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William de St-Calais (also Calais or Carileph or Carilef; died 1096) was a medieval Norman monk, abbot of the abbey of Saint-Vincent in Le Mans in Maine, who was nominated by King William I of England as Bishop of Durham in 1080. During his term as bishop, St-Calais replaced the canons of his cathedral chapter with monks, and began the construction of Durham Cathedral. In addition to his ecclesiastical duties, he served as a commissioner for the ''Domesday Book''. He was also a councilor and advisor to both King William I and his son, King William II, known as William Rufus. Following William Rufus' accession to the throne in 1087, St-Calais is considered by scholars to have been the new king's chief advisor. However, when the king's uncle, Odo of Bayeux, raised a rebellion against the king in 1088, St-Calais was implicated in the revolt. William Rufus laid siege to St-Calais in the bishop's stronghold of Durham, and later put him on trial for treason. A contemporary record of this trial, the ''De Iniusta Vexacione Willelmi Episcopi Primi'', is the earliest surviving detailed contemporary report of an English state-trial. Imprisoned briefly, St-Calais was allowed to go into exile after his castle at Durham was surrendered to the king. He went to Normandy, where he became a leading advisor to Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy, the elder brother of William Rufus. By 1091, St-Calais had returned to England and regained royal favour. In England, St-Calais once more became a leading advisor to the king. In 1093 he negotiated with Anselm, Abbot of Bec, concerning Anselm's becoming Archbishop of Canterbury; in 1095 it was St-Calais who prosecuted the royal case against Anselm after he had become archbishop. During his bishopric, St-Calais stocked the cathedral library with books, especially canon law texts. He was also active in defending the north of England against Scots raids. Before his death, he had made his peace with Anselm, who blessed and consoled St-Calais on his deathbed. ==Early life== St-Calais was a Norman, and a native of Bayeux;〔Powell and Wallis ''House of Lords'' p. 36〕 he may have been a member of one of its clerical dynasties.〔Barlow "St Calais, William of" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''〕 His mother's name, Ascelina or Anselma, is given in Durham's records; his father, whose name is unknown, became a monk at the monastery of Saint-Calais in Maine, and may previously have been a knight.〔Aird "Absent Friend" ''Anglo-Norman Durham'' p. 287〕 Although St-Calais is generally referred to as Saint Calais or St-Calais, the main source of information about his life, the monastic chronicle of Symeon of Durham, does not call him such.〔Aird "Absent Friend" ''Anglo-Norman Durham'' p. 288〕 St-Calais studied under Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, the half-brother of the future William I of England, who was then Duke of Normandy.〔Barlow ''William Rufus'' pp. 60–62〕 Other bishops educated at Bayeux around this time included Archbishop Thomas of York and Samson, Bishop of Worcester.〔Barlow ''English Church 1066–1154'' p. 58〕 Symeon of Durham considered St-Calais to be well-educated in classical literature and the scriptures; at some point St-Calais also acquired a knowledge of canon law.〔 He became a Benedictine monk at Saint-Calais in Maine, where his father had become a monk,〔 and soon became the prior of that house. He became abbot of St Vincent-des-Prés near Le Mans in Maine,〔 sometime around 1078.〔 As abbot, his only appearance in historical records is his upholding of the monasteries' right to some property, and his acceptance of a gift of property in the town.〔Aird "Absent Friend" ''Anglo-Norman Durham'' pp. 288–289〕 William the Conqueror nominated him to the see of Durham on 9 November 1080, and he was duly consecrated on either 27 December 1080 or 3 January 1081.〔Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 241〕〔Greenway ''(Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300: Volume 2: Monastic Cathedrals (Northern and Southern Provinces): Durham: Bishops )''〕 His elevation may have been a reward for diplomatic services he rendered to the king in France,〔Barlow ''English Church'' p. 64〕 or to help secure the see from further disorder following the death of the previous bishop, William Walcher, during a feud. However, it was most likely in recognition of his administrative ability. Symeon of Durham stated that St-Calais was chosen as a bishop for this reason,〔Aird "Absent Friend" ''Anglo-Norman Durham'' pp. 289–290〕 describing him as "very well versed in sacred and secular learning, very conscientious in matters of divine and worldly business, and so remarkable for good conduct that he had no equal amongst his contemporaries".〔Quoted in Aird "Absent Friend" ''Anglo-Norman Durham'' p. 290〕 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「William de St-Calais」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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