to Antioch.

William of Tyre William of Tyre ( la, Willelmus Tyrensis; 113029 September 1186) was a medieval prelate and chronicler. As archbishop of Tyre, he is sometimes known as William II to distinguish him from his predecessor, William I, the Englishman, a former ...

, who calls him "a man of a venerable life, simple and God-fearing, but old and now verging on senility" in his chronicle, raises the spectre of poisoning. An obituary written at the priory of Leigneux dates his death incorrectly to 31 May.

Notes

Sources

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Peter 01 Archbishops of Lyon 1139 deaths Year of birth unknown fr:Pierre (archevêque)