Pierre Charlot,(b.1205/1209 - d. 1249), was the illegitimate son of
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 ...
and an unknown mother. He held the offices of treasurer of St. Martin of Tours, St. Frambaud of Senlis, and St. Fursy of Peronne. Elected bishop of Noyon in 1240, Pierre accompanied Louis IX of France on the
Seventh Crusade. He died near Cyprus in 1249 and was buried in the cathedral of Noyon.
Life
Pierre was born between 1205 and 1209. Despite his illegitimate birth, his father hired
William the Breton
William the Breton (c. 1165c. 1225), French chronicler and poet, was a contemporary and dependent of French king Philip Augustus for whom he served in diplomatic missions and for whom he wrote a Latin prose chronicle and a Latin epic poem.
Willia ...
to tutor him. Following the death of his father, his tutor dedicated the prologue in his "Philippidos" to him. His father obtained a dispensation from
Pope Honorius III
Pope Honorius III (c. 1150 – 18 March 1227), born Cencio Savelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 18 July 1216 to his death. A canon at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, he came to hold a number of impor ...
which allowed Pierre to hold ecclesiastical benefices.
Appointments
By 1232, Pierre was appointed treasurer of the church of St Martin in Tours. In 1234 a number of canons challenged the election on the grounds that it had been procured by coercion and threats. In 1235 he held the offices of treasurer of Saint-Frambaud of Senlis and of Saint-Fursy of Péronne.
In 1240, Pierre and John, the dean of St.Martin of Tours, both received the same amount of votes in the election for bishop of Noyon. The decision was sent to Rome and through the appeals of
Louis IX of France, Pierre was awarded the bishopric. The decision, drew letters of complaint from
Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX ( la, Gregorius IX; born Ugolino di Conti; c. 1145 or before 1170 – 22 August 1241) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 March 1227 until his death in 1241. He is known for issuing the '' Decre ...
to the archbishop of Reims, chapter of Namur, and the bishop of Palestrina. Gregory argued that Pierre was the child of an adulterous relationship and thus ineligible to hold the office of bishop without a special dispensation, and he should be removed from office and placed on a three-year suspension from his benefices. Despite papal animosity, Pierre kept his episcopate.
Crusade
Pierre accompanied his nephew, King Louis IX, on the
Seventh Crusade to the
Holy Land, and died near Cyprus in 1249 and was buried in the cathedral of Noyon.
Notes
References
Sources
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*{{cite book , title=Saint Louis, Crusader King of France , first=Jean , last=Richard , publisher=Cambridge University Press , year=1992
1205 births
1249 deaths
Children of Philip II of France