Roger was the second bishop of Lydda and Ramla from at least 1112 until 1147. Roger's origin is unknown. He succeeded his predecessor,

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, h ...

, sometime between 1103 and 1112. Whether a reference from 1108 to a bishop with the initial R refers to Robert of Roger is unknown. The historian Bernard Hamilton considers it likely that the patriarch of Jerusalem,

Ghibbelin of Arles Ghibbelin of Sabran (also spelled Gibelin) ( 1045 – 1112) was Archbishop of Arles (1080–1112), papal legate (1107–1108), and Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem (1108–1112). Biography Ghibbelin was named Archbishop of Arles at the Council of A ...

, appointed Roger, whom he describes as "a man of real ability". Lydda was a

suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdiction ...

diocese of Jerusalem. At the urging of the new patriarch,

Arnulf of Chocques Arnulf of Chocques (died 1118) was a leading member of the clergy during the First Crusade, being made Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem in 1099 and again from 1112 to 1118. Sometimes referred to as Arnulf of Rœulx, presumably after the village of Rœu ...

, Roger granted properties, including the '' casale'' Sephoria, to the Abbey of Josaphat in 1115. In 1136, he granted four ''casalia'' within his diocese to the

canons of the Holy Sepulchre The Canons Regular of the Holy Sepulchre were a Catholic religious order of canons regular of the Rule of Saint Augustine, said to have been founded in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, then the capital of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, a ...

, albeit holding back a portion of the

tithe A tithe (; from Old English: ''teogoþa'' "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash or cheques or more ...

s. In March 1118, Roger participated in King

Baldwin I of Jerusalem Baldwin I, also known as Baldwin of Boulogne (1060s – 2April 1118), was the first count of Edessa from 1098 to 1100, and king of Jerusalem from 1100 to his death in 1118. He was the youngest son of Eustace II, Count of Boulogne, and Ida of Lo ...

's last military campaign and the king died in his arms. In 1128, Roger accompanied Archbishop

William I of Tyre William I was the second Latin archbishop of Tyre from 1128 until 1134 or 1135. He was originally from England and served as prior of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre before his appointment as archbishop. A certain Odo had been consecrated archbis ...

to Europe. In Rome, they conferred with

Pope Honorius II Pope Honorius II (9 February 1060 – 13 February 1130), born Lamberto Scannabecchi,Levillain, pg. 731 was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 21 December 1124 to his death in 1130. Although from a humble background, ...

on the state of the Holy Land. On behalf of King

Baldwin II of Jerusalem Baldwin II, also known as Baldwin of Bourcq or Bourg (; – 21August 1131), was Count of Edessa from 1100 to 1118, and King of Jerusalem from 1118 until his death. He accompanied his cousins Godfrey of Bouillon and Baldwin of Boulogne to the ...

, they arranged the marriage of his daughter, Melisende, to Count

Fulk V of Anjou Fulk ( la, Fulco, french: Foulque or ''Foulques''; c. 1089/1092 – 13 November 1143), also known as Fulk the Younger, was the count of Anjou (as Fulk V) from 1109 to 1129 and the king of Jerusalem with his wife from 1131 to his death. During t ...

—an essential prelude to the Fulk's crusade of 1129.

References

Sources

* * * {{Refend Date of birth unknown 12th-century deaths Roman Catholic Diocese of Lydda and Ramla 12th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the Kingdom of Jerusalem