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stephen langton
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The life of Stephen Langton is an example of how, in the Middle Ages, a man
could rise from comparative obscurity to the height of success and fame. This
has always been possible in the church, but generally, at this time, the highest
ecclesiastics were chosen from among the nobility.
In the twelfth or thirteenth centuries, the University of Paris was
at its height. It has been estimated there were 20,000 to 30,000
students there, an incredible figure until one compares it with the
estimate for other universities, Bologna for example, and Oxford had
15,000 students in 1224 - the city was larger than London, which had
about 25,000 inhabitants.
In the year 1205, Hubert Walter, archbishop
of Canterbury died, after a year’s deliberation , Innocent III appointed Stephen
Langton to the vacancy. Rightly, he thought this would be accepted
in England; wrongly he thought Langton would be subservient to Rome.
But King John had already decided upon his own appointee, John Grey,
Bishop of Norwich. By custom it was the sovereign of England, and
not the Pope.
Langton worked to bring about a reconciliation between John and
the Pope, and save the people of England from the hardship of the
Interdict. Not until Innocent went so far as to depose John as King
(the theory was that a King was King only when consecrated by the
representative of God on earth) was there any sign of armistice.
John finally capitulated, not because of threats from the Pope, but
because of the force Philip of France had gathered to invade the
country. John’s submission to the papal legate, and Langton’s return
to England July 30, 1213.
John and Langton embraced dramatically with feigned joy in
Winchester Cathedral.
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Alban St
Albans Bells
Magna Carta Great Council Prayer
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Paris Stephen Langton |
