Pandulf Verraccio

Last updated

Pandulf Verraccio
Bishop of Norwich
William Blake after Henry Fuseli King John Absolved by Pandulph 1797 Tate Gallery.jpg
"King John Absolved by Pandulph" 1797 line engraving by William Blake after Henry Fuseli
Appointed1215
Term ended16 September 1226
Predecessor John de Gray
Successor Thomas Blunville
Other post(s)sometime papal legate
Orders
Consecration29 May 1222
Personal details
Born January 1155
Rome, Papal States
Died(1226-09-16)16 September 1226
Rome, Papal States
Buried Norwich, England
Denomination Roman Catholic

Pandulf Verraccio (died 16 September 1226), whose first name may also be spelled Pandolph or Pandulph (Pandolfo in Italian), was a Roman ecclesiastical politician, papal legate to England and bishop of Norwich. [1]

Contents

Early life

Pandulf was born in the Papal States, and first came to England in 1211, when he was commissioned by Pope Innocent III to negotiate with King John during the Investiture Controversy. [1] He is often erroneously called Cardinal Pandulph or Pandulph Masca due to being confused with Cardinal Pandolfo da Lucca, [2] who himself was confused with Cardinal Pandulf of Pisa and erroneously given the Pisan family name Masca. His authentic surname may be rendered Verraccio, Verracchio or Verracclo.

Role in the Investiture Controversy

Obtaining no satisfactory concessions in John's efforts to impose Caesaropapism upon the Catholic Church in England, Pandulf is alleged to have produced the papal sentence of excommunication in the very presence of the king. In May 1213 Pandulf again visited England to receive the king's submission. The ceremony took place at the Templar church at Dover, and on the following day John, of his own motion, formally surrendered England to the Holy See and received it back as a papal fief. [1]

Loyalty to King John

Pandulf repaid this act of humility by using every means to avert the threatened French invasion of England. For nearly a year he was superseded by the cardinal-legate Nicholas of Tusculum; but returning in 1215 was present at the conference of Runnymede, when the Magna Carta was sealed. He rendered valuable aid to John who rewarded him[ citation needed ] with the see of Norwich, England in 1215, however he was not consecrated for a number of years. [3] [4] The arrival of the cardinal-legate Gualo in 1216 relegated Pandulf to a secondary position; but after Gualo's departure in 1218 he came forward once more, [1] after having been appointed papal legate again on 1 September 1218. [4]

Handling of Brigandage

Pandulf is known to have sent a letter to Peter des Roches (who was bishop of Winchester) between 1218-1221 urgently requesting action against rampant brigandage on the roads near Winchester (one of the largest cities of England at the time). He wrote:

My lord bishop, the complaints of the poor and of women ought especially to move you, that nobody can travel near Winchester without being held up, robbed, and worst of all—should there not be enough goods on them—people are being killed. Truly, because this sort of thing is a disgrace to the lord king, and to you, and it is going on to the scandal and disorder of the whole kingdom, we ask, advise and firmly instruct your wisdom, as you value the forgiveness of your sins, that you cause this business to be sorted out, so that we hear no further complaints.

Regency Years 1219-1221

During the years 1219-1221 there are at least 68 letters from or addressed to Pandulf which survive detailing his handling of diplomatic affairs, domestic affairs, national defense, the Exchequer, and his coordination with the Justiciar Hubert de Burgh, the bishop of Winchester (regency member) Peter des Roches, and the vice-chancellor Ralph Neville. [5] In fact, the only two members of Henry III's regency government who have more surviving letters are Ralph Neville and Hubert de Burgh. He sent and received several letters regarding diplomacy including the reception of a letter from Llywelyn the Great regarding diplomatic affairs with wales. [6]

Termination of Legatine and Consecration as Bishop of Norwich

As representing the pope Pandulf claimed a control over Hubert de Burgh and the other ministers of the young Henry III; and his correspondence shows that he interfered in every department of the administration. His arrogance was tolerated while the regency was still in need of papal assistance; but in 1221 Hubert de Burgh and the primate Stephen Langton successfully moved the pope to recall Pandulf and to send no other legate a latere (of the highest rank) in his place. His legatine commission was terminated by the summer of 1221. [4] He was finally consecrated bishop on 29 May 1222. [3]

Pandulf retained the see of Norwich, but from this time drops out of English politics. He died in Rome on 16 September 1226, [3] but his body was taken to Norwich for burial. [1]

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Wikisource-logo.svg One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Pandulph". Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 20 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 675.
  2. ↑ Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Pandulph"  . Catholic Encyclopedia . New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  3. 1 2 3 Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 261
  4. 1 2 3 British History Online Bishops of Norwich Archived 14 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine accessed on 29 October 2007
  5. ↑ Archives, The National. "The Discovery Service". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  6. ↑ Catalogue description Llewelyn, prince of North Wales, to Pandulf, bishop-elect of Norwich, papal chamberlain... May 1220.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Langton</span> 13th-century Archbishop of Canterbury, theologian, and cardinal

