Stigand

Stigand ( * before 1020, † probably February 22, 1072 ) was an Anglo-Saxon prelate in the time of the Norman conquest of England. He was Bishop of Winchester before he became Archbishop of Canterbury.

Stigand was first mentioned in 1020 as chaplain of the Anglo- Scandinavian King Canute, and was later also the chaplain of his son Harald I. After the death of the latter he seems to be the principal adviser of Knut's widow Emma to have been.

In 1043 he was ordained Bishop of East Anglia, based in Elmham, in 1047 he became Bishop of Winchester. He supported the Earl Godwin of Wessex in his dispute with King Edward the Confessor, and mediated the 1052 peace between the two. In the same year the Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert of Jumièges was outlawed and driven and Stigand was appointed as his successor. He kept several abbeys in his possession as well as the dignity of Bishop of Winchester, which he led from now on in personal union with Canterbury. Pope Leo IX. However and his two successors, who viewed Robert as the rightful archbishop, he refused to acknowledge. It was not until 1058 he was commissioned by antipope Benedict X. the pallium, but this was even deposed and excommunicated the following year.

Stigand is referred to by Norman historians as a Cleric, the son of Godwin of Wessex, in January 1066 was crowned king, and is listed Harald Godwinson on the Bayeux Tapestry in this role also. However, it is likely that the ceremony was performed with regard to Stigands controversial position by Aldred, Archbishop of York. Thus, the legality of the coronation should be questioned in some circumstances because Stigand, allegations of simony was made. Medievalists call Stigand, see below as an example that was used in the mid- 11th century the Simonievorwurf especially with polemical intentions to hurt someone deliberately. So shall the Norman chronicler William of Malmesbury " all sorts of people as Simonians " have denounced, "especially Archbishop Stigand of Canterbury, who after the conquest could not hold as a representative of the Anglo-Saxon party, though his church office management had caused no offense. Even his successor Lanfranc was suspected of Eadmer as Simonist. "

Stigand submitted in the fall of 1066 after the conquest of the Norman William the Conqueror and also assisted at the coronation on 25 December 1066. Wilhelm occupied then high offices of his new empire primarily with its own loyal followers and took Stigand so on his return to Normandy 1067, probably for the reason to remove him not only his office, but also spatially separate from them. In 1070 he was officially discontinued by the papal legate and imprisoned in Winchester, where he probably died on 22 February 1072.