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Hugh de Puiset
Hugh de Puiset (c. 1125 – 3 March 1195) was a medieval Bishop of Durham and Chief Justiciar of England under King Richard I. He was the nephew of King Stephen of England and Henry of Blois, who both assisted Hugh's ecclesiastical career. He held the office of treasurer of York for a number of years, which led him into conflict with Henry Murdac, Archbishop of York. In 1153, Hugh was elected bishop of Durham despite the opposition of Murdac.
Hugh was not involved in the controversy between King Henry II and Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. The king suspected Hugh of supporting Henry's heir, Henry the Young King, when the prince rebelled. Additionally, Hugh was suspected of aiding the King of Scots, William I, during an invasion of Northern England in 1174. After the accession of Henry's second son, Richard, as king, Hugh bought the office of Sheriff of Northumberland as well as the earldom of Northumbria. He also acquired the office of Justiciar, which he was supposed to share with William de Mandeville, but with Mandeville's death Hugh shared the office with William Longchamp. Longchamp secured the office for himself by the middle of 1190.
As a bishop, Hugh was noted as a builder, including a stone bridge in the city of Durham and the Galilee Chapel in Durham Cathedral. His administration of the episcopal lands included an inquest into the exact holdings of the bishopric. As a patron, Hugh sponsored the career of the medieval chronicler Roger of Hoveden. Hugh had a long-term mistress, by whom he had at least two sons and possibly two more.
Hugh was the nephew of brothers King Stephen of England and Henry of Blois, the younger son of Hugh III, lord of Puiset, and Agnes, sister of Stephen and Henry. Agnes' parents were Stephen, Count of Blois, and Adela, a daughter of King William the Conqueror. His paternal family held a lordship in Northern France. Hugh was born in approximately 1125, for in 1153 with his election as bishop he was still under the canonical age limit for bishops of 28. Henry acquired for Hugh the office of archdeacon in the see of Winchester, sometime before 1139.
Hugh afterwards became archdeacon of York and treasurer of York, sometime around 1143, probably through the patronage of William FitzHerbert while he was serving his first term as Archbishop of York. While treasurer he was a member of the party at York that wanted to elect Hilary as archbishop after William FitzHerbert's deposition in 1147. The successful candidate was Henry Murdac, the Abbot of Fountains, who was supported by the bishops of Durham and Carlisle, William of St. Barbara and Æthelwold. Murdac excommunicated Hugh, who returned the gesture.
On 22 January 1153 Hugh was elected to the see of Durham by the cathedral chapter in spite of the opposition of Henry Murdac, who excommunicated the chapter in response. Because of Murdac's opposition and refusal to confirm the election, Hugh obtained consecration only by making a personal visit to Rome, where the pope was able to overrule the Archbishop of York. He was consecrated on 20 December 1153 by Pope Anastasius IV. Hugh was enthroned, or ceremonially installed as bishop in his cathedral, at Durham on 2 May 1154. King Stephen granted to Puiset as bishop of Durham the mineral rights in Weardale, which included lead mines. Silver was also extracted from the lead ore mined there, and that silver probably helped the bishops form their own mint.
Hugh may not have attended the coronation of King Henry II of England and his queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. Some sources place him at the coronation; others do not. Nor did he attend the Council of Clarendon in 1164 that issued the Constitutions of Clarendon, which was the cause of the quarrel between the king and Thomas Becket. In the ensuing dispute between the king and Becket Hugh did not take sides. He was, however, present with Roger de Pont L'Évêque, the Archbishop of York at the coronation of the king's eldest son, Henry the Young King, in 1170 and consequently was suspended by Alexander III. The coronation of the Young King eventually led to Becket's martyrdom in December 1170.
Hugh obtained an exemption allowing him to keep his castle at Northallerton in Yorkshire when Henry was ordering the destruction of most of the illegal castles that had been built during King Stephen's reign. He also built a castle at Norham, designed to help defend the north of England against raids from Scotland.
