William de Longchamp

William de LongchampTemplate:Efn (died 1197) was a medieval Lord Chancellor, Chief Justiciar, and Bishop of Ely in England. Born to a humble family in Normandy, he owed his advancement to royal favour. Although contemporary writers accused Longchamp's father of being the son of a peasant, he held land as a knight. Longchamp first served Henry II's illegitimate son Geoffrey, but quickly transferred to the service of Richard I, Henry's heir. When Richard became king in 1189, Longchamp paid £3,000 for the office of Chancellor and was soon named to the Diocese, or bishopric, of Ely and appointed legate by the pope.

Longchamp governed England while Richard was on the Third Crusade, but his authority was challenged by Richard's brother, John, who eventually succeeded in driving Longchamp from power and from England. Longchamp's relations with the other leading English nobles were also strained, which contributed to the demands for his exile. Soon after Longchamp's departure from England, Richard was captured on his journey back to England from the Crusade and held for ransom by Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor. Longchamp travelled to Germany to help negotiate Richard's release. Although Longchamp regained the office of Chancellor after Richard's return to England, he lost much of his former power. He aroused a great deal of hostility among his contemporaries during his career, but he retained Richard's trust and was employed by the king until the bishop's death in 1197. Longchamp wrote a treatise on the law, which remained well-known throughout the Late Middle Ages.

Background and early life

Longchamp's ancestors originated in the village of Longchamps, Eure, Normandy.<ref name=Balfour78>Balfour "Origins of the Longchamp Family" Medieval Prosopography p. 78</ref> Although it is known that he was born in Normandy,<ref name=Spear6>Spear "Norman Empire and the Secular Clergy" Journal of British Studies p. 6</ref> the exact location is unknown, with it perhaps being near the Norman village of Argenton. His father, Hugh de Longchamp, also held land in England, as did many other Norman nobles after the Norman Conquest in 1066. Hugh Nonant — one of Longchamp's opponents — declared that the elder Longchamp was the son of a peasant, which seems unlikely, as Hugh de Longchamp appears to have held a knight's tenancy in Normandy.<ref name=DNB>Turner "Longchamp, William de" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography</ref> The family was originally of humble background but rose through service to King Henry II.<ref name=Feudal352>Barlow Feudal Kingdom of England pp. 352–353</ref> The elder Longchamp also held land in Herefordshire in England, including the manor of Wilton near Ross in Wales.<ref name=Balfour82>Balfour "Origins of the Longchamp Family" Medieval Prosopography p. 82</ref> Hugh married a woman named Eve, a relative of the Lacy family. Historian David Balfour suggests that Eve was the daughter of Gilbert de Lacy, the son of Roger de Lacy, exiled by King William II in 1095 for rebellion.<ref name=Balfour84>Balfour "Origins of the Longchamp Family" Medieval Prosopography p. 84</ref>

Longchamp's sister, Richeut, married the castellan of Dover Castle.<ref name=DNB/><ref name=Feudal373/> A second sister, Melisend, came to England with Longchamp, but otherwise is unknown.<ref name=DNB/> A sister is recorded as having married Stephen Devereux, but whether this is Melisend is unclear. Of Longchamp's brothers, Osbert remained a layman, and owed much of his advancement to William;<ref name=Poole352/> Stephen served King Richard I on crusade; Henry, another layman, became a sheriff along with Osbert; and Robert became a monk. Two of Longchamp's brothers became abbots.<ref name=Balfour91>Balfour "Origins of the Longchamp Family" Medieval Prosopography p. 91</ref>

Longchamp entered public life at the close of Henry II's reign, as an official for the King's illegitimate son Geoffrey.Template:Efn He soon left Geoffrey's service,<ref name=Poole351fn/> and served in Henry II's chancery, or writing office, before he entered service with Henry's son Richard.<ref name=Richard121>Gillingham Richard I pp. 121–122</ref> Richard, who was Duke of Aquitaine at the time, named Longchamp chancellor of the Duchy of Aquitaine.<ref name=Poole351fn>Poole Domesday Book to Magna Carta p. 351 footnote 3</ref> Longchamp first distinguished himself at the court of King Philip II of France in Paris in 1189, when he acted as Richard's envoy in a dispute with William Marshal, King Henry's envoy. By that time, Longchamp was already one of Richard's trusted advisors.<ref name=RichardI98>Gillingham Richard I p. 98</ref>

Chancellor and Justiciar

Seal of William de Longchamp. Latin text translates as "William of Longchamp, [Court] of the Lord King, Chancellor of England."

