Bishops Behaving Badly (in Medieval Times)
by Lana Williams
I’ve just released my third historical romance, Believe In
Me, where the villain of the story is...you guessed it...a bishop. Why? Well, I
came across some delicious research that discussed the challenges the Church
faced during medieval times and found it fascinating. Needless to say, the
ideas started flowing.
During this period, many nobles chose to leave their estates
(or part of them) to the Church with the hopes of receiving a material or
spiritual benefit (on earth or in heaven). As the Church gained more and more
land (aka wealth and power), their method of managing it had to change as well.
About this same time, it became law that the eldest son would inherit, which
left the other sons (and daughters) at loose ends. Many ended up in the Church
as abbots, cardinals, or bishops not because of a religious calling but because
those positions had a similar status as that of nobility.
Can you see where all of this is going? An entity with an
abundance of wealth and people in charge of it who
saw no reason not to spend
it as they saw fit - the perfect storm in many ways. Obviously there were many
monasteries and abbeys that managed their wealth wisely and did a lot of good
for the general population. And just as obviously, there were some who built
lavish cathedrals and holdings filled with valuable objects. A few religious leaders
lived like kings.
Some historians point to the early tenth century as being
the low point. Entire books have been written on the subject, but I’ll just share
some of the more interesting tidbits I found.
Elections for positions in religious houses caused great
conflicts in towns. This was very political and the families of those being
considered often got involved. The office of the Bishop of Rome served as a
platform for opposing noble families, each vying for control. This power struggle
continued for centuries.
In London, the Brothels called ‘stews’ in medieval times
were controlled by the Bishop of Winchester, where the women were known as the
‘Winchester Geese’. These women were denied a holy burial despite being allowed
(some might say encouraged) by the bishop to ply their trade. The bishop made a
lot of money from fines and sharing in their earnings. Seems like a conflict of
interest, don’t you think?
This sort of behavior was not limited to bishops. Prior
Gilbert de Ponteburgh of Thurgarton Priory was accused of adultery with two
local women in 1284. John Rastle, a canon at St. Augustinian’s in Bristol was a
‘public player of dice’ and other unlawful behavior. Apparently this behavior
followed him from his time as a student at Oxford.
Pope Formosus was convicted after his death in 856 of having illegally seized the papal throne.
His body was dug up and put on trial. After being found guilty, his body was
stripped of any priestly vestments, the fingers of his right hand were cut off
(the hand that gives benediction) and his body was thrown in the river.
The abbot of the Benedictine house at Milton was criticized
for lavish expenditures on his living quarters, but he also founded a free
grammar school for the townspeople’s sons. The man was obviously not all bad. In
Sherborne, 1437, the townspeople were so displeased with their religious
leaders that they set fire to the abbey church! In 1528, Dame Eleanor Carey was
being considered for abbess of a large and wealthy nunnery, but under much
competitive pressure, she confessed to having had two children during her time
at the nunnery.
Hope you found these stories as interesting as I did!
One lucky commenter will win an ebook version (Kindle, Nook, or Kobo) of Believe In Me. Simply share whether you’re surprised or not at some of the behaviors I shared. (Please be sure to leave your email address!)
A knight determined to
honor his vow.
A lady set on
vengeance.
Only love stood in
their way.
Lady Cristiana’s plan to seek revenge against her mother’s
murderer is cut short when a world-weary knight arrives to escort her to her
new guardian, a powerful bishop. Cristiana refuses to become a ward of the
bishop whom she suspects was involved in her mother’s death, but the knight
leaves her no choice.
Sir William de Bremont hopes to earn a second chance at the
life he was given but believes he doesn’t deserve. Serving the bishop seems the
perfect solution, except Lady Cristiana thwarts him at every turn, captivating
him body and soul.
Cristiana has the unique ability to heal the sick through
her touch. Accustomed to hiding her gift, the wall she’s built to protect
herself crumbles under William’s passionate regard. Honor-bound to deliver her
despite her protests and his own doubts, William reluctantly fulfills his vow
only to realize the depth of his mistake.
As William and Cristiana’s love grows, they realize the
bishop plans to use her ability to fulfill his own destiny with little concern
for the life of others, including Cristiana’s. The bishop’s treachery comes to
light, forcing Cristiana to choose between revenge or the love of a lifetime.
Available on:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/19Q6UP7
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/13GpgjP
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/14C3caW
Lana Williams writes historical romance filled with mystery,
adventure, and a pinch of paranormal to stir things up. Her medieval romances
begin with A Vow To Keep, the first in The Vengeance Trilogy, followed by Trust
In Me and Believe In Me.
Filled with a love of books from an early age, Lana put pen
to paper and decided happy endings were a must in any story she created. She
writes in the Rocky Mountains with her husband, two growing sons, and two dogs.
Connect with her at:
Twitter @LanaWilliams28
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/YtJ5FX
