Pandulph

Infobox bishopbiog
name =Pandulf Masca
religion =Catholic


See =Diocese of Norwich
Title = Bishop of Norwich
Period = 1215–1226
Predecessor = John de Gray
Successor =Thomas Blunville
ordination =
bishops =
post =
date of birth =
place of birth =Rome
date of death =September 16 1226
place of death =Rome

Pandulph (or Pandolph or Pandolfo or Pandulf Masca) (d. September 16 1226) was a Roman ecclesiastical politician, papal legate to England and bishop of Norwich.

Historical career

He was born in Rome, and first came to England in 1211, when he was commissioned by Innocent III to negotiate with King John. He is often erroneously called "Cardinal Pandulph" due to being confused with Cardinal Pandolfo Masca of Pisa. [CathEncy|wstitle=Pandulph]

Obtaining no satisfactory concessions, he is said to have produced the papal sentence of excommunication in the very presence of the king. In May 1213 he again visited England to receive the king's submission. The ceremony took place at the Templar church at Dover, and on the following day John, of his own motion, formally surrendered England to the representative of Rome to receive it again as a papal fief.

Pandulph repaid this act of humility by using every means to avert the threatened French invasion of England. For nearly a year he was superseded by the cardinal-legate Nicholas of Tusculum; but returning in 1215 was present at the conference of Runnymede, when the Magna Carta was signed. He rendered valuable aid to John who rewarded him with the see of Norwich, England in 1215, however he was not consecrated for a number of years.Powicke "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 242] [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33866 British History Online Bishops of Norwich] accessed on October 29, 2007] The arrival of the cardinal-legate Gualo in 1216 relegated Pandulph to a secondary position; but after Gualo's departure in 1218 he came forward once more, after having been appointed papal legate again on September 1 1218.

As representing the pope he claimed a control over Hubert de Burgh and the other ministers of the young Henry III; and his correspondence shows that he interfered in every department of the administration. His arrogance was tolerated while the regency was still in need of papal assistance; but in 1221 Hubert de Burgh and the primate Stephen Langton successfully moved the pope to recall Pandulph and to send no other legate "a latere" in his place. His legatine commission was terminated by the summer of 1221. He was finally consecrated bishop on May 29 1222.

Pandulph retained the see of Norwich, but from this time drops out of English politics. He died in Rome on September 16 1226, but his body was taken to Norwich for burial.

In literature

Pandulph's role in King John's reign made him a character in later literary and dramatic works that deal with the monarch, like Shakespeare's "King John" and Robert Davenport's "King John and Matilda".

ee also

* List of the Bishops of the Diocese of Norwich, England and its precursor offices

Notes

References

* [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Pandulph Source]
* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33866 British History Online Bishops of Norwich] accessed on October 29, 2007
* Paris, Matthew
* Powicke, F. Maurice and E. B. Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" 2nd. ed. London:Royal Historical Society 1961

Persondata
NAME=Pandulph
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Pandolph; Pandolfo; Masca, Pandulf
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Bishop of Norwich; Papal legate
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=Rome
DATE OF DEATH=September 16, 1223
PLACE OF DEATH=Rome