The Norman Heritage by Rowley Trevor;

Author:Rowley, Trevor;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 1983-08-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter six

The impact of the Conquest on the church

From the outset the Norman Conquest had deep religious connotations; quite apart from the powerful political and strategic support for the Conquest provided by European heads of state, including Emperor Henry III, William also received the seal of papal approval. Norman influence over the papacy was already strong, but it was still necessary for William’s cause to be pleaded by the arch-deacon of Lisieux, on the grounds of Harold’s alleged perjury. A conclave was held at which Harold was declared a usurper, and William the lawful successor to Edward the Confessor. Pope Alexander II, Anselm of Lucca, who had been educated by Lanfranc at Bee in Normandy, bestowed his blessing on the expedition, sending William a consecrated banner as a sign of St Peter’s approval. In return, William agreed to reform the English church and when he was victorious he repaid the pope with the defeated Harold’s banner. Such support brought immediate tactical advantage in that it gave a legitimacy to the Conquest, making it more difficult for English baronial revolt and virtually assuring English ecclesiastical compliance. In effect, by skilful preparation, William turned the expedition into a crusade. The concept of a holy war was not a new departure in Norman history; it was a cause that was repeatedly utilized in the process of Norman territorial expansion.

William also required financial support for the expedition from the well-endowed Norman church, and subsequently relied heavily upon political control of the church in England as an integral part of his administrative strategy. After the Conquest William used the church in England as in Normandy as an instrument of government. Just as he insured that his political and military system was operated by loyal supporters, so, too, his nominees, such as Lanfranc, were to dominate the English church during the final part of the eleventh century and beyond.

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