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Hugh de Puiset
Hugh de Puiset (c. 1125 – 3 March 1195) was a medieval Bishop of Durham and Chief Justiciar of England under King Richard I. He was the nephew of King Stephen of England and Henry of Blois, who both assisted Hugh's ecclesiastical career. He held the office of treasurer of York for a number of years, which led him into conflict with Henry Murdac, Archbishop of York. In 1153, Hugh was elected bishop of Durham despite the opposition of Murdac.
Hugh was not involved in the controversy between King Henry II and Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. The king suspected Hugh of supporting Henry's heir, Henry the Young King, when the prince rebelled. Additionally, Hugh was suspected of aiding the King of Scots, William I, during an invasion of Northern England in 1174. After the accession of Henry's second son, Richard, as king, Hugh bought the office of Sheriff of Northumberland as well as the earldom of Northumbria. He also acquired the office of Justiciar, which he was supposed to share with William de Mandeville, but with Mandeville's death Hugh shared the office with William Longchamp. Longchamp secured the office for himself by the middle of 1190.
As a bishop, Hugh was noted as a builder, including a stone bridge in the city of Durham and the Galilee Chapel in Durham Cathedral. His administration of the episcopal lands included an inquest into the exact holdings of the bishopric. As a patron, Hugh sponsored the career of the medieval chronicler Roger of Hoveden. Hugh had a long-term mistress, by whom he had at least two sons and possibly two more.
Hugh was the nephew of brothers King Stephen of England and Henry of Blois, the younger son of Hugh III, lord of Puiset, and Agnes, sister of Stephen and Henry. Agnes' parents were Stephen, Count of Blois, and Adela, a daughter of King William the Conqueror. His paternal family held a lordship in Northern France. Hugh was born in approximately 1125, for in 1153 with his election as bishop he was still under the canonical age limit for bishops of 28. Henry acquired for Hugh the office of archdeacon in the see of Winchester, sometime before 1139.
Hugh afterwards became archdeacon of York and treasurer of York, sometime around 1143, probably through the patronage of William FitzHerbert while he was serving his first term as Archbishop of York. While treasurer he was a member of the party at York that wanted to elect Hilary as archbishop after William FitzHerbert's deposition in 1147. The successful candidate was Henry Murdac, the Abbot of Fountains, who was supported by the bishops of Durham and Carlisle, William of St. Barbara and Æthelwold. Murdac excommunicated Hugh, who returned the gesture.
On 22 January 1153 Hugh was elected to the see of Durham by the cathedral chapter in spite of the opposition of Henry Murdac, who excommunicated the chapter in response. Because of Murdac's opposition and refusal to confirm the election, Hugh obtained consecration only by making a personal visit to Rome, where the pope was able to overrule the Archbishop of York. He was consecrated on 20 December 1153 by Pope Anastasius IV. Hugh was enthroned, or ceremonially installed as bishop in his cathedral, at Durham on 2 May 1154. King Stephen granted to Puiset as bishop of Durham the mineral rights in Weardale, which included lead mines. Silver was also extracted from the lead ore mined there, and that silver probably helped the bishops form their own mint.
Hugh may not have attended the coronation of King Henry II of England and his queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. Some sources place him at the coronation; others do not. Nor did he attend the Council of Clarendon in 1164 that issued the Constitutions of Clarendon, which was the cause of the quarrel between the king and Thomas Becket. In the ensuing dispute between the king and Becket Hugh did not take sides. He was, however, present with Roger de Pont L'Évêque, the Archbishop of York at the coronation of the king's eldest son, Henry the Young King, in 1170 and consequently was suspended by Alexander III. The coronation of the Young King eventually led to Becket's martyrdom in December 1170.
Hugh obtained an exemption allowing him to keep his castle at Northallerton in Yorkshire when Henry was ordering the destruction of most of the illegal castles that had been built during King Stephen's reign. He also built a castle at Norham, designed to help defend the north of England against raids from Scotland.