Walter de Luci (also Walter de Lucy), Abbot of Battle Abbey, was the brother of Richard de Luci, who was Chief Justiciar of England. Walter de Luci (or de Lucy) was a Benedictine monk at Lonlay-l'Abbaye in Normandy, before being elected Abbot of Battle Abbey in

Sussex Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English ...

, England. He was elected on 8 January 1139. He died while still abbot on 21 June 1171. Knowles, David; Brooke C. N. L.; and London, Vera C. M. ''The Heads of Religious Houses: England and Wales 940–1216'' Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1972 p. 29 While abbot, he became involved in a dispute with Hilary, bishop of Chichester, who was the bishop who held jurisdiction over Battle Abbey. Knowles, Dom David ''The Monastic Order in England: From the Times of St. Dunstan to the Fourth Lateran Council'' Second Edition Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1976 reprint p. 589 Battle had never received a papal exemption, and instead relied on its status as a royal foundation by King William I of England and its status as an eigenkirche.Warren, W. L. ''Henry II'' Berkeley: University of California Press 1973 p. 429-432 Hilary obtained from both Pope

Eugene III Pope Eugene III ( la, Eugenius III; c. 1080 – 8 July 1153), born Bernardo Pignatelli, or possibly Paganelli, called Bernardo da Pisa, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 February 1145 to his death in 1153. He w ...

and Pope Hadrian IV orders to obey the bishop, but in 1157, Walter brought the case before King Henry II of England at a council held at Colchester. The foundation charter of William I and the confirmation by King

Henry I of England Henry I (c. 1068 – 1 December 1135), also known as Henry Beauclerc, was King of England from 1100 to his death in 1135. He was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and was educated in Latin and the liberal arts. On William's death in ...

, who was Henry II's grandfather, were produced by Walter, and were admitted as genuine. Both documents freed the abbey from ecclesiastical oversight, and Henry II had at his coronation confirmed all his grandfather's charters. However, Hilary argued that only a papal privilege could exempt a monastery from episcopal oversight, and that Battle had no such privilege. Henry was not impressed by this argument, for it impinged on his royal rights. Thomas Becket, then Henry's chancellor, was one of the main opponents of Hilary at this council.Powell, J. Enoch and Keith Wallis ''The House of Lords in the Middle Ages: A History of the English House of Lords to 1540'' London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson 1968 p. 79 and footnote 45

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Luci, Walter de Anglo-Normans Abbots of Battle Anglo-Norman Benedictines 1171 deaths Year of birth unknown