Alexander of Lincoln

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Alexander of Lincoln
Denomination Catholic
Senior posting
See Diocese of Lincoln
Title Bishop of Lincoln
Period in office 1123–1148
Predecessor Robert Bloet
Successor Robert de Chesney
Religious career
Previous post Archdeacon of Salisbury
Personal
Place of birth Blois, France
Date of death February 1148
Place of death Normandy

Alexander of Lincoln (Latin: Alexander Lincolniensis) (died in early 1148), bishop of Lincoln, was born in Blois, France.

Contents

[edit] Life

He was nephew to the famous Roger, bishop of Salisbury. His brother David was archdeacon of Buckingham in the diocese of Lincoln.[1] He was an archdeacon in the diocese of Salisbury by 1121, under his uncle. While he was archdeacon, he was credited with a writing a glossary of Old English legal terms in the Anglo Norman language.[2]

He was nominated to the see of Lincoln in April of 1123 and was consecrated bishop on July 22, 1123[3] at Canterbury.[1] He founded two monasteries, one of them Haverholme Priory,[1] and built castles at Newark, Sleaford and Banbury. This castle-building excited the jealousy of King Stephen, who - successfully besieging him at Newark - imprisoned him. Alexander, after some months, obtained his freedom by giving up to the king his castles and his treasures.

In 1142 he went to Rome, whence he returned to England as a papal legate. He rebuilt his cathedral at Lincoln in 1145 after it had been destroyed or damaged by fire. He was also an encourager of literature, and the patron of Geoffrey of Monmouth, who says of him, in the Introduction to the Prophecies of Merlin: "Non erat alter in clero sive in populo cui tot famularentur nobiles, quos ipsius mansueta pietas et benigna largitas in obsequium ejus alliciebat." (There was none other among the clergy or the people whom so many nobles served - he charmed them into loyalty to him because of his own piety and lavish generosity.)

In February of 1148[3] he died in his native country, Normandy, when on his return from a second journey to Rome. He was buried at Lincoln on February 25, 1148.[1]

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d British History Online Bishops of Lincoln accessed on October 28, 2007
  2. ^ British History Online Archdeacons in Salisbury accessed on October 28, 2007
  3. ^ a b Powicke Handbook of British Chronology p. 235

[edit] References

Religious titles
Preceded by
Robert Bloet		 Bishop of Lincoln
1123–1148		 Succeeded by
Robert de Chesney
Persondata
NAME Alexander of Lincoln
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Bishop of Lincoln
DATE OF BIRTH
PLACE OF BIRTH
DATE OF DEATH February 1148
PLACE OF DEATH