Reginald Fitz Jocelin - Archbishop of Canterbury

Archbishop of Canterbury

Baldwin of Forde, the archbishop of Canterbury, died in 1190, while on Crusade in Palestine. Early in 1191, King Richard wrote to the cathedral chapter of Canterbury, which was composed of monks, not regular clergy, to recommend the election of William, who was Archbishop of Monreale, but this idea was not acted upon by the monks. In the autumn, William Longchamp, the chancellor, was driven from the kingdom by Walter de Coutances, who had been sent by the king to deal with the issue of Longchamp's misgovernment, and Prince John. Walter then turned to the issue of the vacant see of Canterbury, and ordered an election to take place on 2 December, and several bishops as well as Prince John and Walter arrived early at Canterbury. But Reginald was elected to the Archbishopric of Canterbury on 27 November 1191, by the monks. His election was an attempt by the monks to prevent a candidate unacceptable to them being forced on them, and his election was contested by Walter, who appealed to the papacy, and the monks counterappealed. Reginald's death on 26 December 1191 stopped the controversy and appeals. Reginald was probably chosen by the monks because he had supported the monks of Canterbury against their archbishop Baldwin of Forde in their dispute over the foundation of a church dedicated to Saint Thomas Becket. He died at Dogmersfield, Hampshire and was buried at Bath. Before his death, he was admitted as a confrater of Christ Church Priory, Canterbury, and was buried in the habit of a Benedictine monk. According to a monk of Eynsham Abbey, after Reginald's death "he performed miraculous cures for certain weak and sick people." The same source claimed Reginald wore a hair shirt under his episcopal vestments.