On Richard's accession to the throne of England in 1189 Longchamp became Chancellor of England.<ref name=Handbook84>Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 84</ref> Longchamp paid 3,000 pounds (£) for the office of Chancellor. This was followed by an increase in the price of having chancery documents sealed with the Great Seal, necessary for their authentication, perhaps to help Longchamp recoup the cost of the office. At the council held at Pipewell on 15 September 1189, the King raised Longchamp to the bishopric of Ely.<ref name=DNB/> Richard named three other bishops at the same time: Godfrey de Lucy to Winchester, Richard FitzNeal to London, and Hubert Walter to Salisbury.<ref name=RichardI109>Gillingham Richard I p. 109</ref> Longchamp was consecrated on 31 December 1189<ref name=Handbook244>Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 244</ref> and enthroned at Ely on 6 January 1190.<ref name=BHOEly>Greenway "Ely: Bishops" Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300</ref>

Before leaving England in 1189, Richard put the Tower of London in Longchamp's hands and appointed him jointly with Hugh de Puiset, the Bishop of Durham, to the office of Chief Justiciar,<ref name=Richard121/> at that time not strictly a judicial office. Instead, the justiciar was the person entrusted with much of the king's authority when the king was outside the kingdom, able to act in the king's name.<ref name=Saul154>Saul "Justiciar" Companion to Medieval England p. 154</ref> Along with Puiset, the king named Hugh Bardulf, William Briwerre, Geoffrey fitz Peter, and William Marshal as associates in the justiciarship, under Puiset and Longchamp.<ref name=West68>West Justiciarship in England p. 68</ref> As Justiciar, Longchamp sent judges throughout the country to visit the shires on judicial visits, even though he had no previous knowledge of the judiciary.<ref name=Judiciary66>Turner English Judiciary pp. 65–66</ref> Longchamp and Puiset were unable to work together, and so in March 1190 Richard gave authority north of the River Humber to Hugh, and authority south of the river to Longchamp.<ref name=Richard121/> Historians' opinions are divided whether Richard explicitly made Longchamp superior to Puiset at this time, or if in theory the two were supposed to co-equal in their respective spheres.<ref name=DNB/><ref name=Richard121/><ref name=West68/> By June, Longchamp had eased Puiset out of power and the justiciar's office.<ref name=Richard121/> He also received a commission as a papal legate from Pope Clement III at this time.<ref name=BHOEly/> Supposedly Richard paid 1,500 marks (£1,000) to the papacy to secure the legateship for Longchamp.<ref name=RichardI130>Gillingham Richard I p. 130</ref>

Longchamp granted the citizens of London the right to elect their own sheriffs, and to collect and remit their monetary levy of £300 directly to the Exchequer, the treasury of England.<ref name=Poole70>Poole Domesday Book to Magna Carta p. 70</ref> On Longchamp's visits to his diocese he was accompanied by a large train of retainers and animals, which became notorious throughout the country as a sign of his extravagance.<ref name=Poole223>Poole Domesday Book to Magna Carta p. 223</ref> Under his legatine authority, the bishop held legatine councils of the church at Gloucester and Westminster in 1190. He also acted to restore authority in York, which had suffered a breakdown in order after the massacre of Jews in March 1190. Also in 1190, he sent an army against Rhys ap Gruffydd, a Welsh prince who was attempting to throw off the control of the marcher lords that surrounded Wales.<ref name=DNB/>

Disputes with John

Gate at Lincoln Castle, which Longchamp besieged in 1190

Longchamp's relations with the English people were made more difficult because he was a native of Normandy, and often insensitive to English customs.<ref name=Feudal352/> The medieval writer William of Newburgh claimed that Longchamp was "an obscure foreigner of unproven ability and loyalty".<ref name=QRichardI121>Quoted in Gillingham Richard I p. 121</ref> For example, it appears likely that Longchamp did not speak English, making his relations with his flock more difficult.<ref name=Bartlett488>Bartlett England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings p. 488</ref> The leading nobles complained that Longchamp marginalised the other officials Richard had appointed to serve with him and that he brought in foreigners to fill offices. Although the first charge is mostly untrue, the second appears to have been valid, as Longchamp did install non-natives in judicial offices and as sheriffs. He also attempted to seize control of several English castles by granting their custody to relatives and dependents.<ref name=Heiser19>Heiser "Castles, Constables, and Politics" Albion pp. 19–20</ref>