Stephen Langton was an English Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Archbishop of Canterbury between 1207 and his death in 1228. The dispute between King John of England and Pope Innocent III over his election was a major factor in the crisis which produced Magna Carta in 1215. Cardinal Langton is also credited with having divided the Bible into the standard modern arrangement of chapters used today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent</span> Chief Justiciar of England and Ireland

Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent was an English nobleman who served as Chief Justiciar of England and Ireland during the reigns of King John and of his son and successor King Henry III and, as a consequence, was one of the most influential and powerful men in English politics in the thirteenth century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter de Gray</span> 13th-century Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor

Walter de Gray was an English prelate and statesman who was Archbishop of York from 1215 to 1255 and Lord Chancellor from 1205 to 1214. His uncle was John de Gray, who was a bishop and royal servant to King John of England. After securing the office of chancellor, the younger Gray was a supporter of the king throughout his struggles and was present at the signing of Magna Carta in 1215. After two unsuccessful elections to a bishopric, he became Bishop of Worcester in 1214 but soon after moved to York. During the reign of John's son, King Henry III, Gray continued to serve the king while also being active in his archdiocese. He died in 1255 and was buried at York Minster, where his tomb still survives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Poore</span> 13th-century Bishop of Chichester, Bishop of Durham, and Bishop of Salisbury

Richard Poore or Poor was a medieval English bishop best known for his role in the establishment of Salisbury Cathedral and the City of Salisbury, moved from the nearby fortress of Old Sarum. He served as Bishop of Chichester, Bishop of Salisbury and Bishop of Durham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter des Roches</span> 13th-century Bishop of Winchester and Justiciar of England

Peter des Roches was bishop of Winchester in the reigns of King John of England and his son Henry III. He was not an Englishman, but rather a native of the Touraine, in north-central France.

Ralph Neville was a medieval clergyman and politician who served as Bishop of Chichester and Lord Chancellor of England. Neville first appears in the historical record in 1207 in the service of King John, and remained in royal service throughout the rest of his life. By 1213 Neville had custody of the Great Seal of England, although he was not named chancellor, the office responsible for the seal, until 1226. He was rewarded with the bishopric of Chichester in 1222. Although he was also briefly Archbishop-elect of Canterbury and Bishop-elect of Winchester, both elections were set aside, or quashed, and he held neither office.

Walter Capellanus was an important cleric and politician in the Kingdom of Scotland during the reigns of kings William the Lion and Alexander II.

Geoffrey de Burgh was a medieval English cleric who was Archdeacon of Norwich (1200–1225), Bishop of Ely and the brother of William de Burgh and Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guala Bicchieri</span> Italian diplomat and cardinal

Guala Bicchieri was an Italian diplomat, papal official and cardinal. He was the papal legate in England from 1216 to 1218, and took a prominent role in the politics of England during King John’s last years and Henry III’s early minority.

Pandulf may refer to:

Pandolfo da Lucca, erroneously Pandolfo Masca, was an Italian cardinal of the late 12th century. His name is sometimes given in the anglicised form Pandulf or Pandulph.

Ranulf of Wareham was a medieval Bishop of Chichester.

Robert Passelewe was a medieval Bishop of Chichester elect as well as being a royal clerk and Archdeacon of Lewes.

William de Cornhill was a medieval Bishop of Coventry.

Hugh Foliot was a medieval Bishop of Hereford. Related somehow to his predecessor at Hereford, he served as a priest and papal judge as well as being an unsuccessful candidate as Bishop of St David's in Wales. In 1219, he was appointed Bishop of Hereford. During his time in office, he mostly attended to ecclesiastical duties, but did occasionally serve as a royal administrator. He helped found a hospital and a priory, and died in 1234 after a months-long illness.

The Bishop of Mayo was an episcopal title which took its name after Mayo in Ireland. After the Reformation, the title was briefly used by the Church of Ireland until 1559 and by the Roman Catholic Church until 1631. With each denomination, the bishopric was united to the archbishopric of Tuam.

Pandulf Masca or Pandolfo Masca is a name of Pisan origin often used erroneously to refer to:

Desiderius was a prelate in the Kingdom of Hungary in the 12th and 13th centuries, who served as Bishop of Csanád between 1202 and 1228. Before that he functioned as chancellor in the royal court of King Emeric.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hugh de Vivonne</span> French knight (died 1249)

Hugh de Vivonne was a French knight from Vivonne in the County of Poitou. He was loyal to the Plantagenet family and supported their right to vast lands in France. From 1215 onward he made his home in England, where he was constable of Bristol Castle and later High Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset (1241–49). He married an English lady and became lord of Chewton and Curry Mallet. He received further English estates in compensation for the loss of his lands in France. Yet, as a foreign soldier in the king's pay, he has been described as merely a "Poitevin mercenary captain".

References

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Pandulf Verraccio at Wikimedia Commons

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Norwich
1215–1226		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.