Roger de Bailleul (; died 25 September 1179) was a medieval

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

monk, abbot of Bec, and archbishop-elect of Canterbury. Roger was born in Lombardy, but according to the

Gallia Christiana The ''Gallia Christiana'', a type of work of which there have been several editions, is a documentary catalogue or list, with brief historical notices, of all the Catholic dioceses and abbeys of France from the earliest times, also of their occupan ...

he was a native of Bailleul (although which one has not been identified), hence the name given to him. However, Robert du Mont confirms it was Lombardy. Roger became a monk of the Abbey of Our Lady of Bec,

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

and skilful jurist, teaching

civil Civil may refer to: *Civic virtue, or civility *Civil action, or lawsuit * Civil affairs *Civil and political rights *Civil disobedience *Civil engineering *Civil (journalism), a platform for independent journalism *Civilian, someone not a membe ...

and

canon law Canon law (from grc, κανών, , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. It is th ...

in England. As a supporter of the Empress Matilda against

Stephen of Blois 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 unti ...

in the succession to the throne of England, he attracted royal opposition, and had to return to the abbey in Normandy. After the death of Abbot Létard, Roger was elected the seventh abbot of Bec on 6 July 1149, and blessed by Archbishop Hugh of Rouen on 25 July 1149. As the head of the rich Norman abbey, Roger began to renovate the abbey church, whose first stone was laid by Rotrou,

Bishop of Évreux A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or offic ...

on 14 August 1161 and its consecration was celebrated in April 1178 before King

Henry II of England Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189), also known as Henry Curtmantle (french: link=no, Court-manteau), Henry FitzEmpress, or Henry Plantagenet, was King of England from 1154 until his death in 1189, and as such, was the first Angevin king ...

. Roger also had a hospital built, which included one of the rooms for travellers, renovated the dormitory, and dug canals to carry water from two sources to the monastic apartments. With the other bishops and abbots of Normandy, Roger attended the ceremony at Avranches of the absolution of King Henry II for the murder of

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 ...

. In February 1173, Roger was elected to succeed as archbishop of Canterbury by the

monk A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...

s of

Christ Church, Canterbury Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England. It forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, currently Justin Welby, leader of the Ch ...

, but he declined the election. He was formally absolved from the election on 5 April 1173. Roger died at Bec Abbey on 25 September 1179.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roger de Bailleul 1179 deaths Archbishops of Canterbury Benedictine abbots French abbots French Benedictines Year of birth unknown 12th-century English Roman Catholic archbishops