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Ranulf Flambard (sometimes Ralph Flambard, Ranulph Flambard, or Ranulf Passiflamme;〔Barlow ''Feudal Kingdom of England'' p. 147〕 c. 1060 – 5 September 1128) was a medieval Norman Bishop of Durham and an influential government minister of King William Rufus of England. Ranulf was the son of a priest of Bayeux, Normandy, and his nickname Flambard means incendiary or torch-bearer, and may have referred to his personality. He started his career under King William I of England, probably in the compilation of the Domesday Book, as well as being the keeper of the king's seal. On the death of William I, Ranulf chose to serve the new king of England, William Rufus. Under Rufus, he continued to hold the king's seal, and also became involved in the financial administration of the kingdom, where he quickly made a name for himself by his novel methods of raising revenue. He was given custody of a number of vacant ecclesiastical offices, administering at one point sixteen vacant bishoprics or abbeys. His many duties have led to him being considered the first Chief Justiciar of England. During Rufus' reign, Ranulf supervised the construction of the first stone bridge in London and oversaw the construction of the king's hall at Westminster. In 1099 he was rewarded with the bishopric of Durham. On the death of Rufus in 1100, Ranulf was imprisoned in the Tower of London by Rufus' successor Henry I of England. Ranulf was a convenient scapegoat for the financial extortions of Rufus' reign. He became the first prisoner to escape from the Tower and went into exile in Normandy with Rufus' and Henry's older brother Robert Curthose, the Duke of Normandy. Ranulf became a leading advisor to Robert, and assisted in his unsuccessful invasion of England, an attempt to oust Henry from the throne. The brothers reconciled, but although Ranulf was restored to office he spent the next few years in Normandy, returning only after Henry had defeated Robert at the Battle of Tinchebray. Ranulf subsequently retired from political life, with only occasional appearances in public. He remained active in ecclesiastical affairs, attending councils and working to defend the rights of his see. ==Early life== Ranulf was a Norman〔Poole ''Domesday Book to Magna Carta'' pp. 170–171〕 and the son of Thurstin, a parish priest in the diocese of Bayeux. Ranulf was probably born about 1060, as he was close to 70 when he died in 1128.〔Barlow ''William Rufus'' pp. 193–205〕 Originally he worked for Odo of Bayeux, but he soon entered the chancery of King William I, Odo's half-brother. He stood out amongst the other clerks for his intelligence and his good looks.〔Barlow ''Feudal Kingdom of England'' pp. 150–151〕 His nickname, Flambard, means torch-bearer, incendiary or devouring flame; and may have been given to him for his high-spirited personality.〔Mason ''William II'' p. 75〕 Orderic Vitalis, a medieval chronicler, records that Robert fitzThurstin gave the nickname to Ranulf, because Robert resented the fact that Ranulf, though of low birth, ordered the nobility around.〔Barlow ''William Rufus'' p. 141〕 Archbishop Anselm of Canterbury told the pope that the nickname came from Ranulf's cruelty, which Anselm likened to a consuming flame.〔 Orderic went on to claim that Ranulf was "educated from boyhood with base parasites among the hangers-on of the court".〔Quoted in Turner "Changing Perceptions" ''Journal of British Studies'' p. 107〕 Ranulf acquired the reputation of an able financier and administrator, and helped to increase the royal revenues.〔Chibnall ''Anglo-Norman England'' p. 115〕 He appears to have played an important part in the compilation of the Domesday survey,〔Chibnall ''Anglo-Norman England'' p. 114〕 perhaps even the main orchestrator of the project.〔〔Mason ''William II'' pp. 85–86〕 Domesday Book gives his profession as clerk, and records him holding land in a number of counties.〔 Before the death of the old king he became chaplain to Maurice, Bishop of London, whom he had formerly served in the chancery. Some sources call him "almost illiterate", but this probably meant he was not formally educated in the liberal arts.〔Chibnall ''Anglo-Norman England'' p. 127〕 His work in the chancery and as an administrator would have required knowledge of Latin.〔 He also served as the keeper of the king's seal from about 1085. Once, while he was traveling in the Thames estuary with the seal, he was captured by pirates. Thinking quickly, he prevented the capture of the seal by throwing the seal into the sea.〔Chibnall ''Anglo-Norman England'' p. 133〕 Although he served William the Conqueror, he does not attest a single genuine charter or writ of William's, which implies he was not a leading servant.〔Mason "Flambard, Ranulf" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''〕 When King William died and his lands were split between his elder son Robert Curthose, who received Normandy, and the third son, William Rufus, who received England, Ranulf chose to serve Rufus in England.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ranulf Flambard」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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