Throughout 1190, Longchamp's relations with Richard's younger brother John were difficult.<ref name=Richard227/> This led to Longchamp besieging Lincoln Castle because the castellan would not surrender the castle and allow himself to be replaced by Longchamp's nominee.<ref name=Huscroft144/> The castellan, Gerard de Camville, had sworn allegiance to John and stated he would no longer recognise the chancellor's authority.<ref name=DNB/> In response, John took the two castles of Tickhill and Northampton.<ref name=Huscroft144>Huscroft Ruling England p. 144</ref> News of the dispute reached Richard, who sent Walter de Coutances, the Archbishop of Rouen, to England in late spring 1191, with orders to negotiate a peace between John and Longchamp.<ref name=Feudal373>Barlow Feudal Kingdom of England pp. 373–376</ref> Eventually, Walter brokered a compromise between the two as a result of which Gerard was confirmed as castellan and John relinquished the castles.<ref name=DNB/> Longchamp also agreed to work to ensure John's succession to the throne in the event of Richard's death.<ref name=Richard227/>

Longchamp's legatine commission from the papacy expired in spring 1191, on the death of Clement III,<ref name=BHOEly/> thus removing one of Longchamp's power bases.<ref name=Richard227/> The legation was, however, renewed a few months later by Clement's successor, Celestine III.<ref name=DNB/> A further complication for Longchamp arose in September 1191, when Henry II's illegitimate son Geoffrey, Archbishop of York, was arrested by Longchamp's subordinates,<ref name=Richard227/> led by the castellan of Dover Castle, Longchamp's brother-in-law.<ref name=Feudal373/> Their orders had been to arrest the Archbishop of York as he landed at Dover on the archbishop's return to England, but Geoffrey had been warned of their plans, and fled to sanctuary in St. Martin's Priory. Longchamp's men laid siege to the priory, and after four days forcibly removed Geoffrey. The violence of the attack reminded the public of Thomas Becket's martyrdom, and public opinion turned against Longchamp.<ref name=Richard227>Gillingham Richard I pp. 227–229</ref> Longchamp claimed that Geoffrey had not sworn fealty to Richard, but this was likely just an excuse to eliminate a rival.<ref name=Lyon233>Lyon Constitutional and Legal History pp. 233–236</ref>

An intense propaganda campaign led by partisans of John ensued.<ref name=Richard227/> One of the leaders of the campaign against Longchamp was Hugh Nonant, the Bishop of Coventry, and he along with other magnates, including Geoffrey, who had been released, convened a trial on 5 October 1191 at Loddon Bridge near London. Longchamp did not attend, but he was deposed and excommunicated, and after trying to hold the Tower of London,<ref name=Feudal373/> he was forced to surrender due to lack of support from the citizens of London. The council then declared his offices forfeit and ordered the surrender of the castles in his custody.<ref name=DNB/> The main charge against Longchamp appears to have been his autocratic behaviour.<ref name=Feudal373/>

Longchamp went to Dover in late 1191 to seek transport to the continent. During his escape, he was unable to answer the local people when they spoke to him in English.<ref name="Bartlett488"/> He attempted to leave England in various disguises, including a monk's habit and women's clothes. Hugh Nonant wrote that Longchamp attempted on one occasion to hide dressed as a prostitute, which led to him being assaulted by a fisherman who mistook him for a whore. Longchamp eventually succeeded in leaving England, on 29 October 1191.<ref name=DNB/>

Exile and return

Longchamp went to the court of Henry VI, the Holy Roman Emperor, who was holding King Richard captive at Trifels. The bishop arranged for Richard to be held at the imperial court and negotiated a payment plan for the ransom, 100,000 marks, under the terms of which the emperor agreed to release Richard once 70,000 marks had been paid and hostages for the payment of the rest had been received.<ref name=Richard239>Gillingham Richard I p. 239</ref> When the Emperor in January 1194 called a meeting of the imperial magnates to debate King Philip II of France's offer to pay the Emperor to keep Richard captive, Longchamp attended along with Walter of Coutances and Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard's mother. After further diplomatic wrangling, Richard was freed on 4 February 1194.<ref name=Richard247>Gillingham Richard I pp. 247–248</ref>

