William Longchamp

William of Longchamp (franz: Guillaume de Longchamps, closely: William Longchamp, † January 31, 1197 ) was Lord Chancellor of England and Bishop of Ely.

He came from a lower Norman noble family, its origins in the village of Longchamps ( Dép: Eure) had. His parents were the knight Hugues de Longchamps and his wife Eva, who probably came from the Lacy family. One of his brothers was the knight Etienne de Longchamps († 1214 ).

Life

He acted at the end of the reign of Henry II as an Official for Geoffrey, Archbishop of York, the king's son, who did not like him and called him ' the son of two traitors '. Then William moved to Richard ( later Richard I ), who made him chancellor of the county Aquitaine.

First, William Richards lived as ambassador in Paris, as this prevented the attempt of Henry II, to close with Philip Augustus Peace ( 1189 ). In Richard's accession to the throne William was appointed Chancellor of the kingdom, and Bishop of Ely. When Richard left for England in December 1189, he put in command of the Tower in William's hands and gave him, along with Hugh de Puiset, the Bishop of Durham, the Office of the Chief Justice. Wilhelm came then with Hugh in a fight. In April 1190 he had managed to completely displace Hugh from office. In June 1190 he was appointed by Pope Celestine III. appointed papal envoy. Then he was Supreme in the Church and in the State.

King John soon returned to England; he and his followers were soon involved in a conflict with Wilhelm. Finally, in June 1191, Geoffrey employees was formerly William's benefactor and now Archbishop of York, William violently taken prisoner after he had landed at Dover. They were at their commandment, which read, as long as the Archbishop keep them from entering England, until he had sworn Richard I. loyalty. But that led to a general revolt against William, whose term of office was as an envoy now expired arose. Wilhelm then locked himself in the Tower itself a, but was forced to surrender his castles, and to leave the kingdom. 1193 he followed Richard to Germany. For the rest of his life fulfilled Wilhelm diplomatic assignments across the continent ( Germany, France, Italy).