Peter des Roches: An Alien in English Politics, 1205-1238

565 Pages·1996·11.35 MB·English

by  Nicholas Vincent

This is the first biography of one of the wealthiest and most influential bishops of
medieval Europe, who for a period of more than thirty years exercised a degree
of power over the thirteenth-century Plantagenet court second only to that of the
king.
The career of Peter des Roches and the activities of his fellow aliens -
examined here in detail for the first time - are fundamental to an understanding
of the process by which England and France developed as two separate kingdoms.
As a politician, des Roches cast a shadow across the reigns of both John and
Henry III. His biography encompasses the first detailed narrative yet attempted of
English political history in the early 1230s and of the civil war of 1233-4: a period
which, as the author argues, has been much misunderstood. In the process it sheds
new light on such hotly debated issues as the role of aliens in English politics, the
reception of Magna Carta, the loss of Normandy, and the constitutional and
administrative developments of the reign of Henry III.

Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought
PETER DES ROCHES
Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought
Fourth Series
General Editor:
D. E. LUSCOMBE
Professor of Medieval History, University of Sheffield
Advisory Editors:
R. B. DOBSON
Professor of Medieval History, University of Cambridge, and Fellow of Christ's College
ROSAMOND MCKITTERICK
Reader in Early European History, University of Cambridge, and Fellow of
Newnham College
The series Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought was inaugurated
by G. G. Coulton in 1921. Professor D. E. Luscombe now acts as General
Editor of the Fourth Series, with Professor R. B. Dobson and Dr Rosamond
McKitterick as Advisory Editors. The series brings together outstanding work
by medieval scholars over a wide range of human endeavour extending from
political economy to the history of ideas.
For a list of titles in the series, see end of book.
PETER DES ROCHES
An alien in English politics, 1205—1238
NICHOLAS VINCENT
Canterbury, Christ Church College
CAMBRIDGE
UNIVERSITY PRESS
PUBLISHED BY THE PRESS SYNDICATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, United Kingdom
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
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© Cambridge University Press 1996
This book is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception
and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements,
no reproduction of any part may take place without
the written permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published 1996
First paperback edition 2002
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication data
Vincent, Nicholas
Peter des Roches: an alien in English politics, 1205-1238 /
Nicholas Vincent.
p. cm. - (Cambridge studies in medieval life and thought; 4th ser., 31)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0 52155254 0
1. Des Roches, Peter, d. 1238. 2. Great Britain - History - Henry
III, 1216-1272-Biography. 3. Catholic Church - England - Winchester -
Bishops - Biography. 4. Great Britain - Politics and
government - 1216-1272. 5. Great Britain - History - John, 1199—1216 —
Biography. 6. French - England - Winchester - Biography. 7. Poitou
(France) - Biography. I. Series.
DA228.D47V56 1996
942.03'4-dc20 95-17649 CIP
ISBN 0 52155254 0 hardback
ISBN 0 521 52215 3 paperback
For my parents

CONTENTS
List of maps page xii
Acknowledgements xiii
List of abbreviations xv
INTRODUCTION I
AN ALIEN ABROAD 14
THE REIGN OF KING JOHN 42
The Winchester election 47
The bishop in royal government 1206—1213 55
Finance 58
Military affairs 61
Diplomacy 64
Des Roches and the papal Interdict 1206—1213 74
THE JUSTICIARSHIP 89
The church 90
The laity 100
MAGNA CARTA AND CIVIL WAR 114
THE KING'S GUARDIAN I2I6—I2I9 134
War and peace 135
The restoration of order 141
King and bishop 149
Aliens new and old 156
Diplomacy 163
The church 165
Moral reform 172
Des Roches and the Jews 177
The Marshal's death 180
ix
Contents
6 DECLINE AND DISGRACE I2I9-I227 184
Hampshire and the forests 185
The first setback 195
Pilgrimage and plot 199
The papal letters of 1223 208
The siege of Bedford 215
Disgrace 1224-1227 218
7 DES ROCHES AND THE CRUSADE I227-I23I 229
8 THE FALL OF HUBERT DE BURGH 259
The background to des Roches' return 1227-1231 262
The bishop's return August 1231—January 1232 273
The Christmas court 1231 280
Royal finance and the council January—April 1232 283
The rise of Peter de Rivallis May—July 1232 292
The oaths of Burgh July 1232 299
The anti-Roman riots and the fall of Hubert de Burgh 303
9 THE COALITION 310
The trial of Hubert de Burgh August—November 1232 311
The death of the earl of Chester October 1232 320
The king's finances and Brittany 321
The Marshal's grievance November 1232—January 1233 327
The revival of the privy seal and the attack on Mauclerk
January—February 1233 331
The Upavon case February 1233 334
The Marshal's retirement from court 337
10 DES ROCHES IN POWER 34O
The regime and financial reform: the Exchequer 343
Financial reform: escheats and wardships 349
The personal role of Des Roches 357
11 THE GATHERING STORM 363
The Canterbury election and the church 365
Foreign relations: France, Scotland, Wales and Ireland 371
The king's council and baronial opposition
April-May 1233 375
Hostages and castles June 1233 379
The Westminster parliaments July 1233 382