Richard rewarded Longchamp with the custody of Eye, Suffolk and an appointment as Sheriff of Essex and Sheriff of Hertfordshire when the pair returned to England,<ref name=DNB/> but Longchamp soon became embroiled in a renewal of his disagreement with Archbishop Geoffrey of York.<ref name=Richard272>Gillingham Richard I p. 272</ref> Richard left England in May 1194, and Longchamp accompanied him to the continent, never to return to England;<ref name=Poole368>Poole Domesday Book to Magna Carta pp. 368–369</ref> Longchamp returned to the Emperor's court in 1195.<ref name=DNB/> Richard continued to use Longchamp in diplomacy<ref name=Richard290>Gillingham Richard I p. 290</ref> — although it was Geoffrey who arranged a truce with King Philip in 1194<ref name=Richard290/> — as well as retaining the bishop as chancellor, but the main power in England was now Hubert Walter.<ref name=Feudal385>Barlow Feudal Kingdom of England pp. 385–386</ref> Longchamp spent the rest of his life outside his diocese, usually accompanying the king.<ref name=Sharpe134>Sharpe "Richard Barre's Compendium" Journal of Medieval Latin p. 134</ref>

Death and legacy

Longchamp died in January 1197,<ref name=Handbook244/> at Poitiers,<ref name=Feudal385/> while on a diplomatic mission to Rome for Richard,<ref name=Richard302>Gillingham Richard I, p. 302, footnote 5</ref> and was buried at the abbey of Le Pin.<ref name=DNB/> Much of the information on his career comes from people hostile to him,<ref name=Poole358/> for example, Gerald of Wales called Longchamp that "monster with many heads".<ref name=QFeudal353>Quoted in Barlow Feudal Kingdom of England p. 353</ref> The historian Austin Lane Poole says that Gerald described Longchamp as more like an ape than a man.<ref name=Poole352/> Longchamp was reportedly a cultured and well-educated man.<ref name=Richard121/> He was supported by others among his contemporaries, including Pope Clement III, who, when he appointed Longchamp legate, wrote that he did so at the urging of the English bishops.<ref name=Poole358>Poole Domesday Book to Magna Carta p. 358</ref> When he was one of four men named bishop in 1189, medieval chronicler Richard of Devizes wrote that the four new bishops were "men of no little virtue and fame".<ref name=QRichardI109>Quoted in Gillingham Richard I p. 109</ref> Historian John Gillingham wrote that Longchamp's "record of his life in politics and administration was a good one, spoiled only by his failure in 1191".<ref name=Richard121/>

Two writers have seen, in the assembly that met to try Longchamp in 1191, a precursor to the gathering at Runnymede in 1215 that drew up Magna Carta, as it was one of the earliest examples of the nobles of the realm coming together to force the government to rule with their advice.<ref name=Lords100>Powell and Wallis The House of Lords p. 100</ref> Longchamp also promoted the careers of his brothers; Henry and Osbert became sheriffs in the 1190s,<ref name=DNB/> Osbert the Sheriff of Yorkshire.<ref name=Poole352>Poole Domesday Book to Magna Carta pp. 352–353</ref> His brother Robert, a cleric, also benefitted, becoming prior of the Ely cathedral chapter and later abbot of St Mary's Abbey, York.<ref name=Heads46>Knowles, et al. Heads of Religious Houses p. 46</ref>

The medieval poet Nigel Wireker (also known as Nigel de Longchamps) dedicated to the bishop a satirical poem, Speculum Stultorum ("Mirror of Fools"), on the habits of students.<ref name=Poole241>Poole Domesday Book to Magna Carta p. 241</ref> Richard Barre, a medieval writer and judge, dedicated his work Compendium de veteris et novo testamento to Longchamp.<ref name=Judiciary96>Turner English Judiciary p. 96</ref> Longchamp was one of Barre's patrons, and secured the post of Archdeacon of Ely for him as well as judicial posts.<ref name=Judiciary104>Turner English Judiciary p. 104</ref>

One of Longchamp's probable innovations as chancellor was the replacement of the first person singular previously used in documents drafted in the king's name with the majestic plural or "royal we".<ref name=DNB/> He wrote a work on law entitled Practica legum et decretorum,<ref name=DNB/> a manual on the usage of both civil and canon law in the Angevin possessions on the continent,<ref name=Roman12>Turner "Roman Law" Journal of British Studies p. 12</ref> composed sometime between 1181 and 1189. It was well known in the Middle Ages and served as a practical guide for those involved in litigation.<ref name=Judiciary230>Turner English Judiciary p. 230</ref>

References

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Further reading

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